Belonging and Love Needs in Antigone, A Major Character in Antigone A Play by Sophocles : Psychological Approach

I.

Foreword

Before analysing the Antigone, its better to know more about Humanistic Psychology as proposed by Maslow. The American psychologist Abraham Maslow (19081970) founded the Association for Humanistic Psychology in 1959 and, then, going a quantum jump further, established the Association for Transpersonal Psychology in 1969. He achieved both endeavors with the help of his colleague Anthony Sutich, with whom he helped edit the academic journals for both associations, The J. of Humanistic Psychology and the J. of Transpersonal Psychology. At the time when he was studying psychology, behaviorism and psychoanalysis were considered the big two. Most courses studies these theories and much time was spent determining which theory one would follow. Maslow was on a different path. He criticized behaviorism and later took the same approach with Freud and his writings. While he acknowledged the presence of the unconscious, he disagreed with Freud's belief that the vast majority of who we are is buried deep beyond our awareness. Maslow believed that we are aware of our motives and drives for the most part and that without the obstacles of life, we would all become psychologically healthy individuals with a deep understanding of ourselves and an acceptance of the world around us. Where Freud saw much negativity, Maslow focused his efforts on understanding the positives of mankind. It could be said that psychoanalytic thought is based on determinism, or aspects beyond our control, and humanistic thought is based on free will. Humanistic Psychology wants to examine what is really right with people, rather than just what is wrong with them. That is to say, it wants to focus on psychological health and well-being rather than merely on mental-emotional-behavioral disorders. Maslow articulated such key concepts as self-actualization (development of ones capacities) for Humanistic Psychology, then exceeded it with his Transpersonal Psychology ideal of self-transcendence (full spiritual awakening or liberation from egocentricity), along with the notion of peak experiences (and plateau living). Maslow's most well known contribution is the Hierarchy of Needs and this is often used to summarize the belief system of humanistic psychology. The basic premise behind this hierarchy is that we are born with certain needs. Without meeting these initial needs, we will not be able to continue our life and move upward on hierarchy.

This first level consists of our physiological needs, or our basic needs for survival. These include the needs we have for oxygen, water, protein, salt, sugar, calcium, and other minerals and vitamins. Without food, water, and oxygen, nothing else in life matters. They also include the need to maintain a pH balance (getting too acidic or base will kill you) and temperature (98.6 or near to it). Also, theres the needs to be active, to rest, to sleep, to get rid of wastes (CO2, sweat, urine, and feces), to avoid pain, and to have sex. Quite a collection! Maslow believed, and research supports him, that these are in fact individual needs, and that a lack of, say, vitamin C, will lead to a very specific hunger for things which have in the past provided that vitamin C -- e.g. orange juice. I guess the cravings that some pregnant women have, and the way in which babies eat the most foul tasting baby food, support the idea anecdotally Once these needs are met, we can move to the next level, which consists of our need for safety and security. At this level we look seek out safety through other people and strive to find a world that will protect us and keep us free from harm. Without these goals being met, it is extremely difficult to think about higher level needs and therefore we can not continue to grow. When we feel safe and secure in our world then we begin to seek out friendships in order to feel a sense of belonging. Maslow's third level, the need for belonging and love, focuses on our desire to be accepted, to fit in, and to feel like we have a place in the world. Getting these needs met propels us closer to the top of this pyramid and into the fourth level, called esteem needs. At this level we focus our energy on self-respect, respect from others, and feeling that we have made accomplishments on our life. We strive to move upward in careers, to gain knowledge about the world, and to work toward a sense of high self-worth. Maslow noted two versions of esteem needs, a lower one and a higher one. The

lower one is the need for the respect of others, the need for status, fame, glory, recognition, attention, reputation, appreciation, dignity, even dominance. The higher form involves the need for self-respect, including such feelings as confidence, competence, achievement, mastery, independence, and freedom. Note that this is the higher form because, unlike the respect of others, once you have self-respect, its a lot harder to lose! The negative version of these needs is low self-esteem and inferiority complexes. Maslow felt that Adler was really onto something when he proposed that these were at the roots of many, if not most, of our psychological problems. In modern countries, most of us have what we need in regard to our physiological and safety needs. We, more often than not, have quite a bit of love and belonging, too. Its a little respect that often seems so very hard to get! The final level in the hierarchy is called the need for self-actualization. According to Maslow, many people may be in this level but very few if anybody ever masters it. Selfactualization refers to a complete understanding of the self. To be self-actualized means to truly know who you are, where you belong in the greater society, and to feel like you have accomplished all that you have set out to accomplish. It means to no longer feel shame or guilt, or even hate, but to accept the world and see human nature as inherently good. Self-actualization are needs that do not involve balance or homeostasis. Once engaged, they continue to be felt. In fact, they are likely to become stronger as we feed them! They involve the continuous desire to fulfill potentials, to be all that you can be. They are a matter of becoming the most complete, the fullest, you -- hence the term, selfactualization.

II.

Belonging and Love Needs of Antigone The story is opened with a prologue that brings information that the new king Creon of Thebes has declared that the body of Polyneices is not to be buried but instead lie in the field and rot. This happens because he stand against his own country and fought for Argive army. PROLOGUE ANTIGONE : Listen, Ismene: Creon buried our brother Eteocles with military honors, gave him a soldiers funeral, and it was right that he should; but Polyneices, who fought as bravely and died as miserably they say that Creon has sworn

no one shall bury him, no one mourn for him, but his body must lie in the fields, a sweet treasure for birds to find as they search for food. That is what they say, and our good Creon is coming here to announce it publicly; and the penalty Stoning to death in the public square! There it is, and now you can prove what you are: a true sister, or a traitor to your family.

The first real conflict of the drama happened at the night when Antigone, Polyneices sister, didnt agree with King Creons decision about Polyneices body that wouldnt be honored with burial. Antigone brought Ismene, her sister, outside the palace to a secret meeting. In this meeting, Antigone discuss with Ismene about the death of their brothers in a single war, Eteocles and Polyneices. Creon has declared that Eteocles would be honored with burial while Polyneices body is left to rot. Antigone wanted to bury Polyneices body, in defiance of Creons edict. She asked Ismene to help her, but Ismene refused. Antigone thought it was necessary to bury the body of her brother, who was a traitor to Thebes, because when a corpse was not buried, but instead left uncovered to be eaten by birds and animals, this was thought to be a supreme insult to the bodys family, the gods then were insulted and made angry. It showed that Antigone was caring about her brother. She wanted Polyneices to be honored. It means that Antigone has need of love and belonging. In rising action, Antigone made an attempt to sneak out the body of Polyneices for cleaning and buring it in an honorable way. Creon, meanwhile, made a public proclamation of his desire that the body not to be touched by anyone. This brings us to have two contrasting views of the dead body and thus a real conflict. Thus, Antigones decision takes the play to the real action ; burying Polyneices and avoid Kings rule. Antigone tried her best for her brother. The conflict is getting more intense when a nervous sentry arrives at the palace to tell Creon that while the sentries slept, someone gave Polyneices burial rites, Creon vowed to execute the sentry if no other suspect is found. The sentry soon exonerates himself catching Antigone in the act of attempting to rebury her brother, the sentries having disinterred him. Antigone freely confessed her act to Creon and said that she herself defied the will of the gods by refusing Polyneices burial. She argued unflinchingly with Creon about the morality of what she had done.

Again, Antigone kept trying to bury Polyneices body in order to honor him although she knew about the risk. She took all the risk even it would endanger herself. She really loved her brother and wanted the best for him. Even she didnt force her sister, Ismene, to take any responsibility in that situation. So, it means that Antigone has love and belonging needs to her family.