Comparative Essay - Chronicles of a Death Foretold and Antigone

In Chronicle of a Death Foretold and Antigone the atmosphere changes throughout both stories. In Chronicles of a death foretold an influential character comes to life and in Antigone a character’s actions lead to punishment. These scenarios are very different. However similar reactions occur in both stories. Two characters, one in each of these novels, show just how rigid they can be. In being so narrow-minded, these characters believe they are so faultless they disregard others to the point of humiliation. It is also interesting to see how other character’s opinions change throughout the different stories. It is even more interesting to analyze the characters and decipher why they change their points of view. Therefore in Chronicle of a death foretold and Antigone the stridency of important character’s beliefs victimize others.

In Chronicle of a Death Foretold Angela Vicario seems to be lacking friendships and other things in her own life. She is a character that keeps to herself, but when she does something she is in need of support from those around her. When Bayardo arrives in town and fancies Angela she doesn’t truly believe that it is she he is after. Angela thinks it is unrealistic for a man such as him to love a lady such as herself. Bayardo clearly has everything he needs. He is a handsome, extremely wealthy, and an incredibly charming man. Angela is suspicious about his intentions. Throughout most of the story Angela does not wish to marry Bayardo. “It was Angela Vicario who didn’t want to marry him. He seemed to much of a man for me” (pg34). However we find out that she is not a virgin, this could be part of the reason why she was so hesitant. Angela’s view towards Bayardo changes after he has returned her to her home after their wedding night. It is odd how her feelings toward him change only after he rejects her. It shows Angela is the type of person that loves things she can not have. Angela’s opinion has completely changed throughout the story: from despising Bayardo to being so obsessed with him that she writes him a letter every week without a single reply for years. Therefore because Angela is so strident she hurts other characters by pushing them away. Angela can be compared to Ismene in Antigone. Ismene does not wish to help her sister in the burial of her brother. She doesn’t believe any action should be taken as this would be going against the will of the king. Ismene is a weak character who shows little courage throughout the play until she feels as though she has nothing to lose. She is also a law abiding citizen. However she only obeys the law out of fear for herself. “Why rush to extremes? Its madness, madness!” (pg.62.ln.80). Antigone tries to convince her sister to help in the burial of their brother but gets frustrated with her and pursues the burial of Polyneices body on her own. Near the end of the play Ismene realises that if Creon does kill her sister than she will have no family left. Ismene insists on sharing her sister’s fate but Antigone refuses and tells her to live her life and have courage. Antigone believes that Ismene is scared of being alone and is trying to share the punishment only because she feels it would be easier to die than go on alone. Antigone also has a curious obsession with death. She knows if she buries her brother’s body she will die. This does not bother her in the least and Antigone actually believes it would be an honour to die. Therefore, she does not want to share this pride with her sister. “I will suffer nothing as great as death with glory” (pg.64.ln.112). Both Ismene and Angela Vicario show the same sort of development as the stories unfold. Both characters start off with a point of view which actually pushes others in the stories away from them. Angela pushes away Bayardo and Ismene pushes away Antigone. Then at the end of these stories each of these characters reaches out for the same people they pushed away. In need of love and family Angela’s and Ismene’s ideas change to the exact opposite of what they were in the beginning.

Pura Vicario, Angela’s mother, is a very opinionated character. She beats her daughter just because she feels Angela has done something wrong. Pura is a very typical thinker for this time and culture. She believes that men come first and that men have the authorization to do almost entirely as they please. These beliefs victimize Angela. After Bayardo announces his attraction to Angela and decides to marry her we see Pura’s first display of her extreme character. Angela tells