Q2. What themes does each version choose to highlight more and what effect does it have?

The British version of Antigone highlights out the theme of feminism (shown through the characters Antigone and Ismene), how it was over-powered by men, more specifically, by the character Creon. 

When Antigone first enters the scene, we can see clearly that she was in a rush and was very nervous. However, as soon as her plan of going against the rule was brought across, we immediately see that she changes from being a fear-dominated character to a brave one. 

The character of Ismene was then brought into the scene. Unlike Antigone, Ismene stands for how feminism was dominated by males. Through her speech, we understand that she has absolutely no intention of helping in her brother's burial (although it was the duty of the women to do so at that time). The conversation between Antigone and Ismene was successful in portraying how powerless women was.

Also, we see several portraits of Creon being put up in different angles and different corners of a room. This immediately create a sense of ultimate power and dominance to this character. While Antigone and Ismene were having their conversation on the burial of Polynices, portraits of Creon were in the background staring down on both of them, making Antigone's plan seems so weak, which again highlights out power and dominance of men at that time.

The Greek version of Antigone highlights out the theme of tragedy using scenes of death, war, ruined city. To have the secret conversation between the sisters carried out in the middle of all that, the audience can sense the rush and the danger of Antigone's burial plan. This version is less symbolic then the British one as it doesn't have the portraits of Creon watching over the sisters.

Q3. Which version did you like the most and for what specific reasons?

I personally like the Greek version more because to me, the character of Antigone in this version is much stronger than the British Antigone. Irine Papas' facial expressions and speech was much more slow, firm and stable while Juliet Stephenson's expressions was shifting very quickly. This makes the audience feel like she somehow still isn't strong enough. Also, the use of props and costume in the Greek version was more "Greek-like" so it seems more dramatic and real.  

Cathy's Answers to Antigone Movies Questions 2 & 3

Q2) What themes does each version choose to highlight more and what effect does it have?

In my opinion, the British version of Antigone (1974) focuses on the theme of feminism and how it is over-powered by power and dominance through the characters of Creon, Antigone and Ismene.

When Antigone enters the room, anxiety is clearly visible on her face however, when the audience first hears her speak up about her plan, our first impression of her changes from a nervous/anxious woman to a fearless character who is determined to fulfill her responsibility as a daughter (since back then in ancient times, the daughters or women in general are responsible for the burial and funeral of their family members and a person who is not buried properly into the ground is considered to be a sin to the Gods). Antigone is the only character in the play that is willing to go against the rules given by the King to do what is right and this shows how Antigone stands up for herself and does not care about the consequences she will face if she gets caught.

On the other hand, we have Ismene, who is the opposite of Antigone. Unlike her sister, Ismene obeys Creon's rules of forbidding anyone to bury the 'betrayer', Polynices, as she does not want to be charged and punished (by death).

It is Ismene's character that displays how feminism is over-powered by power because in the play, we know that Ismene promised Antigone that her secret will be safe and that Ismene will not tell a soul however, this makes Ismene seem like a ...coward compared to her sister. Not only that, it highlights the extent to which the power and dominance of King Creon stops one from not committing a sin to the Gods.

Creon is portrayed as a domineering king who has the absolute power over the city and people of Thebes. In the beginning of the show, the audience can sense that Creon is a powerful ruler due to the background setting where we can see that there are about 6 portraits of hims with his eyebrows squinting together making him seem like the type of person who is not easily pleased. While Antigone and Ismene were having their secret conversation, the camera zooms out to show the whole view of the room where we can see a portrait of Creon staring directly at the sisters as if he was watching over them and furious by Antigone's plan which is shown through his squinting eyebrows. Although Creon has not appeared in this scene yet, the audience already has an idea of how Creon is going to react when he finds out about Antigone's 'crime'.

Q3) Which version did you like the most and for what specific reasons?

hhOverall, the Greek version was able to capture my attention as I was more intrigued and entertained by the show due to its language, because I had to keep reading the subtitles, I could not take my eyes away from the screen as I was scared that if I did, I wouldn't be able to understand what's happening/going to happen. The Greek language itself had that suspense to it and I really enjoyed just listening to it whereas for the English version, the costumes of all characters were plain and simple and definitely not suitable for that time period so after the first part, I found myself just listening to the audio and only shifting back to the video every now and then. The language in the English version was modern and un-Greek like even if it was translation since it had many phrases that were appalling to me because it felt like they were mocking how tragic the story was and thought that their use of comic relief would be suitable. Another reason why I preferred the Greek version is their costumes and the actual main character of Antigone. Eventhough the costumes looked more like space time than the Greek time, it was aspiring to see the cultural aspect of Greek being brought into the show and as for the actress who played Antigone, Irene Papas showed more emotion and kept the audience hanging on to her to see what she's going to say or do next whereas Juliet Stephenson's facial expressions were stiff and emotionless. I think the only emotion I got from her was anger hence there was no personal connection and it became quite dull to watch.

Khanh's answers to Questions 2 & 3

Q2. What themes does each version choose to highlight more and what effect does it have?


I think the British version is more inherent in its portrayal of the themes presented in Antigone. Central themes to the drama such as Duty VS Authority, represented by the conflicting opinions of the sisters, Antigone and Ismene. During their conversation, Antigone's tone is very harsh and dominant, which shows her fearlessness of the authority and pride in her belief that burying Polyneices is a duty that she certainly will fulfill, whereas Ismene's voice sounds shrill with fear and keeps on pleading Antigone, her face is full of worry.


This theme is further reinforced through the moral conflict between two equally justified belief of 'what is right', between Antigone and Creon. The British version has highlighted this theme very effectively by including a typical aspect from the modern society, which is the equality between men and women. I agree with Annette that this version supports feminity, in which case, Antigone stands opposite with Creon and both talk to each other like of equal status, whereas in the Greek version, Antigone has to look up to speak to Creon. Therefore, in the British version, Antigone is given power to speak out for her belief, together with the cultural setting that allows women to freely express their emotions, enhances the dominance of Antigone's Duty over Creon's Authority. 


The British version is more effective in highlighting the themes of Antigone through focus in characterisation, as there is less movement compared to the Greek version and more speech is made, which further emphasises the distinct personalities of each character: Antigone being headstrong and fearless, even harebrained sister, Creon being a demagogue who rules a tyranny, Ismene


The Greek version only highlights the theme of tragedy in a generic way through movie conventions, such as the setting of war's aftermath: rubble and deaths, Polyneices' rotten body as a symbol that foreshadows the decay of Creon's reign, the transition from Creon's victory of his seized control of Thebes to his bewilderment from Antigone's violation of his edict. It certainly brings tension to the audience, and also encourages their sympathy for Antigone.

Q3. Which version did you like the most and for what specific reasons?
I think both versions are successful in their respective ways. I like the British version in terms of its characterisation and its "compliance" to the rules of Greek theatre, evident through the performance of the Chorus and the stage-like setting of the play, which makes the audience feels like watching the actors in an amphitheatre. Although the speech made in the British version retains its meaning as the original script, but the words that are said and the style of speaking is of the modern colloquial manner, which somehow distorts the formality of the tragedy.


The Greek version is more attractive in terms of the movie conventions used: the outdoor setting - where the King and the Chorus makes speeches is a very similar representation of the communal life of Greek society; the costumes and music are also done well. I also like the formal and sincere way the actors and actresses speak, not only close to the original script, but also distinguishes the importance of men and women, through Antigone's reserved manner when speaking to Ismene in a crowded place and Creon standing high above Antigone when he speaks. These dialogue conventions really helps to establish the patriarchal society that Ancient Greece possesses, and thus contributes to the distinctive culture of Sophocles' Antigone.

A comparison between two adaptions of "Antigone"

2. What themes does each version seem to highlight more and what effect does it have?

In terms of the theme and the characterization I think that the Greek version is truer to the original text. There is much emphasis on the resolve, the courage and morality Antigone possesses. These hero like qualities stand at odds to Ismene's cowardice. This is shown when Antigone displays immense grief filed with anger that fuel her heroic yet recalcitrant actions whilst Ismene, filled with grief is frightened rather than angry. Through characterization and the portrayal of Antigone as a hero figure, in contrast to her submissive sister Ismene the director makes it clear that the wrath of the gods is greater than the punishment of men as the audience is led to both sympathize and commend Antigone for her self-destructive valor.

The BBC adapted play however is strongly laced with notions of feminism and the wrath of patriarchy. This can be seen through first the setting- cold stone walls reflecting Creon's callousness, adorned with several copies of Creon's intimidating portraits - placed near the ceiling so that the audience and the cast are literally under Creon's "command". This also supports the idea that Creon is playing god whilst suggesting how contemptible his actions due to the dominating nature of the portrait that inspires discomfort in the audience.

The characterization of the two sisters is slightly different, Antigone still portrays courage yet this is paired with recklessness. She does not portray the same steadfastness the greek version of Antigone does thus implicating that her actions, albeit valiant are rather rash- considering the circumstances. In short, BBC's Antigone does not evoke so much admiration as speculation. Ismene, viewed through more modern lenses does not seem cowardly but practical. As the elder sister we can see that she is wiser and more contemplative of the consequences. Through this characterization the audience is led to sympathize with both sisters, Antigone for her rebellious bravery and Ismene for her wise submissiveness. In this, I also think that the sisters are made into more complex characters, characters closer to real life (as in the genre of realism rather than Greek tragedy) whom contain both traits and faults that inhabit the everyday individual, thus allowing the audience to engage with the moralistic themes of the play- patriarchy and feminism and to recognize the messages the director sends out about these issues. Although this does not stay true to the original intent of the play, to humble human beings and worship the gods, I believe that changing the moral message makes it more compatible with the audience of the current era and that the messages hold equal moral value to the audience at the time.

3. Which version did you like the most and for what specific reasons?

I prefer the BBC adaptation because Sophocles created Antigone for the reason of humbling the people and pleasing the gods by enacting a tragedy centered around the theme that man shouldn't act like a god. Even through the Greek version stays more true to this I believe that it is great thinkers, like Sophocles who send out compelling moral messages to their audience. This is why i prefer the English version- the BBC version subverts the original theme to address issues that our modern culture compels us to explore. By using an existent medium but by installing a touch of the modern the BBC version emphasizes on symbolism, edits the play so that the dialogue still flows like poetry but can be understood by the 21st century man, and enhances both the enjoyment of the play and the ingestion of valuable ideas that are worth learning or at least contemplating. The Greek version displays less thought on moral messages and more on the immaculate detail of costumes and setting. Although more visually stimulating, the Greek version fails to evoke the same sentiments from a modern audience that Sophocles' original would have in ancient Greece, a trait the BBC version can flaunt.

Rosa's Answers to Antigone Movies Questions 2 +3 


Q2. What themes does each version choose to highlight more and what effect does it have?
Answer 2: The British version seems to focus more on the textual implications and characterization- each character was distinct, and a bit exaggerated (the sentry) as in an actual play; I could easily remember how Creon was characterized as a demagogue: dominant, intimidating, and antagonistic (theme: threat of tyranny?). Themes of duty vs authority are present through Antigone’s conversation with Ismene, in which both characters have different attitudes (Antigone is more dominant and harsh with tone than Ismene, who seems scared), highlighting the contrast of opinions. There was less movement than speech, with close-ups to see facial expression during dialogue. This gives the effect that the conversation is very significant and serious (draws attention of viewer). Themes of tragedy are present as well, in which speeches are exaggerated (loud at specific words to emphasize importance), expressions are easy to recognize, and the timeline is very fast-paced (giving a feeling of urgency as the moments of tragedy come quickly- not allowing the viewer to absorb it all before moving on. Finally, sister rivalry between Ismene and Antigone is noticeable, through the sisters’ argument in which the sisters do not seem to relate to each/ share a strong bond as shown in the Greek version. While Antigone is portrayed as strong-minded, Ismene contrasts with a scared, mindful demeanor.

              The Greek version demonstrates tragedy related themes through  visual imagery of post-war rubble, dead soldiers, the quick change of mood from celebratory to shocked (from Creon). This gives the feeling of tension to audience, and empathy to the “victim”, Antigone, even though it can be interpreted that there is more than one victim in story.

Q3. Which version did you like the most and for what specific reasons?

Answer 3: I preferred the Greek version to the British version due to the increased amount of visual focus in the movie. The Greek version seemed more spread out in space and time, filming in more locations and offering black-outs to signify a change in time, to make the story more realistic than happening all at once like the British adaptation, which relates more to a play-like scenario. The Greek version offered flashbacks to specifically visualize how Antigone buried her brother, and to allow the audience to actually see this brings forth more empathy to Antigone. The costumes were more like those of ancient Greece (more drapes), increasing the credulity to the film being set in ancient Greece. The acting was more subtle, like of a film, to make it more realistic rather than in the British version where the lines were filled with more expression, almost exaggerated like a play. The British film seemed out of place with the irregular scenery (only situated in Creon’s palace…) and costume (Creon’s costume looked like something from Star Trek), along with the British accents and modern dialogue, where in the Greek film, the fact that the lines are spoken in Greece brings in an air of authenticity to the story. The British film didn’t have enough movement (seemed limited, one dimensional), while the Greek film balanced between it and speech, creating a harmony in which the audience can relate to with their own way of thinking.  Overall, I think the British version tried too hard to create a movie as similar to the Ancient Greek Ampitheatre plays, while also adding in elements of modern-day British culture (accents, colloquial dialogue), but by doing this, the film seemed too awkward and artificial. If this was to be a movie, then BBC should have integrated elements of movie production to create a more natural viewing experience- to “work with what you have”, rather than to elicit the true essence of Sophocles, since no one can recreate Antigone better than Sophocles did himself. 

Antigone the Play: Personal Response

1. Which is more true to Sophocles' script and in what ways?

Purely script wise, I believe that the BBC version is more true to the Sophocles script, in that I believe it is more faithful to Sophocles' original rendition of the story (depth of character of Antigone, employment of full chorus as opposed to solo sentries as shown in the Greek adaptation, representation of Creon as an autocrat in Thebes--especially the enlarged photos of him hanging in the main hall... just a few that crop up to mind right now). However the Greek version does provide interesting deviations and anecdotes as to how Greek life was like at that time which I found fascinating, especially as I really am not at all familiar with that time period, including the scene right before Creon makes his great entrance. Although the 'deviations' were somewhat informative to begin with, they sometimes deviated too much to the point that I thought some scenes did little to help shape and develop the character and overall plot of Antigone.

2. What themes does each version choose to highlight more and what effect does it have?

In my view, I think the Greek adaptation was more geared towards the public and mostly for entertainment purposes rather than retelling the story of the play itself. As I've mentioned, there are some tangential events and some fictional details added to the Greek adaptation for embellishment and general entertainment which (I think) were in plain view ... one that comes to mind right now is how Antigone came to be found by the soldier; following the capture of Antigone, the soldier goes up to Creon and somewhat theatrically retells his adventure, about how there was a sandstorm and how he and his fellow soldiers had to be stationed atop a hill to 'spy' on Antigone. While I can see how some moviegoers would be interested in such a deviation, I for one was skeptical as to how much of the real plot this particular scene connoted.

The BBC version on the other hand was in my opinion overly modernized. As Rosa briefly mentioned in the discussion in class today even from their costumes we could directly pick up that the British adaptation was not set in the same era. When I first saw the chorus on the screen I was briefly confused as to who they were (partly due to their costume)-- members were wearing cravats and a black overcoat which I thought were, again, too modern. All that notwithstanding, the degree to which the BBC adaptation 'stuck' to the original play was far greater than the Greek one did. What I specifically liked about the BBC version was the portrayal of Antigone especially personality-wise; more than once I thought that the Greek Antigone (I mean the Antigone from the Greek adaptation) was too acquiescing, very unlike the headstrong, confident, almost stubborn Antigone I had pictured in my mind. I was glad to see that the BBC's interpretation of Antigone was far more active and true to my understanding of the character. This is why in a sense I sympathize with Annette's earlier comment of the feminism in Antigone the play. I feel that the BBC adaptation did Antigone's feminist, traditional, determined side justice.

3. Which version did you like the most and for what specific reasons?

I'm honestly torn. As for the representation of Antigone I much prefer the Juliet Stephenson version, as I believe a woman willing to risk her life for the proper treatment of her brother must be fiery and passionate to the point of singlemindedness, and in my view the BBC version did that a lot better than the Greek version did. I have to say I was disappointed in the Greek version for failing to include more Antigone after the altercation between Ismene and Antigone in the first part of the adaptation; isn't Antigone the main character of the play? I felt that the tragic heroine--Antigone--was actually playing a more supporting role as opposed to being the protagonist of the story. All this aside, the sixteen year old impatient side of me much prefers the Greek adaptation as it is not altogether dry (as true adaptations can often be) and provides insight into life in Ancient Greece.

Sophocles' Antigone: various cultural interpretations

After watching the 1961 Greek version (click here) of the Sophocles play:



And the English 1983 production :(click here)

Complete and post your response to the following questions - (you can copy and paste from Word here)

1. Which is more true to Sophocles script and in what ways?

2. What themes does each version choose to highlight more and what effect does it have?

3. Which version did you like the most and for what specific reasons?

Aim to be as specific and detailed as possible in your responses - in order to develop a strong sense of personal connection and understanding of the text.

War on Democracy

A few years ago, investigative journalist John Pilger made controvesial and celebrated a film centred around regimes which were toppled in the 20th Century. Watch the 10 minute segment on the Chilean Coup.

The Power of Words

">What is the role of Literature in the era of revolution?Click to watch a recent interview with Ariel Dorfman

Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House - Listen to the play

Gillian Anderson as Nora in a Donmar Warehouse Production

Click here to listen to a free recorded version of A Doll's House - recorded by Librivox

Paul Marshall

The name Marshall originated from old germanix marh which means “horse” and scalc “servant”, and to some account it intended to imply “stable keeper”.

What “horse servants” were important to members of the courts of medieval Europe, the term Marshall became more officious and worthy of status. Eventually, over time, marshall (marshal) even came to be affiliated with prestigious military positions and various titles related to law enforcement. Ian could have chosen this name for the character Paul Marshall, as he did appear as a controlling person, as he took over the conversation: having a “monologue”. That could suggest his “military” side.

On the other hand, the name Paul developed from the Latin paulus meaning “small” which derived as a Roman surname. His name also mean humble, which may suggest he is someone not proud or arrogant, someone modest. The word “humble” could imply many things such as having a feeling of insignificance, inferiority. In Atonement, McEwan present the character Paul Marshall in a contrasting way. His name does not match up with the it’s meaning, but somehow carry out an ironic effect. This still makes it’s an atronym, as his name still suits him however sarcastically.

McEwan presents the character in an opposing way, he seems to appear more proud and confident. He appears to think he is more superior we see this through out his behaviour and how he takes over the conversation with his monologue, this is ironic since his name means “humble”, someone in low in rank, importance and quality.

Atonement - What's in a Name - Leon Tallis

Leon:
- name in several Germanic Languages meaning “thunder” and is used as both a given name and a surname. In a Greek or Spanish context, the name means “lion”.
o Lions move on their own free will, which reflects how Leon lives a care-free life, coming and going whenever he pleases
o Has no responsibilities, nothing ties him down, especially to the Tallis household

In Atonement, Leon Tallis is presented as a character that is free spirited and leads a care-free life, however still has a sense of responsibility and authority when it is needed in the Tallis household. Leon’s name means “thunder” in several Germanic Languages and “lion” in Greek or Spanish, and in Part One of the novel, readers are able to see how McEwan presents Leon to live up to these descriptions through a build up of various characteristics.

Firstly, McEwan portrays Leon as a man who is polite, powerful and relaxed, as there is not much which weighs him down in life. Cecilia’s explanation of their childhood game and of how “the power was with Leon whose look was mock-solemn” conveys how much power Leon held, and to an extent still does, over Cecilia, willing her to lose her composure and poise. Also, Leon is able to manipulate his younger sister, as she explains how “he was doing his look to consign her to ninety minutes of quaking torture”, where the ‘quaking torture’ has connotations of a painful consequence which one must not experience and is a reference to her inability to control her laughter. This makes it seem that instead of a mighty and strong lion, Leon can be seen as playful little cub who loves to have fun with his siblings, even with the risk of getting in trouble- which he clearly is not afraid of and in some ways, enjoys. Leon’s playful and untroubled side is emphasised as Briony mentions him to have a “careless succession of girlfriends”, which reflects the relationships which a male lion has- a typical male lion would have about five wives- hence why Leon’s characteristics fit his name. Leon himself can be seen as weak like Cecilia, as he is not entirely immune to the effects of their childhood game- he had to “shield his face” although could not hide the “tremor along his shoulders”, which further emphasises the image of a young lion who is still vulnerable. Leon Tallis’s character fits the meaning of ‘lion’, although he does not fully portray the strong and dominant traits of an adult lion, nor the mighty and controlling characteristics of ‘thunder’ in the beginning of the novel- conveying only the innocence of cubs and the minor effects of thunder.
(Pg. 50-52)

Additionally, Leon is presented to be the typical brother- protective and concerned, especially towards Cecilia, which reinforces this image that Leon is her protector, which is usually symbolized with a lion. When Leon brings up the subject of Robbie and sees that Cecilia is clearly uncomfortable with it, Leon wonders if he is “bothering [her]” which shows his protective and caring side, wanting to make sure that his sister is safe and alright- similar to how a male lion would be like. Also, Leon is influential and significant in the lives of others, as Cecilia describes “the effect of one of Leon’s anecdotes was to make his listener warm to humankind and its failings” which shows the extent of Leon’s power over people- he is able to get everyone to see things differently, through his eyes. The trait which Cecilia is presented to like the most about Leon is that he was “soft and charming in company, but through his jacket his arm had the consistency of tropical hardwood”, which indicates how Leon possess traits such as understanding and sensitivity, as well as being tough and protective- characteristics which are important when his sister is in need of love and safety. McEwan’s characterisation of Leon is similar to that of a lion and thunder, as these things are able to render people weak and vulnerable due to their strength, which Leon is able to do through his words and charm, as well as his simple movements, however, Leon also possess a soft and tame side when he is needed as a confidant by Cecilia.
(Pg.107- 110)

However, a more powerful and eminent image of a full grown lion is created as Leon takes control of things in the Tallis household when the Quincey twins go missing. As Emily receives the twins’ letter and is unsure of what it is she must do, Leon steps in and begins to bark orders to everyone, especially when he instructs his mother to “phone the constable” which indicates his sense of responsibility and further emphasises the extent of his power to make people listen to him, similar to a male lion who is the leader of the rest of his family. When Leon and Cecilia return with a distraught Lola, Leon is described to have “crossed the hallway…his hands outstretched for the phone” which shows the demanding and manipulative side of his character, and this is further emphasised when he “snatched the receiver from [Emily] and turned his back”- an indication of how he does not waste time getting things sorted out and that he does indeed have a sense of responsibility and authority. McEwan also portrays Leon’s eyes to be “tight and hard” and a “strange grimace” and these descriptions both have connotations of tension, stress and worry as Leon is trying to grasp and keep calm in order to not stress out his mother and everyone else. Briony is also seen to describe her older brother as a “true hero” as he rescues Lola, which further emphasises the fact that he is the only person in their family who seems to show signs of strength and control. Although in the beginning of the novel it did not seem as though Leon had any intentions to take the role of his father in the household, Leon has come to take place the role of authority and power in this scene, as he is the one who is trying to get the situation under control and sorted out- behaving like a protector not only towards Cecilia now, but to the rest of his family. Leon can now be seen as the powerful alpha lion that everyone is dependent on for answers and support during their current situation.
(Pg. 143, Pg.154-155)

In the beginning, readers do not have much liking for Leon, as it seems as though he does not care about his family back home and does whatever he pleases. On the other hand, our perception of him changes, as we start to realize that Leon plays a significant role in the lives of the different characters, more importantly with his family members. McEwan’s choice of the name Leon to portray the care-free and relaxed, though influential and strong Tallis son is fitting, as Leon displays the free-spirited nature of lions and thunder which come and go whenever they please as there is not much which weights them down. However, Leon Tallis portrays the responsible and protective traits of a lion that takes control of a situation and takes on the role of the leader.

Posted by Nikki

In what ways might Cecilia be seen as a blind/leading the blind?

Cecilia Tallis is one of the protagonist characters in the novel Atonement. Ian McEwan purposely devises his characters names to reflect their overall personalities as well as their role throughout the novel. Cecilia’s name derived from the Latin origin “a way for the blind.” She embraces this role as “a way for the blind” as she becomes a nurse during World War One. Most war soldiers came back from the front with injures beyond one’s expectations. Amongst them were men who had lost an eye, or a limb; they had lost their soul and even their minds. As a nurse, she finds “a way for the blind” soldiers to recuperate and recover from their battle wounds.

Furthermore her name stems from a Roman family name and literally means to be “blind.” The definition of "blind to" means unwilling or unable to appreciate or notice something apparent to others. Cecilia Tallis has a “blind” spot when it comes to her “unclosed books, unfolded clothes, unmade bed, unemptied ashtrays…” However her mind is preoccupied with thoughts of Robbie Turner, her childhood friend, fellow Cambridge student and potential love interest. She feels “uncomfortable and hot” when she thinks about him. She believes “she hates his inadequacy” but that is merely clouded judgment. As the two characters have grown up together side by side, they adopt new feelings for each other, as they grow older. However they are “blind” about these emotions. Perhaps they are just “blinded” by the idea of love as it is still a foreign concept for them both.

Moreover in Atonement, Cecilia’s character turns her back on her family when they accuse Robbie of rape. She turns a “blind” eye towards her family, especially Briony as she is behind Robbie’s accusation. Briony is the cause of Cecilia’s future unhappiness.

In what ways is this an apt name for Briony’s character? Base your answers on evidence from the text.

What is in a name? A name represents a person and distinguishes an individual from society. Throughout Atonement, McEwan has further developed the significance of a name, by shrewdly using the literary technique of aptronyms. This technique is continually portrayed through the character Briony, seeing as her name foreshadows the forthcoming and depicts aspects of her persona.

Briony’s imagination is ceaselessly growing and expanding to new heights. Ironically, Briony’s name means vine, a plant, which relentlessly grows around the trucks of trees. Both Briony and the vine, use growth to reach new heights and attain more maturity. “Briony could not have been held back from her writing”. As this quotation suggests, when Briony’s imagination has been set wild, nothing can come between her and her desires, even though she is young and naive. Much like Briony, a vine can be primarily considered as young, seeing as it merely appears to be a plant with a weak stem. However, simular to Briony, it aspiration is to grow. Though it is weak, it derives its support from climbing, twining and creeping along a surface, until it reaches the light.

Vines climb to reach sunlight. As a consequence the vines destroy anything that crosses their pathway. For instance, if a branch comes between the vine and sunlight, it will ultimately snap the branch and continue climbing. Without a doubt Briony’s name portrays her characters conduct. McEwan has made his character Briony, inhabit a ‘social climbing’ trait. This means that Briony becomes acquaintances with people who can provide her with something she desires, so that she can ultimately seek social prominence. McEwan depicts this through Briony’s submissiveness to Leon, a male whom is older than herself and who has attended Cambridge. This is also revealed through her dominance towards her cousins, who posses a lower status than herself. When Briony refers to them as “her cousins from the distant north’, she is advocating that her cousins exact whereabouts is unknown. Moreover, vines are unrestrained and hastily ascend up a tree to reach the top of the canopy. This swift climbing and smothering of the vine, can weaken the supporting tree and eventually bring the tree to its decease. “Lola, who was fifteen, and the nine-year-old twins, Jackson and Pierrot, were refugees from a bitter domestic civil war” Briony primarily perceives her cousins as lower class and status, this is particularly emphasized when she uses the word ‘domestic’ and ‘refugees’, to describe their past. Once again, the reader can see Briony’s vast imagination, melodramatise the truth about her cousins from reality. It is obvious that Briony assumes that her cousins cannot provide her with anything, apart from being submissive and obedient puppets in her play. Like a vine, she exploits her cousins to fulfil her own personal desires. “She vaguely knew that divorce was an affliction, but she did not regard it as a proper subject, and gave it no thought. It was a mundane unravelling that could not be reversed, and therefore offered no opportunities to the storyteller.” Before Briony has even been introduced to her cousins, she is trying to compose a story, based on the history of the family. When she realizes her cousins cannot offer her a story, she oppresses them and seeks authority. However, when Briony is presented with Lola rape account, she immediately begins to smother Lola until she has attained adequate information to form a tale. Both Briony and vines need to find a source to which allows them to grow. For a vine this is a trunk, whereas for Briony this is a person whom she can use to become one step closer to her dreams.

Though a vine has the ability to climb, it must compromise to the hindrance of possessing a weak stem. Without support, the vine cannot grow to its full potential and will essentially decease because it cannot attain sunlight to live. Briony constantly needs the comfort and attention of the people around her, to gain confidence and to seek the attention she thrives on. “Even without their attention and praise and obvious pleasure, Briony could not have been held back from her writing”. Though McEwan is denying that Briony’s continuous development of her writing is self-derived, it is contradictory because she still confides her relative’s opinions on her works. If Briony were confident about her stories, disclosure would prove to be unnecessary. “Briony studied her mother’s face for every shifting emotion”. The word ‘studied’ emphasises the extent to which Briony cares about her mother opinion. Once again McEwan challenges whether Briony is truly self-motivated to continue to pursue writing or whether she needs the support of those around her. Ironically, when Briony is and elderly women, she is alone and isolated. Without the continuous support of those around her, which allows her to grow her imagination, status and develop stories, she happens attains Alzheimer’s disease. This primarily makes her forget memories and weakens her mind. This is similar concept to that of a vine because when it reaches the top of a tree and attains sunlight and the trunk that supports it weakens and dies, which leaves the vines with nothing but decease.

McEwan has either intentionally or inadvertently intertwined the meaning of Briony’s name into her characters behaviours in Atonement. The concept that her name means vine, can be connected to several aspects of personality, considering that the essential function of both a vine and Briony is growth and maturity.

Analysis of the name Jack and Tallis

JACK

the name jack refers to someone who cant be trusted, the name really confirms who he is as a character, as he is the husband cheating on emily tallies. This could support how a jack is the knave in a suit of playing cards, as it could reflect how the family cannot trust him to be a loyal father and husband.

There isn't a presence of him in the story, this is likewise in most card games, usually we disregard the jack, and place it to the side and don't think of it much, and it really doesn't have any part in the game. This is like Mr. Tallis' life, he's always doing something else on the outside, he is not in the Tallis home, and isn't much of a part in his families life. This could refer to the distant nature of his character, and how he is always absent from the events of his wife and children. The name jack is also used frequently in fairytales, which could reflect his absent nature, and how he is like just a story thats being told, we hear about it, but never see him, like a fairytale, it is almost all make belief, like jack having to work late.

The name jack is also a another version of the name john, which refer's to a man. His attitude could be seen very stereotypical to the way a man would act, dominating, independent, doing their own thing, as well as being able to have as many women as he'd want.

There are also many equipment and jobs including the word jack in it, for instance lumberjack, which could confirm his nature of being a hardworking husband and father, who tries to earn money to put the food on the table, to meet up to that once wealthy status of the Tallis'.

TALLIS

The names Tallis actually refers to a judaism shawl worn by jewish men at morning prayer. A shawl is a elongated rectangular piece of cloth typically used to cover the head and shoulders. The word originally came from biblical hebrew tillel, which means 'to cover'. The irony here, is how the Tallis' don't cover up what they do enough, the families actions are so explicit, especially cecelias lack of etiquette and how she behaves in not a very accepted way that girls should.

The Tallis' are anything but religious, the way they don't abstain from sex and do it without any care or regard for the fact hat someone else may enter the room. Also the way they don't really have family time, and don't spend anytime together as a family seems rather unreligious. They are kind of a dysfunctional family, in the sense, there's no real sense of respect for one another. No one has meals with one and other, and the young don't seem to really respect their elders. No one has responsibility either, everyone is just free to do their own thing.

The Tallis' names makes reference to something religious, but they have committed so many sins, like Briony has wrongly convicted someone of a crime, and ruined their life and everyone else surrounding them. Paul marshal committed rape, although he is not a tallies. Jack Tallis is a stealer. There's no loyalty.

Tallis also is a french female name, meaning woodland, their home seems to be surrounded by woodland. In the woodland, it is also a large area where many things that can occur without ever being known. It seems like whenever someone wants to commit something bad and wrong, they would do it in the woods, or if someone is murdered, they would drag the body and abandon them in the woods, its as if the woods is a place where everything is private and nothing is known. This reflect the Tallis' family, we never really know what is going on with them, and within a family that appears normal an pleasant, so many unpleasant thing occurs within them, so many lies and deceit. In a way, their last name reflects the nature of the family, and perhaps foreshadows the fate of the families happiness.

I think McEwan's technique of aptonym is rather effective, in the sense that it gives us a better idea and understanding of the character, and how he perceives them. It makes us understand the work and enjoy it even more, because he doesn't actually tell us about his hidden meanings for the names, so we had to of work it out for ourselves, especially a some characters have such strange names, or names with very obvious meanings, so it gets us curious about the rest, and makes us imagine whether the name created the character, or vice versa. Reference is also made by people questioning the strange name the family has, so it hints us to look into them. All the more, Ian McEwan makes it a joy to study the novel.

Corporal Mace

Although his name is associated with a symbol of authority we soon find out that he has nearly no authority in his posse of vagabonding soldiers. He is not very clever and that is why he follows Robbie as he knows and respects that Robbie has a higher intellect than himself.
It is no coincindence that McEwan has introduced Mace only in the war-time part of the novel as his name does have links with war, or more precisely weaponry. A "mace" was a heavy medieval club (sometimes spiked) used to shatter or weaken armour. This gives us an image of Corporal Mace being a sadistic killing machine when in fact he is quite nice and gentle.
One example is when he rescues an RAF officer from a beating by soldiers of his own side by pretending to go and drown the officer; because people actually believed he was going to drown this officer may tell us that he is maybe rather big and scary in size or has attained a reputation among the ranks for being ruthless in which case his name suits him well. However we do not know enough about Corporal Mace to say whether he fulfills the etymology of his name.

Lola

In what ways does Lola fulfill the definitions of her name?

Lola, a short for the Spanish name Dolores, means “sorrows”, which was taken from the title of the Virgin Mary: “Virgen Maria de los Dolores”, “Our Lady of Sorrows”. Lola can also be taken to mean “strong woman”, or alternatively “Lolita” can mean a young girl regarded as femme fatale, or deadly woman by more mature men.

Lola could be considered to mean “sorrows” due to her misfortunes and the misfortunes she plays part in bringing to others. Lola’s parents divorced, and due to violent court cases, the young women was forced travel far from home, with two younger brothers under her care. Additionally, though Lola fails to point to the true criminal, she is raped at fifteen years old by Paul Marshall, even after attempting to escape, as McEwan tries to suggest with the injuries on both Lola and Marshall. While Briony plays the key part in wrongly blaming Robbie for the rape, Lola’s silence did play a large part in bringing misfortunes to Robbie, and resultantly Cecelia and the Tallis family. Thus, Lola fulfills her role of being a woman of “sorrows”, as she encounters sorrow, and brings it to others.

The alternative meaning for Lola as a “strong woman” could also be true in the character presented in Atonement. Though few characters in Atonement meet a kind fate in the end, Lola becomes the wife of wealthy and influential Marshall, while Robbie and Cecelia meet tragic deaths, Briony’s life is consumed by her own guilt, and the rest of the Tallis family wilts away in their suffocating country home. Lola's strength keeps her a woman with hopes and goals, despite traumatising events in her life. Lola’s accomplishment in snaring an older man who had raped her into marriage shows the “Lolita” in her character. Lola is very much “femme fatale”, as her womanly attributes allowed her to marry Paul Marshall, who is likely one of the most eligible men to be found at the time.

Nettle can mean two things, one the action of irritating someone, and two is a wild plant with little hairs on the leaf that sting when they are touched. Nettle shows both these qualities when he along with mace and turner stay at the barn of a french family during their retreat to Dunkirk during the war. At the start McEwan describes him as small but then later in the passage when Nettle swears about the bread indicates how although he is small, indicating the tiny hairs one can't normally see, he is very fierce and can be very dangerous, just like the sting of a stinging nettle.

When Nettle starts to talk he starts "Rambling" which explores the idea of him being very annoying and irritating at times because he doesn't know when to stop but at the same time it is only slightly annoying, not a full out thing. Turner calls Nettle a dolt behind his back which again explores the idea of Nettle being annoying and someone you wouldn't want to spend very much time with.

Although the name nettle represents bad and evil things we see a side to Nettle that doesn't fit his name. As the two brothers leave after sharing a meal with the corperals and turner in the barn Nettle gives them a gift of cigarette packets which doesn't which doesn't fit the character of someone how is painful, annoying and thorny

Who is Emily’s rival? To what degree does she try to equal, emulate or excel her?

Emily is a name derived from Aemilius, which is an old Roman name derived from aemulus that means trying to equal, excel or emulate a rival. The name Emily could have also originated from the Greek name aimulos, which means friendly and tender.

For as long as Emily can remember, her sister Hermione has been her rival. Due to Emily’s education being cut short, Hermione has always overshadowed her as a child with all her achievements. Emily is also aggrieved by her sister’s abandonment of her children as she runs away to France with her new lover during a messy divorce and she is left to look after the Quincey’s children; Lola, Jackson and Pierrot. She tries to equal, emulate and excel Hermione to a certain extent because her sister is not present in her life so she has no need to try and surpass her in simple, everyday matters. She only tries to surpass her in more important matters like marriage and family.

Emily’s anger and irritation for Hermione is evident in chapter 12. “Hermione has lisped and pranced and pirouetted through their childhoods, showing off at every available moment with no thoughts – so her scowling, silent older sister believed – for how ludicrous and desperate she appeared.” This quote suggests that even though people may have thought that Hermione was a ‘perfect’ child Emily saw through her flawless qualities, that everyone praised, to her true imperfect side, such as her speech defect. Emily is also described as ‘silent’ in this quote because she feels as though her voice cannot be heard when her sister is around because she steals the limelight.

The most vivid memory Emily has that indicates her rivalry between her and Hermione was when she ran through a window and Hermione had to be the centre of attention, so she had a panic attack. “Emily had shocked a roomful of visitors by running into a French window and cutting her hand […] it was the nine-year-old Hermione who took centre stage with a screaming attack.” This incident in Emily’s childhood suggests that even when Emily was badly hurt, her sister Hermione always had to be in the spotlight and surpass her sister, so she faked a screaming attack just to get the adults attention.

When Emily was a child, she was much more reserved then her sister so she did not try to emulate her but as she grew older their rivalry became more important to her. Emily tries to excel her sister, who just got divorced, by having a ‘successful’ marriage. However, her marriage is not successful because Jack is having an affair but she turns a blind eye, hoping he will come back to her when they retire.

Emily’s personality suits her name because even though she does, in some ways, try to outdo her sister, her tenderness and friendliness has always outshone this. Never once when her sister stole her limelight did she lash out at her and during this unstable time in the Quincey’s life, she has taken the children in, which indicates her kindness. Emily also welcomes all these guests, even Paul Marshall who she does not know, into her home and accommodates them.

How is Robbie portrayed to fulfill/contrast with the qualities of his name?

Robbie is the tragic victim of Briony's rash and incorrect accusation of being Lola's rapist. This contrasts his name, meaning "fame" and "bright" as he turns out to be infamous for his crime and is punished by law to go to war. Furthermore, Robbie did not find fame on the battlefield nor off it, but rather gained anonymity or wanted to be as anonymous as possible as drawing attention to oneself during wartime can be potentially lethal, as seen in the retreat to Dunkirk, when Robbie covers himself to disguise himself as an injured and incapacitated soldier, incapable of helping clear a German position, which was a very dangerous operation that may prove to be the demise of many soldiers.

He is, however, portrayed to fulfill the other meaning of his name, "bright", as he is an exceptionally bright character who wants to and is capable of studying medicine to be a doctor, a profession deemed worthy of only the brightest of individuals who have the intellect to gain knowledge on how to fix the human body.

Robbie's surname, Turner, implies that he is a person who is capable of being flexible or able to turn or change. His character fulfills the qualities of the name because he adapts to his situation and thrives. Although he is forced to change to a completely different lifestyle of a soldier, Robbie manages to change physically and personally to adapt to the horrors of war.

In conclusion, Robbie Turner fulfills some aspects of his name like "bright", whilst contrasts with other aspects, like "fame" and therefore show the qualities McEwan gives to the character to fulfill/contrast his name.