HONOR KILLING IN SOPHOCLEAN TRILOGY: A HERMENEUTIC PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

This study explores the phenomenon of honor killing in Sophocles’ trilogy Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone. The study has been conducted by applying the Hermeneutics as theory of interpretations in order to understand the phenomenon of honor killing within the particular society of ancient Greece. Moreover, Foucault’s concept of power comes from everywhere has been employed for the purpose of understanding the way the power was exercised by the powerful groups. The study explores the way male members of the society exercised power over the weaker segments of the society especially on women, and how both the women Jocasta and Antigone became victim of honor-based violence and honor killing because of the power of the social patriarchal norms. The study has established that Jocasta had to commit suicide because she knew that society would not allow her to be a part of it. Antigone suffered honor killing because she had the audacity to stand with the truth, against the proclamations of the king that is not acceptable in the society as she apparently violated of the rules. This study is significant in the field of academics as well as research. The study will be helpful in the future for the researchers and the learners to explore Greek literature from multiple dimensions and to challenge a general perception that honor crimes are prevalent only in Asian countries. Keywords: Honor Killing, Hermeneutics, Power, Gender Power Structures, Oedipus Rex, Antigone, Honor-Based Violence