Question

Antigone speeches for labels and analysis: Please focus on the speeches found on pages 16-20 between Creon and Haemon in our text. Our focus for this discussion are the elements of argument used by the characters to make their points and your ability to identify and explain the nature of the arguments (CLAIM/THESIS, EVIDENCE, ASSUMPTION/CONCLUSION), or the types of evidence used and how to categorize the logic used as (logic), (emotional), or (moral or ethical). Please consider the strengths and flaws of each of the arguments. If you identify any logical fallacy or flaws in logic, make note of it. Please use your knowledge and understanding of argument to analyze and evaluate which argument is most effective or convincing and why. Write, underline, and take notes on the speeches by using this handout.

Answer 1

The speeches between Creon and Haemon in Antigone are analyzed, highlighting Creon's reliance on ethos and logos contrasted with Haemon's blend of ethos, pathos, and logos, making Haemon's argument more convincing due to its balance of logical, emotional, and moral appeals.

Step-by-step explanation:

The speeches between Creon and Haemon in Antigone provide an excellent example of rhetorical argument, including the use of ethos, pathos, and logos. Creon, as the King, constructs his argument on the basis of authority and public order, representing ethos, and emphasizes the importance of state laws over individual desires.

This is a logical appeal (logos), but it also uncovers a potential flaw as Creon dismisses the moral reasoning behind Antigone's actions and fails to consider the gods' laws, leading to a lack of balance in his ethical reasoning.

On the other hand, Haemon employs pathos by appealing to his father's sense of compassion and the people's perspective. He supports his claims with evidence of the city's unrest and moral discontent regarding Antigone's punishment.

Haemon's argument harmoniously blends logos, with a rational discussion of power's limits, and ethos, by respecting his father and yet questioning his actions, moving toward a more ethical argument in regard to divine laws and human empathy.

Overall, Haemon's argument proves more convincing as it balances logical, emotional, and moral or ethical appeals in contrast to Creon's primarily logical and hierarchical stance. The discussion of these speeches can lead to an in-depth understanding of the thesis, reasoning, and evidence in argumentation, exploring how these elements can be harmoniously blended or improperly balanced to affect an argument's strength.