Hubris- Antigone Essays

Hubris- Antigone Essays Hubris- Antigone Paper Hubris- Antigone Paper Essay Topic: Antigone Burial Rites In order to demonstrate pride, one must display self- respect and dignity towards themselves or to the cause he or she feels strongly towards. To take pride in something means to have diligence and persistence in the task he or she believes in. Although those who seek to live their lives with this sense of pride believe that they are living an honest and just life, others may assume that he or she may be displaying overconfidence and arrogance by living their life with excessive amounts of hubris. Expressing confidence and a sense of pride or hubris throughout one’s life can often be seen as being a flaw and may come across as being haughty and stubborn, especially if their pride is excessive. Displaying pride isn’t necessarily a bad attribute, but I can lead others to believe the one displaying hubris is almost asking for attention, whether it be negative or positive attention. This notion of constantly trying to demonstrate excessive pride is consistently demonstrated in the play Antigone written by Sophocles. Throughout the play, the character Antigone constantly challenges the audience with her overconfident actions that may cause them to wonder if her actions are only to gain attention and seem suicidal or if her excessive pride is just a tragic flaw she must demonstrate in order to resolve an even larger conflict. Her actions may seem extreme and even suicidal, but in the end they are that of a tragic hero and all go towards an even greater cause for the sake of her family. For a character to be a tragic hero, he or she must meet the expectations of s certain criteria that is seen throughout many Greek tragedies. A tragic hero must be of noble stature. The character must occupy a high status within the play but must also embody nobility as a part of their innate character. They can’t be seen as perfect because the audience must be able to identify with them. A tragic hero cannot be too good or too bad. A very huge aspect in being a tragic hero is that he or she must have a tragic flaw or downfall that is acted upon due to free choice due to a personality flaw or hamartia he or she possesses. Hamartia leads to the fall of someone of noble status caused by some excess or mistake in behavior. This decision usually leads to the hero’s demise. They are punished for their actions and their punishment usually exceeds their crime. Their fall does not go un- noticed. It usually causes awareness and a gain in self- knowledge and discovery among other characters within the play. All of these aspects can be seen throughout the play Antigone and are demonstrated by the character Antigone herself. Instead of being seen as making rash decisions that may seem suicidal to others, her actions all fall within the criteria of being tragically flawed. She is a tragic hero and has to act on how she feels. The play, Antigone, is centered on previous characters form other plays written by Sophocles, such as Oedipus the King and Oedipus at Colonus. Immediately, Sophocles makes it know to the audience who the tragic hero is within the play due to a difficult challenge or hurdle he or she has got to face. Antigone takes place in the city and countryside of Thebes. After a civil war both of Antigone’s brothers, Polyneices and Etocles are killed by each other while at war. Creon, the new ruler of Thebes and uncle to both, has declared that Eteocles will be honored and Polyneices disgraced. The rebel brothers body will not be sanctified by holy rites, and will lay unburied, which goes against what the gods expect after someone dies. He also forbids others to try and attempt a burial for Polyneices. Creon’s decree sparks defiance within Antigone, who is of high social position within the play. After being informed on what will happened to Polyneices body by her sister Ismene, Antigone immediately expresses her feelings to rebel against Creon’s law. Due to her excessive pride, which may seem stubborn and extreme, she knows she must act against Creon’s wishes and knows that challenging Creon could result in death. Her sister, Ismene, takes a completely opposing stance within the play. She warns Antigone that she could be terribly punished by saying, â€Å"we are both women† and they should â€Å"not battle against men†. Ismene is warning that not only is she much weaker physically and influentially than a man, but for a woman to challenge a man is looked down upon and should be avoided. Antigone knows that not burying her brother, â€Å"will keep her from dying nobly†, which justifies her actions against Creon. Although she knows full well the consequences of burying her brother, Antigone knows she must act because it’s the right thing to do. Her reasons are noble and righteous in the eyes of the gods. She knows that she will pay with her life but still chooses to risk it for the proper burial of her brother. Her hubris and pride demonstrate that following her beliefs in the gods is more important n Creon’s decree. Creon soon learns of Antigone’s actions and actually gives her a chance to lie about them, but due to her hubris and tragic flaw, Antigone reveals her actions and willingly accepts her punishment. She does not think that Creon is in any position to surpass the gods. She does not believe, â€Å"Creon, a mortal, could overstep gods’ written and unshakable traditions. † Creon is outraged by her defiance and now considers her to be a slave and sentencing her to death by saying, â€Å"she is not allowed to think big. † He then sentences her to be imprisoned in cave where she will await death. Antigone acts brash for a final time by ending her own life, instead of waiting for her to the by someone else. She is found hanging in the cave. Even though she committed suicide, Antigone’s actions were not suicidal. Throughout the entire play, Antigone acted because she felt strongly towards something. It was evident from the very beginning that she would face death if she acted but knew that is she didn’t act she would be acting unjustly towards her brother. Her stubbornness and independence not only led to her demise but also as to how she would die. Antigone was aware and in control of her future even at the time of her imprisonment. She knew she would die but decided to die on her own terms and in the way she say fit. Her pride and hubris have led to her downfall. She was torn between loyalties, but knew ultimately that her loyalty lay with the gods and with her brother. Like most tragic heroes, Antigone’s actions and death brought about a change in awareness and self- knowledge among another character. Creon was if not the same then more arrogant and prideful than Antigone. He believed that his decree could overstep the gods due to his status and because he held such a grudge against Polyneices. Creon is warned that â€Å"stubborn self-will incurs a charge of stupidity† and that he should reconsider his options, but Creon demonstrates the same stubborn, prideful tendencies as Antigone and refuses to listen to anyone else. After sentencing Antigone to death, Creon learns from a prophet that if he didn’t change his decisions or behavior, he too would die, but even then, it was too late. After trying to release Antigone, Creon soon discovers that she and his son, Haemon who was to marry Antigone, have both taken their lives. Due to Antigone’s actions and defiance, Creon has transformed from a proud ruler of Thebes to a defeated, grief-stricken mortal. Antigone’s story teaches the audience that maintaining balance and a calm manner in our actions I key, no matter the situations. Her decisions her bold and brash, but in no way make her suicidal. He felt strongly towards something and knew that she must act against it, even if that meant facing death. Her flawed pride and ego may have led to her demise, but in the process she was able to defend her loyalty towards her brother by honoring him and honoring the position of the gods. Antigone is portrayed more as a martyr than as being suicidal. Even though she is given an opportunity to lie about her actions, Antigone knows that it wouldn’t be the right thing to do and dies for a just cause.

U.S. Citizenship Test Questions

U.S. Citizenship Test Questions On Oct. 1, 2008, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) replaced the set of questions formerly used as part of the citizenship test with the questions listed here. All applicants who filed for naturalization on or after October 1, 2008, are required to take the new test. In the citizenship test, the applicant for citizenship is asked up to 10 of the 100 questions. The interviewer reads the questions in English and the applicant must answer in English. In order to pass, at least 6 of the 10 questions must be answered correctly. New Test Questions and Answers Some questions have more than one correct answer. In those cases, all acceptable answers are shown. All answers are shown exactly as worded by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. * If you are 65 years old or older and have been a legal permanent resident of the United States for 20 or more years, you may study just the questions that have been marked with an asterisk. AMERICAN GOVERNMENT A. Principles of American Democracy 1. What is the supreme law of the land? A: The Constitution 2. What does the Constitution do? A: sets up the governmentA: defines the governmentA: protects basic rights of Americans 3. The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words? A: We the People 4. What is an amendment? A: a change (to the Constitution)A: an addition (to the Constitution) 5. What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution? A: The Bill of Rights 6. What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?* A: speechA: religionA: assemblyA: pressA: petition the government 7. How many amendments does the Constitution have? A: twenty-seven (27) 8. What did the  Declaration of Independence  do? A: announced our independence (from Great Britain)A: declared our independence (from Great Britain)A: said that the United States is free (from Great Britain) 9. What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence? A: lifeA: libertyA: pursuit of happiness 10. What is freedom of religion? A: You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion. 11. What is the economic system in the United States?* A: capitalist economyA: market economy 12. What is the rule of law? A: Everyone must follow the law.A: Leaders must obey the law.A: Government must obey the law.A: No one is above the law. B. System of Government 13. Name one branch or part of the government.* A: CongressA: legislativeA: PresidentA: executiveA: the courtsA: judicial 14. What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful? A: checks and balancesA: separation of powers 15. Who is in charge of the executive branch? A: the President 16. Who makes federal laws? A: CongressA: Senate and House (of Representatives)A: (U.S. or national) legislature 17. What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?* A: the Senate and House (of Representatives) 18. How many U.S. Senators are there? A: one hundred (100) 19. We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years? A: six (6) 20. Who is one of your states U.S. Senators? A: Answers will vary. [For District of Columbia residents and residents of U.S. territories, the answer is that D.C. (or the territory where the applicant lives) has no U.S. Senators.] * If you are 65 years old or older and have been a legal permanent resident of the United States for 20 or more years, you may study just the questions that have been marked with an asterisk. 21. The House of Representatives has how many voting members? A: four hundred thirty-five (435) 22. We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years? A: two (2) 23. Name your U.S. Representative. A: Answers will vary. [Residents of territories with nonvoting Delegates or resident Commissioners may provide the name of that Delegate or Commissioner. Also acceptable is any statement that the territory has no (voting) Representatives in Congress.] 24. Who does a U.S. Senator represent? A: all people of the state 25. Why do some states have more Representatives than other states? A: (because of) the states populationA: (because) they have more peopleA: (because) some states have more people 26. We elect a President for how many years? A: four (4) 27. In what month do we vote for President?* A: November 28. What is the name of the President of the United States now?* A: Donald J. TrumpA: Donald TrumpA: Trump 29. What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now? A: Michael Richard PenceA: Mike PenceA: Pence 30. If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President? A: the Vice President 31. If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President? A: the Speaker of the House 32. Who is the Commander in Chief of the military? A: the President 33. Who signs bills to become laws? A: the President 34. Who vetoes bills? A: the President 35. What does the Presidents Cabinet do? A: advises the President 36. What are two Cabinet-level positions? A: Secretary of AgricultureA: Secretary of CommerceA: Secretary of DefenseA: Secretary of EducationA: Secretary of EnergyA: Secretary of Health and Human ServicesA: Secretary of Homeland SecurityA: Secretary of Housing and Urban DevelopmentA: Secretary of InteriorA: Secretary of StateA: Secretary of TransportationA: Secretary of TreasuryA: Secretary of Veterans AffairsA: Secretary of LaborA: Attorney General 37. What does the judicial branch do? A: reviews lawsA: explains lawsA: resolves disputes (disagreements)A: decides if a law goes against the Constitution 38. What is the highest court in the United States? A: the Supreme Court 39. How many justices are on the Supreme Court? A: nine (9) 40. Who is the Chief Justice of the United States? A: John Roberts (John G. Roberts, Jr.) * If you are 65 years old or older and have been a legal permanent resident of the United States for 20 or more years, you may study just the questions that have been marked with an asterisk. 41. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government? A: to print moneyA: to declare warA: to create an armyA: to make treaties 42. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states? A: provide schooling and educationA: provide protection (police)A: provide safety (fire departments)A: give a drivers licenseA: approve zoning and land use 43. Who is the Governor of your state? A: Answers will vary. [Residents of the District of Columbia and U.S. territories without a Governor should say we dont have a Governor.] 44. What is the capital of your state?* A: Answers will vary. [District of Colu*mbia residents should answer that D.C. is not a state and does not have a capital. Residents of U.S. territories should name the capital of the territory.] 45. What are the two major political parties in the United States?* A: Democratic and Republican 46. What is the political party of the President now? A: Republican (Party) 47. What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now? A: Nancy Pelosi (Pelosi) C: Rights and Responsibilities 48. There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them. A: Citizens eighteen (18) and older (can vote).A: You dont have to pay (a poll tax) to vote.A: Any citizen can vote. (Women and men can vote.)A: A male citizen of any race (can vote). 49. What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens?* A: serve on a juryA: vote 50. What are two rights only for United States citizens? A: apply for a federal jobA: voteA: run for officeA: carry a U.S. passport 51. What are two rights of everyone living in the United States? A: freedom of expressionA: freedom of speechA: freedom of assemblyA: freedom to petition the governmentA: freedom of worshipA: the right to bear arms 52. What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance? A: the United StatesA: the flag 53. What is one promise you make when you become a United States citizen? A: give up loyalty to other countriesA: defend the Constitution and laws of the United StatesA: obey the laws of the United StatesA: serve in the U.S. military (if needed)A: serve (do important work for) the nation (if needed)A: be loyal to the United States 54. How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?* A: eighteen (18) and older 55. What are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy? A: voteA: join a political partyA: help with a campaignA: join a civic groupA: join a community groupA: give an elected official your opinion on an issueA: call Senators and RepresentativesA: publicly support or oppose an issue or policyA: run for officeA: write to a newspaper 56. When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?* A: April 15 57. When must all men register for the Selective Service? A: at age eighteen (18)A: between eighteen (18) and twenty-six (26) AMERICAN HISTORY A: Colonial Period and Independence 58. What is one reason colonists came to America? A: freedomA: political libertyA: religious freedomA: economic opportunityA: practice their religionA: escape persecution 59. Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived? A: Native AmericansA: American Indians 60. What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves? A: AfricansA: people from Africa * If you are 65 years old or older and have been a legal permanent resident of the United States for 20 or more years, you may study just the questions that have been marked with an asterisk. 61. Why did the colonists fight the British? A: because of high taxes (taxation without representation)A: because the British army stayed in their houses (boarding, quartering)A: because they didnt have self-government 62. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? A: (Thomas) Jefferson 63. When was the Declaration of Independence adopted? A: July 4, 1776 64. There were 13 original states. Name three. A: New HampshireA: MassachusettsA: Rhode IslandA: ConnecticutA: New YorkA: New JerseyA: PennsylvaniaA: DelawareA: MarylandA: VirginiaA: North CarolinaA: South CarolinaA: Georgia 65. What happened at the Constitutional Convention? A: The Constitution was written.A: The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution. 66. When was the Constitution written? A: 1787 67. The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers. A: (James) MadisonA: (Alexander) HamiltonA: (John) JayA: Publius 68. What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for? A: U.S. diplomatA: oldest member of the Constitutional ConventionA: first Postmaster General of the United StatesA: writer of Poor Richards AlmanacA: started the first free libraries 69. Who is the Father of Our Country? A: (George) Washington 70. Who was the first President?* A: (George) Washington B: 1800s 71. What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803? A: the Louisiana TerritoryA: Louisiana 72. Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s. A: War of 1812A: Mexican-American WarA: Civil WarA: Spanish-American War 73. Name the U.S. war between the North and the South. A: the Civil WarA: the War between the States 74. Name one problem that led to the Civil War. A: slaveryA: economic reasonsA: states rights 75. What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?* A: freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation)A: saved (or preserved) the UnionA: led the United States during the Civil War 76. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do? A: freed the slavesA: freed slaves in the ConfederacyA: freed slaves in the Confederate statesA: freed slaves in most Southern states 77. What did Susan B. Anthony do? A: fought for womens rightsA: fought for civil rights C: Recent American History and Other Important Historical Information 78. Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.* A: World War IA: World War IIA: Korean WarA: Vietnam WarA: (Persian) Gulf War 79. Who was President during World War I? A: (Woodrow) Wilson 80. Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II? A: (Franklin) Roosevelt * If you are 65 years old or older and have been a legal permanent resident of the United States for 20 or more years, you may study just the questions that have been marked with an asterisk. 81. Who did the United States fight in World War II? A: Japan, Germany, and Italy 82. Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in? A: World War II 83. During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States? A: Communism 84. What movement tried to end racial discrimination? A: civil rights (movement) 85. What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?* A: fought for civil rightsA: worked for equality for all Americans 86. What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States? A: Terrorists attacked the United States. 87. Name one American Indian tribe in the United States. [Adjudicators will be supplied with a complete list.] A: CherokeeA: NavajoA: SiouxA: ChippewaA: ChoctawA: PuebloA: ApacheA: IroquoisA: CreekA: BlackfeetA: SeminoleA: CheyenneA: ArawakA: ShawneeA: MoheganA: HuronA: OneidaA: LakotaA: CrowA: TetonA: HopiA: Inuit INTEGRATED CIVICS A: Geography 88. Name one of the two longest rivers in the United States. A: Missouri (River)A: Mississippi (River) 89. What ocean is on the West Coast of the United States? A: Pacific (Ocean) 90. What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States? A: Atlantic (Ocean) 91. Name one U.S. territory. A: Puerto RicoA: U.S. Virgin IslandsA: American SamoaA: Northern Mariana IslandsA: Guam 92. Name one state that borders Canada. A: MaineA: New HampshireA: VermontA: New YorkA: PennsylvaniaA: OhioA: MichiganA: MinnesotaA: North DakotaA: MontanaA: IdahoA: WashingtonA: Alaska 93. Name one state that borders Mexico. A: CaliforniaA: ArizonaA: New MexicoA: Texas 94. What is the capital of the United States?* A: Washington, D.C. 95. Where is the Statue of Liberty?* A: New York (Harbor)A: Liberty Island[Also acceptable are New Jersey, near New York City, and on the Hudson (River).] B. Symbols 96. Why does the flag have 13 stripes? A: because there were 13 original coloniesA: because the stripes represent the original colonies 97. Why does the flag have 50 stars?* A: because there is one star for each stateA: because each star represents a stateA: because there are 50 states 98. What is the name of the national anthem? A: The Star-Spangled Banner C: Holidays 99. When do we celebrate Independence Day?* A: July 4 100. Name two national U.S. holidays. A: New Years DayA: Martin Luther King, Jr., DayA: Presidents DayA: Memorial DayA: Independence DayA: Labor DayA: Columbus DayA: Veterans DayA: ThanksgivingA: Christmas NOTE: The questions above will be asked of applicants who file for naturalization on or after October 1, 2008. Until then, the Current Set of Citizenship Questions and Answers remains in effect. For those applicants who file prior to October 1, 2008, but are not interviewed until after October 2008 (but before October 1, 2009), there will be an option of taking the new test or the current one.