Instant Access To 100,000+ Essays!

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word classic as a work of enduring excellence or a typical or perfect example. (Merriam-Webster Dictionary) There are many works that are referred to as a “classic,” but how many can actually be considered a “classic,” really? I would define the word classic as a benchmark to which all other works in a particular genre are compared or emulated to throughout time. Most works that are called classics are not classics at all, not to take anything away from them, but are merely masterful works of art. The Ancient Greeks and Sophocles, on the other hand, are classics and have withstood the test of time and are still inspiring artists of today. Woven into the graceful folds of Ancient Greek literature, such as Sophocles’ tragedy Antigone, are the classic concepts, motifs, philosophies, and underlying themes which western civilization has adopted as all its own. Before we can discuss the impact of the Ancient Greeks and Sophocles’ classic tragedy, Antigone, on the present, we first must take a look at the history of tragedy itself. The early beginnings of tragedy can be traced back to around 700 B.C. The early tragedies were performed at four festivals throughout th