Comparing Archetypes In Literature

Read the excerpts from "The Royal House of Thebes" and "The Story of a Warrior Queen." "We are women," she told her sister. "We must obey. We have no strength to defy the State." "Choose your own part," Antigone said. "I go to bury the brother I love." "You are not strong enough," Ismene cried. "Why, then when my strength fails," Antigone answered, "I will give up." She left her sister; Ismene dared not follow her.—"The Royal House of Thebes" Again and again the Romans were defeated, till it almost seemed as if the Britons really would succeed in driving them out of the country. Boadicea herself led the soldiers, encouraging them with her brave words. "It is better to die with honor than to live in slavery," she said. "I am a woman, but I would rather die than yield. Will you follow me, men?"

Read the excerpts from "The Royal House of Thebes" and "The Story of a Warrior Queen." Antigone and Ismene heard with horror what Creon had decided. To Ismene, shocking as it was, overwhelming her with anguish for the pitiful dead body and the lonely, homeless soul, it seemed, nevertheless, that nothing could be done except to acquiesce [to accept without protest]. She and Antigone were utterly alone. All Thebes was exulting that the man who had brought war upon them should be thus terribly punished. "We are women," she told her sister. "We must obey. We have no strength to defy the State." "Choose your own part," Antigone said. "I go to bury the brother I love." -"The Royal House of Thebes" "Is it not better to be poor and free than to have great wealth and be slaves?" she [Boadicea] asked. "And the Romans take not only our freedom but our wealth. They want to make us both slaves and beggars. Let us rise. O brothers and sisters, let us rise, and drive these robbers out of our land! Let us kill them every one! Let us teach them that they are no better than hares and foxes, and no match for greyhounds! We will fight, and if we cannot conquer, then let us die—yes, every one of us—die rather than submit."

Read the excerpt from " The Story of a Warrior Queen ." The eldest daughter obeyed proudly and gladly, but the younger one was afraid. "Must I, mother?" she asked timidly. "Yes, dear one," said Boadicea gently. "I too will drink, and we shall meet again." When the Roman soldiers burst in upon them, they found the great queen dead, with her daughters in her arms. She had poisoned both herself and them, rather than that they should fall again into the hands of the Romans.

Read the excerpt from "The Royal House of Thebes." Ismene weeping came from the palace to stand with her sister. "I helped do it," she said. But Antigone would not have that. "She had no share in it," she told Creon. And she bade her sister say no more. "Your choice was to live," she said, "mine to die." As she was led away to death, she spoke to the bystanders:— . . . Behold me, what I sufferBecause I have upheld that which is high. How does the archetype of tragic heroine reveal the universal theme?

Read the excerpt from "The Story of a Warrior Queen." When Boadicea saw that all hope was gone, she called her daughters to her. "My children," she said sadly, as she took them by the hand and drew them towards her, "my children, it has not pleased the gods of battle to deliver us from the power of the Romans. But there is yet one way of escape." Tears were in her blue eyes as she kissed her daughters. She was no longer a queen of fury but a loving mother. Which archetype does Boadicea, the queen of the Britons, best represent?

Read the excerpt from "The Royal House of Thebes." There were seven champions to attack the seven gates of Thebes, and seven others within as bold to defend them. Eteocles defended the gate which Polyneices attacked, and Antigone and Ismene within the palace waited to hear which had killed the other. But before any decisive combat had taken place, a youth in Thebes not yet grown to manhood had died for his country and in his death had shown himself the noblest of all. This was Creon's younger son, Menoeceus. How does the archetype presented in the excerpt support the universal theme of loyalty to one's country?

Read the excerpt from "The Royal House of Thebes." Neither the besiegers nor the besieged could gain any real advantage and finally both sides agreed to let the matter be decided by a combat between the brothers. If Eteocles was the victor, the Argive Army would withdraw; If Eteocles was conquered, Polyneices should be king. Neither was victor; they killed each other. Eteocles dying looked upon his brother and wept; he had no strength to speak. Polyneices could murmur a few words: "My brother, my enemy, but loved, always loved. Bury me in my homeland—to have so much at least of my city." Which actions best support the theme that lust for power is stronger than family ties? Select two options.

Read the excerpt from "The Royal House of Thebes." Antigone and Ismene heard with horror what Creon had decided. To Ismene, shocking as it was, overwhelming her with anguish for the pitiful dead body and the lonely, homeless soul, it seemed, nevertheless, that nothing could be done except to acquiesce [to accept without protest]. She and Antigone were utterly alone. All Thebes was exulting that the man who had brought war upon them should be thus terribly punished. "We are women," she told her sister. "We must obey. We have no strength to defy the State." "Choose your own part," Antigone said. "I go to bury the brother I love." "You are not strong enough," Ismene cried. "Why, then when my strength fails," Antigone answered, "I will give up." She left her sister; Ismene dared not follow her. How does Antigone's action as a rebel reveal the universal theme?

Read the excerpt from "The Royal House of Thebes." Antigone and Ismene heard with horror what Creon had decided. To Ismene, shocking as it was, overwhelming her with anguish for the pitiful dead body and the lonely, homeless soul, it seemed, nevertheless, that nothing could be done except to acquiesce [to accept without protest]. She and Antigone were utterly alone. All Thebes was exulting that the man who had brought war upon them should be thus terribly punished. "We are women," she told her sister. "We must obey. We have no strength to defy the State." Which archetype does Ismene best represent?