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Paper 2: Overlaps Between MBF, Antigone, and King Lear - Coggle Diagram
Paper 2: Overlaps Between MBF, Antigone, and King Lear
FAMILY/FRIENDSHIP
Ismene and Antigone: Sisters who differ in their actions responding to the unlawful treatment of their dead brother. Despite complete lack of help in Antigone's offensive, harbors similar feelings of justice and instead acts as a foil to Antigone representing the consequences of not taking any action against misuse of power.
MBF: Elena and Lila, completely contrasting best friends that lead completely different lives yet find comfort in the other. Use of foil characters to point out benefits and flaws in each lifestyle led by the two protagonists, as well as the social problems caused by the admiration of those with wealth and power.
KL: Lear and his daughters, the royal family of conflicting and destructive beliefs and virtues; not necessarily foil characters as a whole but represents the destructive force power can have on a family, highlights corruption as well similar to what is seen in Creon (Antigone).
Antigone and Creon: Another pair of foils, this time uncle and niece; contrasting beliefs in divine and civil law. Flaws/hamartia as well as some benefits are highlighted, especially the importance of noting error in both beliefs. Also drawsa attention to corruption of power stemming from extreme hubris.
POWER/SOCIAL CLASS
Wealth and gender: Determines social status in all 3 books, power is gained through means of royalty and materialistic assets. A lack of responsibility to wrongful judgement, mistakes and constructive criticism is caused by thoughts of superiority stemming from possession of power.
MBF: The Solaras and Stefano Carrachi, newfound wealth for Carrachi, combined with his marriage of Lila, elevates his social status to rival that of the mafia Solaras. Has the effect of diminishing humanity and corruption due to wealth.
Antigone: Creon and Haemon take the throne over the king's actual offspring; Antigone and Ismene. Failure to accept mistakes and wrongful judgement results in death of all but Creon.
KL: Lear's misuse of immense power leaving him with nothing. Does not admit until it is too late that he was wrong to judge his daughters in the manner that he had, believed he as king was superior and that his control was absolute.
GENDER
Sexism: Explores gender roles, particularly of women, both in authority and in stereotypical roles depicting inferiority to males.
MBF: Lila is forced to drop out of school due to the social stigma that women are to be faithful housewives. Elena represents the very few that do receive education.
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KL: Shakespeare's portrayal of women as demonic and misaligned when holding positions of power, Lear's madness ensuing due to his refusal to rely on his two daughters.
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COURAGE
Standing up for what is 'right' and 'fair' in the face of defiance, willing to put own life on the line to see proper justice and equity is implemented.
Lila: constantly breaking stereotypes before conforming to one by marrying Caracchi. Represents a freer spirit that was rare to see in women in 20th Century Italy, opposes the idea of misogyny and disregards gender norms to empower a feminist approach to life and society.
Antigone: Defies king Creon to stand up for her dead brother in order to fix what she believed to be a divine injustice. Sacrifices herself to catalyze Creon's realisation of his wrongful judgement, able to hold her own and defy social stigma that surrounds her for being a female.
Cordelia: Stands up to the tyranny of her older sisters and sides with her father to attempt to regain control of the kingdom, risking her life in the process. Possesses unwavering, almost foolish loyalty to her father, highlighting the desire for justice and showing courage in the face of oppression.
Edmund: Despises and defies the stereotype that the second son is illegitimate in comparison to the first son, willing to betray and kill in order to fulfill his goal of being the rightful successor of his family. Example of one rising up for "fairness," as well as the extreme measures one can go to in order to fulfill their goals.