Sophocles

Antigone is a tragic play written by Sophocles in about 441b. c. The play is a continuation of the curse put upon the household of Oedipus Rex. Sophocles actually wrote this play before he wrote Oedipus, but it follows Oedipus in chronological order. The story of Antigone begins after the departure of Oedipus, the king of Thebes, into self-exile. Oedipus two sons, Eteocles and Polyneices, were left to rule over Thebes. An argument over rights to power forces Polynices to leave Thebes. Some time passes and Polynices returns with the army from Argos and attempts to overthrow his brother.

The two brothers fight and kill one another and the war ends. Creon, the uncle of the two brothers becomes the new king of Thebes. Because Polynices proved to be an enemy of the state, Creon chose to leave his body unburied. In the Greek culture, the denial of Funeral rights was a fate reserved for the worst criminals (). This is the point where the dialogue of the play actually begins. Antigone, sister to Polynices and Eteocles, disobeys Creon and properly buries the body of Polynices.

When Creon hears what Antigone has done he has her placed in a cave and essentially buried alive. This enrages Creons son, Haimon, who turns his own sword upon himself. When Eurydice, Creon wife her the news she to kills herself. Creon is left at the end to mourn the death of two nephews, a niece, a son, and a wife. This play more than an issue of right verses wrong or fate verses free will; it is a collision between the rightful demands of the family and the laws of the state (). Creon being in the position of ruler chooses to follow the demands of the state.

There is much debate as to which character was in the right. Was Antigone right to disobey the king for the sake of her family or was Creon right in his duty as ruler to preserve order and punish enemies of the state? Through looking at the history of the era, the intentions of the playwright, and the critical analysis and commentary offered on the play, it is in my opinion that Sophocles intended Creon to be the character who was in the right, not Antigone. The start of theater and drama in Ancient Greece took form in about 5th century b. with Sophocles being considered the master of tragedy.

In his plays and those of the same genre, classic fables that the people of the era knew well were used to tell the stories. The tragic heros of these stories often strive to live honorable and righteous lives, but because of some mistake their lives would often great and noble death. The idea that serving the state was proper way to gain honor was a popular belief during this time period. This philosophy was echoed by Plato in his book, the Republic. Plato dealt with establishing the ideal state.

The way to achieve the ideal state was through striving for justice. Justice, according to Plato, is doing only the tasks assigned to them by nature. This is the fundamental notion for his creation of an ideal city. It is both knowing what true justice is and where one belongs in the city that the ideal can be achieved. Justice in a city can be found in an individual as well outside the individual because it is a concept that is universal. If a ruler of a state was to maintain order and control over his people he must then seek the best way to obtain justice.

In crucial decisions, the ruler must look the see what is the good for the whole if he is to achieve this idea of justice. If Sophocles, believed along these same lines, and it is my opinion that he did, then Creons actions toward Polynices were justified. Creon acted in the best interest of the people. A trader of the state could not go unpunished. This was Creon’s duty as a ruler: it was the task assigned to him by nature. If Creon was right in his decision to punish Polynices then Antigone was wrong to defy the king.

Creons next step, the imprisonment of Antigone, must also be considered justified since she has defy deliberately disobeyed his orders. Looking at the dialogue of the chorus may provide insight into the intentions of Sophocles. The chorus was partly considered to be a character participating in the story and a mouthpiece for the author. The chorus in Antigone seems to justify the decision of Creon to take the life of Antigone. In the prologue, the choragos states Polynices was the the wild eagle shouting insults above our land.

This line establishes Polynices as an enemy to the state of Thebes. If Polynices is the enemy, then Creon must punish him for his actions. In Ode I at the end of scene I, the chorus states when the laws are kept how proudly the city stands! When the laws are broken what of this city then? This is in response to Antigones action of covering the body of her brother. The chorus takes the position that Creons order must be followed for the state to maintain justice. This puts Antigone in the wrong for her actions.

If she disobeys the king deliberately then her she must accept the consequences of death. Creon had no choice but take the life of Antigone if he was to maintain order. In Ode II the chorus comments on the mortal arrogance of Antigone which seems to reassert the actions of Creon. The arrogant, headstrong Antigone seemed almost willing for her punishment. The chorus in Scene IV points to the fault of Antigone when it says to Antigone, You walk at last to the underworld; untouched by sickness, broken by no sword. What women has ever found your way to death?

The chorus here continues to blame Antigone for the result of her death, not Creon. In the same Scene, the chorus continues and says, You made your choice, Your death is the doing of your conscious hand. Commentary on the play offers several opinions as to which character acted rightly. One commentary makes the point that for Creon to maintain order in a city that has recently undergone civil war the he had to take punish Polynices as a criminal. This was not an action based on personal hatred. This was an action taken as a rightly appointed ruler for the overall welfare of his state.

This is a duty that must be upheld by any ruler, president or politician. Their main responsibility is the welfare of the people the serve. This means putting family matters second to the good of the entire people. Another point made by several different critiques is that the play focuses on the actions of Creon, not Antigone. By focusing on the action of Creon then it seems that Sophocles intended Creons actions be given highest priority. This is further support by the removal of Antigone from the play only two-thirds of the way through.

Sophocles might have done this to allow the chorus of the play to follow Creon and therefore side with him on his decisions. Creon undoubtedly suffers the most for his actions. His decisions cause him to loose many members of his family. The grief he must have felt for these decisions is hard to comprehend. Whether or not Creon wanted to be king was not a circumstance that he had power over. But since he was king he know had a responsibility to lead and protect his people. This meant punishing those that opposed the state of Thebes family or not.

Therefore it was a correct decision. It served to good of the whole not Creons own selfish desires. Antigone defied this decision putting her in the same category of her brother a trader of the state. Therefore she must also be punished in much the same way as a criminal of the state was punished. Through looking at the history of the time period, the statements of the chorus, and the critical analysis offered, I believe it was Sophocles to portray the character of Creon as the character that acted correctly.

The opening events of the play Antigone, written by Sophocles, quickly establish the central conflict between Antigone and Creon. Creon has decreed that the traitor Polynices, who tried to burn down the temple of gods in Thebes, must not be given proper burial. Antigone is the only one who will speak against this decree and insists on the sacredness of family and a symbolic burial for her brother. Whereas Antigone sees no validity in a law that disregards the duty family members owe one another, Creon’s point of view is exactly opposite.

He has no use for anyone who places private ties above the common good, as he proclaims firmly to the Chorus and the audience as he revels in his victory over Polynices. He sees Polynices as an enemy to the state because he attacked his brother. Creon’s first speech, which is dominated by words such as “authority” and “law”, shows the extent to which Creon fixates on government and law as the supreme authority. Between Antigone and Creon there can be no compromisethey both find absolute validity in the respective loyalties they uphold.

In the struggle between Creon and Antigone, Sophocles’ audience would have recognized a genuine conflict of duties and values. From the Greek point of view, both Creon’s and Antigone’s positions are flawed, because both oversimplify ethical life by recognizing only one kind of good or duty. By oversimplifying, each ignores the fact that a conflict exists at all, or that deliberation is necessary. Moreover, both Creon and Antigone display the dangerous flaw of pride in the way they justify and carry out their decisions.

Antigone admits right from the beginning that she wants to carry out the burial because the action is glorious. Antigone has a savage spirit; she has spent most of her life burying her family members. Creon’s pride is that of a tyrant. He is inflexible and unyielding, unwilling throughout the play to listen to advice or Antigone. Creon’s love for the city-state cause him to abandon all other beliefs. He tries to enforce this upon the people of Thebes. He wants them to think that his laws should be followed before any other personal, moral, or religious belief.

This is where the conflict of character occurs between Antigone and Creon. Antigone knows that the sacred laws held by heaven are far more important than those made by a king. It is the danger of pride that leads both these characters to overlook their own human qualities and the limitations of their own powers The Chorus is made up of older men of the city. Some of the times the Chorus speaks in this drama, it seems to side with Creon and the established power of Thebes.

The Chorus’s first speech (117-179) describes the thwarted pride of the invading enemy: The God Zeus hates bravado and bragging. Yet this encomium to the victory of Thebes through Zeus has a cunningly critical edge. The Chorus’s focus on pride and the fall of the prideful comments underhandedly on the willfulness seen in Antigone and will see in Creon. In Creon’s first speech, where he assumes the “Now here I am, holding all authority and the throne, in virtue of kinship with the dead” and reiterates his decree against the traitor Polynices (191-192).

In lines 308-309 the Chorus says to Creon “My lord: I wonder, could this be God’s doing? This is the thought that keeps on haunting me. The Chorus is questioning Creon if it could be the doing of God who buried Polynices, Creon replies; “Stop, before your words fill even me with rage that you should be exposed as a fool, and you so old. For what you say is surely insupportable when you say the gods took forethought for this corpse” (310-313). Even though Antigone exhibits a blamable pride and a hunger for glory, her disobedience is less serious than those of Creon.

It is evident that Antigone’s actions are driven by a love for her brother, and a desire to please the gods. While Creon’s actions are founded in his quest for more power and complete control over the city of Thebes and its people. Antigone’s crime harms no one directly, whereas Creon’s mistakes affect an entire city. We learn from Teiresias that new armies are rising up in anger against Thebes because of Creon’s treatment of their dead. More important, Creon’s refusal to bury Polynices represents a more radical insult to human values than Antigone’s refusal to heed Creon’s edict.

Creon says at the beginning of the play that the sight of Polynices’ unburied corpse is an obscenity, but he clearly doesn’t understand the implications of his own words. “You shall leave him without burial; you shall watch him chewed up by birds and dogs and violated” (224-226). Whereas Antigone breaks a law made by a particular ruler in a particular instance, a law that he could have made differently, Creon violates an unwritten law, a cultural must. Creon goes forward, prepared to do what is necessary to right his wrongs. However, as is often the case in life, he does not repent soon enough.

In the aftermath, he is left with the deaths of three people, all of which he caused. He is left to remember all the things he could have done differently, and that is possibly the worst punishment of all. Ultimately, King Creon learns his lesson, but it is a hard lesson and one that brings down everyone around him. Perhaps he, himself, says it best. “Lead me away, a vain silly man who killed you, son, and you, too, lady. I did not mean to, but I did. I do not know where to turn my eyes to look to, for support. Everything in my hands is crossed. A most unwelcome fate has leaped upon me” (2044).

Nevertheless, my sympathies are most likely tipping toward Antigone in this encounter. Just before the argument between Antigone and Creon, the sentry gives a vivid and disgusting description of the disinterment of Polynices’ corpse. Polynices’ rotting body is the physical evidence, or perhaps a symbol, of the injustice of Creon’s decree and of the ruin it will bring about in Thebes. The description of the squalor of the corpse prepares the audience to be sympathetic to Antigone’s arguments, even as she flies in the face of law with a pride that easily matches Creon’s.

Antigone draws a distinction between divine law and human law, between the “great unwritten, unshakable traditions” and the statute of individual rulers such as Creon. Each of Antigone’s actions was admirable, in the interest of her brother and the gods. She buries her brother without worrying what might happen to her. However, Antigone debated over the issue of whether to bury her brother or not. In the end she ultimately decided that her life was not as valuable as making sure her brother rests in peace. She was only trying to please the gods whereas Creon was working directly against the will of the gods.

With each viewpoint located at opposite ends of the social spectrum, a dilemma is unavoidable when the two face each other. This is the backbone for the entire plot of Antigone. On one side is Antigone, who pursues her self-righteous beliefs whole-heatedly and without question. On the other side is Creon, who acts in response to what he believes are best for the society. Both characters are justified in their behavior. It is their motives that set them apart from each other. Antigone knows that she will suffer personal anguish if she does not carry out her actions.

If my husband were dead, I might have had another, and child from another man if I lost the first. But when father and mother both were hidden in death my brother’s life would bloom for me again” (959-962). Antigone was unable to complete the three stages of womanhood: she is not a daughter because her parents are dead, she won’t be a wife, and she won’t be a mother. Because of this she believes that her motive is one that should be accepted and that the love for a brother could never be viewed as foolish. Creon, on the other hand, makes his decisions as a king rather then an uncle.

He is concerned with keeping the city-state in order, and his public perception untarnished. He cannot let feelings like love and kindness for Antigone prohibit him from ruling a nation. Both Antigone and Creon believe the gods support their positions. Antigone believes that by Creon denying Polynices a proper burial, he is denying him a right granted by the gods. “The time in which I must please those that are dead is longer than I must please those of this world. For I shall lie forever You, if you like, can cast dishonor on what the gods have honored” (86-89).

She believes that he will not be granted life after death if he is not buried, and that the gods permit all a chance at immortality. When speaking to Antigone it seemed that the Chorus was siding with Creon: “You went to extreme of daring and against the high throne of Justice you fell, my daughter, grievously. ” “.. it is your own self-willed temper that has destroyed you” (901-903, 920-921). However, despite her disobedience to Creon, Antigone is the tragic hero in this play she exploited high standing morals, good intentions, and a high rank.

With both characters assuming religious approval for their actions, it is impossible to exploit any mistakes that may exist within the two viewpoints, making a conclusion that much more difficult. Throughout the play, each character rattles off the reasons for their actions. Both also justify their actions religiously, believing they are the ones acting accordingly by the gods. The entire plot is a construction of conflict between personal and social motives, a scene not uncommon in today’s society.

Sophocles attempts to answer the debate by ultimately showing that the gods approved of Antigone’s motives and that Creon should have buried his nephew. But with so much unnecessary bloodshed committed at the end of the story, it is impossible to believe that this is the final decision. Sophocles believed that the individual held the power and the state shouldn’t have total control over an individual. This is hardly a solution to the debate, the fact that everyone dies. Rather, it is a sign that the debate will live on for all of eternity.

The story of Antigone has been written and translated numerous times. However, the plays written by Sophocles and Jean Anouilh are the most discussed. Despite sharing a similar plot, these adaptations are very different. In Sophocles’s Antigone, Kreon appears to be the protagonist. However in Anouilh’s, it is Antigone. In Sophocles’s Antigone, Antigone does not appear strong, instead she is almost submissive to Kreon. This Antigone is doing what she does only because of her religion and the gods she believes in. In her death, she does not lose much. She never mentions Haimon directly; he seems to lose more in her death than she does.

Antigone is not a tragic heroine, by dying, she has her wish fulfilled – she wants to die for what she does. Antigone was a martyr, not a tragic heroine. There is considerable distinctionbetween the martyr and the tragic protagonist. The martyr suffers and dies for a particular cause and may consciously seek death. The tragic protagonist… has every reason to live amd makes a heroic struggle to survive . (Miller 13) Kreon has every reason to live, he is ruler of Thebes; he is king. He does not die, but he is destroyed. Kreon loses nearly everything he has.

In the play, he is forced to keep his word to his people. His tragic flaw is an unbending will. Kreon cannot accept that he is wrong. He believes that only his opinion counts. He is unafraid to express his decision to leave Polyneices outside the wall “to be feasted upon by carrion birds” even though the chorus is obviously disgusted. O fate of man, working both good and evil! When the laws are kept how proudly his city stands! When the laws are broken, what of his city then? Never may the anarchic man find rest at my hearth, Never be it said that my thoughts are his thoughts. (Sophocles 599)

Because of his lack of judgment and unwillingness to bow to a woman, he is thrown into complete disarray and dispair. His flaw is an unbending will, and a failure to accept that he is wrong. Even when Teiresias tells him to repent and admit his wrong, he refuses. His downfall becomes his own doing. A tragic hero often comes to learn something about himself and his surroundings. Antigone did not give herself time to do this. She remained a stubborn character, refusing to see anything from more than her own point of view. Creon, however, realized far too late the error of his ways when his own family suffered from his decisions.

Creon had to live with the knowledge that he brought his downfall upon himself. It is right that it should be. I alone am guilty I know it, and I say it. Lead me in. Quickly, friends. I have neither life nor substance. Lead me in. (622) Antigone dies with self-pride, which in a way, worsens Creon’s agony. As a protagonist, Kreon constantly struggles against his pride. The laws of the gods state that every man should be buried; however Creon deliberately disobeys that. He realises his mistakes, however, his pride gets in the way. According to the Greeks, it was hubris or excessive pride that destroyed him.

In the end, Creon is punished, he has lost everything. By the end of the play, Antigone appears as the one who had thrown Creon’s life into disarray. Creon seems vulnerable and destroyed; almost pitifully pathetic. Throughout the play, he fights for the respect he desperately wants. He feels that he has to prove himself to his people, prove that he is a man who means what he says. In Sophocles’s Antigone, Creon also has the most lines. He has over twice as many lines than Antigone. The play’s focus is on Kreon and the struggles he goes through to prove that he is capable of ruling his state and his household.

However in Jean Anouilh’s Antigone, Kreon takes on a different personality. While he obviously suffers in Sophocles’s Antigone, in Anouilh’s, he is cold and composed. After the deaths of Antigone, Haemon and Eurydice, Creon merely says “They say it’s dirty work. But if I didn’t do it, who would? ” Even after the bloodshed, Creon still believes that he is correct, he is not destroyed or even repentant. In Anouiilh’s Antigone, Antigone emerges as the protagonist and tragic heroine. She is much more human than Sophocles’s rendering of her in the sense that she feels more than the earlier Antigone.

She doesn’t want to die but she knew that she would. In her dialogue with Kreon, she does not remain calm like the earlier Antigone, but instead attacks his idea of politics and most importantly, his idea of happiness. What kind of happiness do you foresee for me? Paint me the picture of your happy Antigone. What are the unimportant little sins that I shall have to commit before I am allowed to sink my teeth into life and tear happiness from it? (Anouilh 57) Antigone’s tragic flaw would be that she is much too stubborn and often rushes headlong into things. However, at the end, she seems to realise what she had done.

Forgive me, my darling. You would all have been so happy if not for Antigone. ” Unlike Sophocles’s Antigone, who stays stubborn to the end; knowing that what she did was right, Anouilh’s Antigone is very afraid. She doubts herself a little; she is strong but she is human. She does not welcome her death; she fears it. Antigine has every reason to live. She loved Haemon and her sister but she also loved her dead brother. She has a strong sense of duty; even when Creon denounces her brother, she still tries to convince herself that he[Polyneices] is a good man.

Antigone does not begin Anouilh’s play, but the chorus (wh does) points to her as the protagonist of this play. she will burst forth as the dark tense serious girl, who is about to rise up and face the whole world alone-alone against the world and against Creon, her uncle, the Kingshe is going to dieshe would much rather live than die. (13) Antigone is the protagonist in Anouilh’s play, however, she is not in Sophocles’. The two different protagonists in each play are just another difference between the intepretations of two different authors. However, both Antigone and Creon stand out as the protagonist in their respective plays.

In Antigone, especially with the feminist movement now holding the title character, as prototypical downtrodden woman, the king Creon is often villified. While accepting the fact that Creon has misogynist tendencies, the gender issues can cause the pure argument of validity of actions, to fall by the wayside. So supposing for a moment, that Antigone’s rebellion had been undertaken by a male, would Creon’s choices have been different. Did he choose such harsh punishment and intractable course because Antigone was a woman ? As I read him, this is not the case. He has made a value judgement as to who is traitor and who is worthy.

He has made a secondary judgement as to the rights of traitors, and the need of the people to know the consequences of traitorous acts. While one may disagree, with the value judgements he has made, as king he is well within his rights, indeed his obligation, to rule according to what he believes best at the time. Outcomes are not always the best vantage point from which to judge a man. Creon did not have the advantage the reader has of seeing final outcomes, indeed we must remember these outcomes were contrived by Sophocles, to illustrate his point of view.

Is it not conceivable that in real life, these outcomes are far from assured, indeed a bit preposterous ? So then to summarize, Creon simply made his best decision, and that decision was with in his right to rule as the recognized sovereign. On the surface, Antigone is the classic tragic hero, it is she that Sophocles wants us to be drawn to. It is Creon against who he stacks the cards. A writer’s value judgement, nothing more. So then, once more assuming Antigone is a male instead, are her or his actions noble or foolhardy, and irresponsible.

While on the surface it appears noble to risk death for a principle, is it really ? Aren’t relationships more important than principles ? Much is made of Creon sentencing his own son’s fiance to death, did she not by her foolhardy, kneejerk reaction sentence herself. Where is her consideration for her husband to be ? And her sister, who has lost so much, and now clings to her so desparately, is rebuffed and dismissed as not worthy of the glorious Antigone. Her actions seem motivated as much by a personal desire for vainglory, than for moral principle.

She will die on her sword, no matter this issue or another. She seems a pulpit thumper of the highest order. Creon, on the other hand, shows flexibility after his initial intractable course. When confronted by the gods, with the error of his thinking, he is ready to adjust and relent, for a king, this is remarkable humility. How often, do we see Clinton or other modern politicians run to admit their wrongs? Others show no faith in the king’s ability to reassess, and at last come to the proper decision.

It is their rashness that is to blame for their own demise. Justice has always come about slowly, Martin Luther King recognized this, Gandhi recognized this. People of tolerance and patience, while they may participate in acts of civil diobedience, are seldom rash or foolhardy. Even hunger strikes, such as Chavez, are often more for expediency than a sincere death wish. Antigone had a death wish, a noble death at all costs, to be immortalized in strident conflict.

Silly, I think. Does taking a stand sometimes involve death ? Yes, of course. The times in which it does must be carefully considered, and the feelings of those to be left behind, protected and considered. Does Antigone ever consider, really consider her sister’s pain at all ? Dietrich Bonhoffer is a historical example of defiance to a state resulting in loss of his life. It was never about glory for him, and his choice was the result of the understanding that Nazi philosophy would result in untold suffering for millions. Not the pompous bleating over one unburied body, a traitorous body at that.

Sometimes the needs of the many do outweigh the concerns of the one. A wise ruler makes that value judgement often, especially in war time. Those who value principle over their own life, must assess the costs to their relationships, the import of the issues for which they sacrifice not only their own life, but the future happiness of those who love and value them. Martyrdom in itself is no virtue. Perhaps Sophocles is giving us a hint into the flawed character of Antigone, the etymology of her name is ” contrary birth ” .

As she is led away by the guards she alludes to her family, and their role in her doom. She has made the choice, but still ever the victim, blames her dysfunctional roots. She seems to me the penultimate in egocentricity, lost in her glorious cause, to hell with what those who love me, need. She blames Creon, she blames her family, she puts down poor Ismene, who truly loves her, she ignores the needs of her betrothed. Yet, she bemoans her own cruel fate ? Sorry, just don’t buy it.

Her better course of action in my mind was to patiently buck the system, hold her principles, yet compromise them when the higher law of love for others should have guided her. She speaks of higher laws than civil laws, yet can’t recognize that there are yet even higher ones, the laws of love. Creon, having come late to the right decision, ready to relent, is now faced with the multiple tragedies, and predictibly blames himself. His decision did not have the initial benefit of knowing the rashness of the subject Antigone.

In Machiavellian logic, his decision was to instill fear in his subjects, fear over the consequences of treason. The outcomes turned out in tragic fashion, yet with less impulsive responders, can see different outcomes. So then, while I recognize the character defects inherent in Creon. I respect his taking seriously the ruling of his people, and recognize the complexity of the issues he was dealing with. Antigone, can be immortalize as one of the first females to challenge authority. And gender issues aside, for I grant the misogyny of Creon, his actions to me as far more defensible than Antigone’s.

Sophocles Antigone, in its later phases is no longer about the conflict of law; It is about stubbornness and self will, about the sin of refusing to listen; about a man who has never been told. Conflict of law, presents the initial disturbance within Thebes. Creon, King of Thebes, refuses to bury the body of Polynices, for in his eyes Polynices is his countrys enemy Antigone pg. 131. Thus, despite breaking the laws of the gods, Creon holds his power higher than that of God and heavens and enforces his law.

As the story follows, Sophocles expands on the ignorance presented by Creon and Antigone, and it is also found that it is impossible to defeat an ignorant man, or woman in argument. It is this ignorance, that establishes the notion of the sin and punishment that both Creon and Antigone face due to their stubbornness and self will. Antigone holds her love of family, and respect to the dead, elevated beyond the laws of Creon, whom she believes, has no righteous justification to close his eyes to the honor of the deceased.

In her determination to fulfill Polynices rights, she runs directly into Creons attempts to re-establish order. This leads to encounters of severe conflict between the dissimilarities of the two, creating a situation whereby both Creon and Antigone expose their stubbornness and self will. It is Antigones morals, which drive her to betray the laws of man, in order to honor the laws of God. Knowing and comprehending the consequences of defying Creons ruling do not restrain the intensity of Antigones self will, yet it feeds her hunger to achieve her principles.

Losing sight of her future, Antigone allows her stubbornness to consume her life, taking with it, the prospect of marriage, motherhood and friendship. As the story continues, we find that Antigone focuses more on the need to establish her human ethics in spite of Creon, rather than proving the incorrectness of man defying gods laws. Following the unlawful burial of Polynices, Antigone openly admits to Creon the knowledge of the following punishment by carrying out such a defying act. I knew it naturally, It was plain enough.

Antigone pg. 8. With the intention of gratifying the laws of the gods, Antigone holds neither guilt nor regret as she feels that she has brought justice to the eternal rest of her brother. Antigone rejects her life in a deeply heroic yet tragic stand, certain that this is all that she can do to prove the intensity of her self-righteousness. Creons judgment over the living and dead infuriates Antigone, and on many occasion we encounter their conflicts, which are based not only on their differences- but also on many of their similarities.

In an almost reflective similarity to Antigone, Creon advances to extreme measures in order to fulfill his need to repair and strengthen his territory. He was concerned with re-establishing the social order which the shocking news of Jocastas and Oedipuss incest had fractured, and which the civil war between their sons had almost ruined. Charles Paul Segal Conflicts of Antigone pg. 46. Creon prides himself to be a powerful dictator and leader within the Theban society. He rules his city with the contention that his law is the only law. As opposed to Antigones stubbornness, Creons is far more illogical and dominatingly based.

Indeed, Sophocles demonstrates the sin of refusing to listen, and about a man who has never been told supremely through Creons character. On many occasion Creon speaks of honor and goodness overruling evil, I am determined, that never, If I can help it, Shall evil triumph over good Antigone pg. 131-132. Yet he ceases to identify the hypocritical aspect of his decisions, to defy the laws of God, in order to pursue his own beliefs of mankind. It is towards the later stages of the story that Creons inability to hear and listen to advice is increasingly evident.

Teiresias enters this ordeal, offering advice to Creon. Despite his outreach, Creon bemuses Teiresias and neglects to listen to the importance of his words. You have given a son of you loins, To death, in payment for death Antigone pg. 154. Once again Creon is warned by the chorus that Teirasias words are not to be taken lightly, it is then that Creon steps down and adheres to the given advice, Now I believe, it is by the laws of heaven that man must live. This change of attitude arises because Creon believes that this is the best course of action for his city, and for himself.

For the reason that Creon had still not changed for the benefit of others, but more so to accompany his power, the deaths of Antigone, his son Haemon, and wife Eurydice end his personal happiness. The ignorance and stubbornness encountered through Antigone and Creon prove to be the greatest tragedy, as it is this that leads to their demise. Antigones self will and determination lead to suicide as a final ultimation that she believes will burden Creons existence, and shed light to her morality and religious beliefs.

It is Creons negligent nature that fails him. His greed for power and authority over his city, confine his ability to see beyond his own thoughts and judgment. This is his ultimate sin, as it leaves him with a great deal of power and authority, yet this is meaningless when the love of family is lost at the expense of gratification of mans laws, in conflict with the laws of heaven. While Creon has the expectation of his words to be carried out, it is his own words that have significant meaning as they are words that capture his downfall.

The main theme of Antigone is the moral contradiction between doing good and bad. Meaning, you can still do bad when doing something good. An important ideal in Ancient Greece was the belief that the government was to have no control in matters concerning religious beliefs. In Antigone’s eyes, Creon betrayed that ideal by not allowing her to properly bury her brother, Eteocles. She believed that the burial was a religious ceremony, and Creon did not have the power to deny Eteocles that right. Antigone’s strong beliefs eventually led her to her death by the hand of Creon.

Never, though, did she stop defending what she thought was right. As Creon ordered her to her death, Antigone exclaimed, “I go, his prisoner, because I honoured those things in which honour truly belongs. ” She is directly humiliating Creon by calling his opinions and decisions weak and unjust. She also emphasizes “his prisoner,” which tells us that Creon’s decision to capture Antigone was his own, and was not backed up by the majority of the people. She feels that Creon is abusing his power as king and dealing with her task to a personal level.

Creon’s actions are guided by the ideal that states “Man is the measure of all things. ” The chorus emphasizes this point during the play by stating that “There is nothing beyond (man’s) power. ” Creon believes that the good of man comes before the gods. Setting the example using Polynices’ body left unburied is a symbol of Creon’s belief. “No man who is his country’s enemy shall call himself my friend. ” This quote shows that leaving the body unburied is done to show respect for Thebes. After all, how could the ruler of a city-state honor a man who attempted to invade and conquer his city.

From that perspective, Creon’s actions are completely just and supported by the ideals. Though most of Creon’s reasonings coincide with the Greek ideals, one ideal strongly contradicts his actions. The ideal states that the population would be granted freedom from political oppression and that freedom of religion would be carried out. Creon defied both of these. First, Antigone was “his prisoner”, not necessarily the publics. In fact, the general population supported Antigone, though they were too scared to say anything.

Haemon, the son of Creon, knew of this, and told Creon, “Has she not rather earned a crown of gold? – Such is the secret talk of the town. ” This proves that Creon was exercising complete domination of political power, which is strictly forbidden in the new ideals. Also, not allowing Antigone perform her religious ceremony of burying her brother is interfering with religious affairs. This denies Antigone freedom of religion, hence, contempt for this ideal. Today in age, you can do much more bad when doing good. Such as transportation. We all need to get around from place to place, job to job, and a lot of other places.

We all complain about how we have all of this pollution, and smog. And we are all surprised where it is coming from. What we don’t’ realize, is that we, the people who drive around form all of the places, are creating all of that smog that everyone else is complaining about. So why do we continue to drive, and add to the pollution? Because the scientists have to go to their laboratories to figure out what they can do. But they will need some light in that building. So then the people at the electric company have to go to work. That’s more pollution in order to solve the pollution problem.

Then if the electric guys have to go to work, they will get old, and we will need other people to replace them later on in life. So in order to educate people in that business we will need the teachers to go to work and teach kids how to do their job. And that’s some more pollution. So as you can see, just to do something good like freeing the world of the posing pollution problem can cause more bad then good. Something from my own life, that I have experienced that I’m doing more bad than good (when I’m trying to accomplish something good) was when I went to throw this cup out of the car.

The good thing that I was doing, was getting the cup out of the car and in the circle of energy on the earth. And if it would rain soon, the fishes in the sea would have a nice little cup to drink out of and share a drink with their friend. But, at the same time, I was doing a bad thing by adding to the litter on the street. It can be a good thing with a bad thing attached to it by the waist. Just like in the play. One person thought it was a good thing, yet it was doing bad while good. It’s a really weird concept.

The word ‘catharsis’ is derived from the Latin word, ‘kathairein’, which means ‘to cleanse’ or ‘to purge’ – it stems from an Ancient Greek story about a Phoenix rising from ashes, with the ashes representing catastrophe and the rise of the bird representing purification. In Greek Tragedy, this term is used to describe the suffering a character faces because of a flaw in his nature, followed by a transformation or purification as a result of enduring the pain. One of the best examples of catharsis is shown in Sophocles’ Antigone.

Antigone is a play that deals with the conflict between divine and secular law, as represented by Antigone and Creon, respectively. The conflict begins when King Creon delivers an order to the public stating that Polyneices body, whom he regards as a traitor to the country, should not be buried. Antigone, Polyneices’ sister and Creon’s niece, objects to this order because she believes that depriving someone of a burial is being disrespectful to the gods. As a new king, Creon finds that he must be assertive in order to be respected.

He believes that giving in to a woman’s demands when she goes against his own decree is unbecoming, and therefore rejects Antigone’s plea by sending her off to a dungeon. Even when his own son, Haemon, and a respected prophet ask Creon to reconsider his decision, he dismisses them as foolish and remains firm. For example, he calls his son a “woman’s plaything” and claims that he is a weak person for protecting a woman’s interests. Even while Teiresias is the most trusted prophet in his city-state, Creon claims that “you (Teiresias) and he whole breed of seers are mad for money”.

Creon’s obstinacy and his lack of reverence for the gods are his ultimate flaws, and soon lead to the loss of everyone most dear to him – his niece, son and wife. Above all, he loses his dignity and self-respect, which are the very things he sought to protect with his tenacious policies. In the end, Creon is reduced to someone who, instead of being followed, is pitied by others. Even while the pain and suffering he brings upon himself is unbearable, Creon does a heroic deed when he accepts his harsh fate and nderstands that he alone is responsible for the deaths of his loved ones as well as his tarnished pride.

By comparing Creon’s behavior before and after the ‘catharsis’, we see that he does in fact change. In the beginning, he is so power-hungry that he refuses to listen to any advice that goes against his ruling, saying “The city is the King’s – that’s the law” and “Am I to rule this land for others – or myself? ” After enduring all the grief, however, we understand that Creon accepts his poor judgment nd is willing to work to correct himself. For example, he says “…

And the guilt is all mine – can never be fixed on another man, no escape for me. I killed you… I admit it all… ” While he is more egocentric before the catharsis, he becomes much more humble afterwards, saying, “I don’t exist – I am no one. Nothing” and “… everything I touch goes wrong… ” In the end, while the other characters give up and take the easy way out, Creon lives, suffers, faces his flaws, and accepts his guilt, which ultimately transforms and purifies him.

In Sophecles’ Antigone, Creon is not a good person; in fact, he is a stubborn, selfish ruler. Creon rarely listens to an opinion other than his own. He also turns his back on his own niece, Antigone, because she breaks an unfair law by burying her brother’s body. Throughout the play, Creon ignores his son’s pleas to spare his fianc, Antigone, from execution. Creon rarely listens to another opinion other than his own. When the blind prophet Tiresias first brings news of his prophecy, Creon says, ” I’ve never wavered from your advice before.

Tiresias then continues to tell Creon of how, while practicing augury, he heard the sounds of the irds ripping each other to pieces. When he was unable to light the sacrifice, he realized that Creon’s pride had caused misfortune for this city. Tiresias explains that is because of Creon’s refusal to bury Polynices. Creon responds, “Old man-all of you, so you shoot your arrows at my head like archers at the target… You’ll never bury that body in the grave, not even if Zeus’s eagles rip the corpse and wing their rotten pickings off to the throne of god!

In this scene, once Creon knows that the prophecy is not in his favor, he changes his opinion from trusting and following the ideas of Tiresias, to accusing him of plotting against him. We see that once Creon realizes that Tiresias does not agree with his opinion about the burial of Polynices’ corpse, Creon will not listen to what the prophet has to say, even if it means causing a “plague” on the city of Thebes. In the play, Creon constantly ignores the pleas of his niece, Antigone, and will eventually lead her to her death.

From the beginning, we see that Antigone is willing to do whatever it takes to preserve the honor of her brother, Polynices, even if it means losing her own life. “He is my brother and -deny it as you will- your brother to. ” Antigone would rather ie than see the honor of her brother and her family sacrificed. When Creon hears that the body of Polynices has been buried against his orders, he says “Never! Sister’s child or closer in blood then all my family clustered at my altar worshipping Guardian Zeus – she’ll never escape, she and her blood sister, the most barbaric death”.

Creon says this when he discovers that Antigone and Ismene are plotting against his orders. The statement shows that Creon has no interest in why Antigone proceeds to break the law to uphold her brother’s honor. In the play, Creon ignores not only the pleas of his niece, but also hose of his son, Haemon, who is set to marry Antigone. When Haemon says, “When you trample down the honors of the gods? ” To which Creon responds, “You soul of corruption, rotten through, woman’s accomplice”.

Creon automatically accuses Haemon of assisting Antigone in her illegal adventure. Creon even pushes his son to say that ,”Then she will die… but her death will kill another”. Even when his son has says this, Creon continues to argue with his son and even calls him a “woman’s slave”, one of the worst possible insults. Creon’s lack of understanding and caring for his son’s opinions shows that while he may think that he is doing a good hing, he has little understanding of what is best for his son.

Creon’s concern with his own power has caused him to lose sight of what was originally important to him – compassion and love for his only son. Creon is not a good person; in fact, he is a stubborn, selfish ruler. This thesis is supported by the quotes presented in this paper. If Creon had more concern about others and less concern about maintaining his own power, the final scenes of the play would have turned out quite differently. The tragic conclusion of the play is a direct result of the actions caused by Creon’s decisions.

In Ancient Greece, new ideals surfaced as answers to life’s complicated questions. These new beliefs were centered around the expanding field of science. Man was focused on more than the Gods or heavenly concerns. A government that was ruled by the people was suggested as opposed to a monarchy that had existed for many years. Freedom of religion was encouraged to be exercised in city-states. These new ideals, though good in intentions, often conflicted with each other creating complex moral dilemmas. Such was the case in Antigone a play written by Sophocles during this era of change.

In the play, Antigone and Creon battle a philosophical war dealing with the controversy of the Greek ideals. They both based their actions on their beliefs of what is right and wrong. The conflict arose when the ideals that backed up their actions clashed with each other, making it contradiction between morals. Antigone’s side of the conflict held a much more heavenly approach, as opposed to the mundane road that Creon chose to follow. Antigone feels that Creon is disregarding the laws of heaven through his edict.

After she is captured and brought to Creon, she tells him “I do not think your edicts strong enough to overrule the unwritten unalterable laws of God and heaven, you being only a man. ” Antigone’s staunch opinion is one that supports the Gods and the laws of heaven. Her reasoning is set by her belief that if someone is not given a proper burial, that person would not be accepted into heaven. Antigone was a very religious person, and acceptance of her brother by the Gods was very important to her. She felt that “It is against you and me he has made this order. Yes, against me.

Creon’s order was personal to Antigone. His edict invaded her family life as well as the Gods’. An important ideal in Ancient Greece was the belief that the government was to have no control in matters concerning religious beliefs. In Antigone’s eyes, Creon betrayed that ideal by not allowing her to properly bury her brother, Polynices. She believed that the burial was a religious ceremony, and Creon did not have the power to deny Polynices that right. Antigone’s strong beliefs eventually led her to her death by the hand of Creon. Never, though, did she stop defending what she thought was right.

As Creon ordered her to her death, Antigone exclaimed, “I go, his prisoner, because I honoured those things in which honour truly belongs. ” She is directly humiliating Creon by calling his opinions and decisions weak and unjust. She also emphasizes “his prisoner,” which tells us that Creon’s decision to capture Antigone was his own, and was not backed up by the majority of the people. She feels that Creon is abusing his power as king and dealing with her task to a personal level. Creon’s actions are guided by the ideal that states “Man is the measure of all things.

The chorus emphasizes this point during the play by stating that “There is nothing beyond (man’s) power. ” Creon believes that the good of man comes before the gods. Setting the example using Polynices’ body left unburied is a symbol of Creon’s belief. “No man who is his country’s enemy shall call himself my friend. ” This quote shows that leaving the body unburied is done to show respect for Thebes. After all, how could the ruler of a city-state honor a man who attempted to invade and conquer his city. From that perspective, Creon’s actions are completely just and supported by the ideals.

Though most of Creon’s reasonings coincide with the Greek ideals, one ideal strongly contradicts his actions. The ideal states that the population would be granted freedom from political oppression and that freedom of religion would be carried out. Creon defied both of these. First, Antigone was “his prisoner”, not necessarily the publics. In fact, the general population supported Antigone, though they were too scared to say anything. Haemon, the son of Creon, knew of this, and told Creon, “Has she not rather earned a crown of gold? – Such is the secret talk of the town.

This proves that Creon was exercising complete domination of political power, which is strictly forbidden in the new ideals. Also, not allowing Antigone perform her religious ceremony of burying her brother is interfering with religious affairs. This denies Antigone freedom of religion, hence, contempt for this ideal. The contradictions between the beliefs of Creon and Antigone are strong throughout the play. Both have well-structured arguments, but neither completely dominates the other. Antigone is motivated by her strong religious feelings while Creon is out to make good for his city-state.

The chorus’ opinion is the determining factor, as in the end, they convince Creon to set Antigone free. Creon had to weigh each factor carefully, and in the end, he had to decide between ideals. His mind was torn in two. “It is hard to give way, and hard to stand and abide the coming of the curse. Both ways are hard. ” The contradiction of ideals was what led to Antigone’s, Haemon’s, and Megareus’ death. Both sides were just, all beliefs were supported. Creon was forced to decide the unanswerable, decipher the encoded, complete the impossible, and determine right from wrong when there was no clear answer.

Tragedy is a description of an event that evokes a sympathetic feeling of emotion by the audience. The events involve people emotionally who were not involved in the situation physically. In the story of Antigone, Sophecles forces the audience to take pity on the poor girl’s situation. This story impacts the audience in such a way that the audience becomes emotionally enthralled in the plot of the story. All of Steiner’s, “Principle constants of conflict in the condition of man,” (360) were present in the tragic tale of Antigone. The conflicts confirm a tragic sense about the story.

In a tragedy drama is experienced and the characters typically suffer extremely. Consequently, this can happen because of a tragic mistake. The first of the ageless conflicts of man is, “the confrontation of men and women” (360). This principle is applied in the conflict between Antigone and Creon. Antigone broke a law that her uncle, Creon, had created. As a result of this she was to be killed. Sympathy is felt for Antigone because she was punished for take a stand for what she believed to be the right thing. Unfortunately the risk she took was going against her uncle Creon, who so happened to have power over her.

It was a tragic situation that Antigone was to be killed for such a ridiculous crime. Although Antigone should not have been punished for that law she had broken, she was willing to accept her death sentence. She said to Creon, “These laws- I was not about to break them, not out of fear of some man’s wounded pride, and face the retribution of the gods. Die I must, I’ve known it all my life- how could I keep from knowing? – Even without your death-sentence ringing in my ears. And if I am to die before my time I consider that a gain. Who on earth alive in the midst of so much grief as I, could fail to find this death a rich reward? 374)

Antigone was willing to risk her own life for the sake of her dead brother’s pride. Creon wants Antigone to know that he has control over her. She defied him and now he has no choice but to punish her. Otherwise it would mean a bruise on his reputation as a ruler. It would prove that he was of weak character, especially since a girl went against him. Creon said, “This girl was an old hand at insolence when she overrode the edicts we made public. But once she’d done it- the insolence, twice over- to glory in it, laughing, mocking us to our face with what she’d done.

I am not the man, not now: She is the man if this victory goes to her and she goes free. ” (375) Antigone made a fool out of her uncle and as a result he is retaliating in order to win back the control and power. She made it very difficult for Creon to feel satisfied with her execution. Antigone told him that she does not care if she dies because she already got what she wanted by burying her brother against Creon’s wishes. Even though she knew she was going to die she would die happy. Antigone won the battle over her uncle and the power struggle he put her through.

Enough. Give me glory! What greater glory could I win than to give my own brother decent burial? ” (375-376) Antigone told her uncle. Eteocles, Antigone’s other brother, was buried a well. His burial was not illegal because was not an enemy of Creon. Antigone tired tells him that every death deserves a proper burial no matter who they are. He was much closed-minded and refused to listen to her. The conflict of Antigone and Creon is a battle over power between man and woman. What makes this story even more tragic was the power Creon held over Antigone and her fate.

It was the power to decide whether she should live or die. He had the chance to free her from her doom. Although he realized this too late. When he realized this he gathered his men. He said to them, “Now- I’m on my way! Come, each of you, take up axes, make for the high ground, over there quickly! I and my better judgment have come round to this- I shackled her, I’ll set her free myself. I am afraidit’s best to keep the established laws to the very day we die. “(394) In this battle of man versus woman, Antigone had won. Creon had changed his ways, although, Antigone still died.

The second of Steiner’s principles of man is the conflict of age and youth. Creon has a confrontation with his son, Haemon, as well as his niece Antigone. At first Haemon is behind his father in his decision. When he first speaks with his father about the verdict of his bride, Antigone, he says, “Father, I’m your sonyou in your wisdom set my bearings for me- I obey you. No marriage could ever mean more to me than you, whatever good direction you may offer. “(380) The father and son began- to disagree when Haemon told his father that the people of Thebes disagreed with his decision.

Creon accuses him of taking the side of Antigone, “This boy I do believe, is fighting on her side, the woman’s died. “(383) Creon insulted his son by accusing him of taking the side of Antigone. Creon tells Haemon that he will not be able to marry his bride because he is going to kill her. It is a tragedy that a father is going to kill the woman that his son is in love with. This confrontation makes the audience feel sympathetic for Haemon. The situation became more tragic when Creon said, “Now, by heaven, I promise you, you’ll pay- taunting, insulting me!

Bring her out, that hateful- she’ll die now, here, in front of his eyes, beside her groom! “(384) The young conflicted with the old and resulted in death. This tragic confrontation led to the suicide of Haemon. The messenger alerted the people of Thebes of the death of Haemon and said, “Haemon’s gone, his blood spilled by the very hand-. “(395) This conflict was avoidable, yet ended in tragedy. Man conflicted with society is the following principle. At first Creon believed that the people of Thebes were on his side. He thought that the people would not break the laws that he created.

Creon said to Antigone, “You alone, of all the people of Thebes see things that way. “(376) He responded this way when Antigone told him that everyone disagrees with his decision but were to scared to speak up to him. Creon is confronted again with this situation when his son made him aware of this. Haemon tells his father, “The man in the street, you know, dreads your glance, he’d never say anything displeasing to your face. But it’s for me to catch the murmurs in the dark, the way the city mourns for this young girl. “(382) Haemon believed his father to be very stubborn and closed-minded.

His son visited a prophecy. Tiresias, the prophecy, told Creon that he could undo his mistake. The death of Antigone would cause more trouble than Creon had bargained for. The audience is forced to fell bad for the situation because Creon had been warned many times that he did not make the right decision. He refused to listen to the warnings. Creon replied to Tiresias’s prophet and said, “No reverend old Tiresias, all men fall its only human but the wisest fall obscenely when they glorify obscene advice with rhetoric- all for their own good. 392) It is ironic that when Creon said this he did not realize that he would be the one falling. Had he listened to his warnings earlier he would not have made such a tragically regrettable mistake. Another, of the five conflicts, is the confrontation of the living and the dead. This entire play is based around death for the mere fact that it began and ended with it. The entire point of the story was that Antigone wanted to burry her dead bother in order to pay her respects to him. In the first scene Antigone says to Ismene, “Why not? Our own brothers’ burial!

Hasn’t Creon graced one with all the rites, disgraced the other? Eteocles, they say, has been given full military honors, rightly so- Creon’s laid him in the earth and he goes with glory down among the dead. But the body of Polynices, who died miserably- why, a citywide proclamation, rumor has it, forbids anyone to bury him, even mourn him. He’s to be left unwept, unburied, a lovely treasure for the birds that scan the field and feast to their heart’s content. “(361) Ismene and Antigone are emotionally torn apart because both of their bothers were killed in battle.

To make matters worse, only one of their brothers was allowed legally to have a proper burial. Since they broke this law their lives were taken away from them. They knew the consequences of their actions. Yet, they proceeded anyway. Antigone warned her sister, “Such I hear, is the martial law our good Creon lays down for you and me- yes, me, I tell you- and he’s coming here to alert the uninformed in no uncertain terms, and he wont treat the matter lightly. Whoever disobeys in the least will die, his doom is sealed: stoning to death inside the city walls. 361) Before they committed the crime they knew Creon would seal their doom. They handed over their fate to him. It was tragic that these two sisters were willing to sacrifice their own lives for the respect of their dead brother. They were very loyal to their family. The story was filled with death. Not only had their two brothers died, but their father had passed as well. Their mother was dead as well. The audience has no choice but to feel sorrow for these two girls. They had suffered many losses. Four people in their family had died.

Their mother and father had commit suicide and their two brothers were killed in battle. The audience is led to believe that the only two the sisters have left is each other. Ismene thought of her future in terms of being dead. She knew she was going to die for her sin so she said to her sister, “I, for one, I’ll beg the dead to forgive me- I’m forced, I have no choice- I must obey the ones who stand in power. “(362) Antigone on the other hand did not care if she died. She felt she had nothing to lose. She made it seem as though her life was so horribly tragic that death was the only escape for from her horrible life.

Antigone said to Ismene, “Ant even if I died in the act, that death will be a glory. I will lie with the one I love and loved by him. “(363) Death was seen as an escape. The dead were not seen as gone, but in another world. They still existed but not among the living. In the end of the play three people added to the death count. Each death occurred because of another death. Antigone was killed because she buried her dead brother and it was against the law. Haemon killed himself because Antigone was killed. It was a tragedy that his own father had killed his bride.

Eurydice killed her self also. She was devastated that her son had killed himself. The entire play is filled with death. A lot of the dialogue also contains death. This set a tragic mood to the story. The last and final conflict of man is; man conflicted with the gods. Creon went against the gods when he decided to take the lives of others into his own hands. Antigone said to him, “Of course I did. It wasn’t Zeus, not in the least, who made this proclamation- not to me. Nor did that justice dwelling with the gods beneath the earth, ordain such laws for man. 374)

Antigone did not think that it was right that Creon imposed such laws upon them. She believed that the gods had control over them and she put her faith in Zeus. When she was talking to Ismene she said, “Do you know one, I ask you, one grief that Zeus will not perfect for the two of us while we still live and breathe? “(360) The gods had dealt her a tragic hand of life. Above all else she held the gods in highest power. One of the reasons why she did not obey her uncle’s law was because it was not a law created by the gods. “Do as you like, dishonor the laws the gods hold in honor. 363)

It was the gods law that she burry her brother. The people of Thebes feel the same way as Antigone. “Zeus, yours is the power, Zeus, what on earth can override it, who can hold it back? Power that neither sleep, the all-ensnaring no, nor the tireless months of heaven can ever overmaster- young through all the time, mighty lord of power, you hold fast the dazzling crystal mansions of Olympus. And throughout the future, late and soon as through the past, your law prevails: no towering form of greatness enters into the lives of mortals free and clear of ruin. 379)

It was a tragedy that Creon felt he could play god. He killed Antigone because he thought that he had the power to do so. There were very few people of Thebes that were on his side. Since he was the ruler he had the power to create laws. However, he did not have the power to go against the gods. The power he possessed went to his head. Tragedy is also present in the Aeschylus’s, Oresteia. Agamemnon had sacrificed his daughter to the gods. He had killed her for his own benefit. Calchas said, “My captains, Artemis must have blood! 307) Agamemnon killed sacrificed his daughter in order to protect himself because of a prophecy.

The profit told that terrible things would happen if he did not sacrifice blood. He said, “Obey, obey, or a heavy doom will crush me! – Oh but doom will crush me once I rent my child, the glory of my house- a father’s hands are stained, blood of a young girl streaks the altar. Pain both ways and what is worse? Desert the fleets, fail the alliance? No, but stop the winds with the virgin’s blood, feed their lust, their fury? – Feed their fury! – Law is law! – Let all go well. 307) Clytemnestra killed her husband upon his return from the battle of Troy. She was so heartbroken that he had killed her daughter.

The tragedy in this story is almost the same as that of Antigone. Death follows another death. Iphigenia was sacrificed by her father. He was killed for killing her and so was his mistress. Since Clytemnestra killed the two people she was sentenced to death. The tragedy is death. In the beginning of the story of Antigone the audience is forced to feel sorrow for Antigone. Towards the end they began to feel sympathy for Creon as well.

His display of moral weakness was the cause of three unnecessary deaths. The story of Antigone and Clytemnestra were different because the Antigone was the innocent party in the story. Clytemnestra may appear innocent to the audience but to the people in the story she was a murderess. Tragedy plays a large role in these two plays. An emotion of sorrow is felt by the audience. The characters of the plays go through terrible situations. Tragedy makes the stories more appealing to the audience because they become emotionally involved.

Greek theatre played a large role in Greece. The citizens were supposed to learn from the mistakes made in tragedies. The citizens should have learned what not to be like as a citizen or person. In a Greek trilogy written by Sophocles there are two ma in characters, Antigone and Creon. They are both strong willed and stubborn people. Both being unwilling to change, they both seal each others fate. Creon is passionate. . Antigone is full of rage. They are both so similar they can not see eye to eye. Although they may seem quite different, Creon and Antigone share many similarities throughout the story.

They are both very independent people. Antigone is extremely independent.. She doesn’t mind doing anything on her own. For example, in the beginning of the story when Antigone is talking with Ismene, she asks for her help . When Ismene refuses she is furious with her. Then Ismene decides to act independently. Creon is also very independent. He refuses to accept anyone’s opinions except his own. When his son Haimon comes to talk with him he refuses to listen , claiming that Haimon is “girlst ruck! ” and corrupted . Teirsesais comes and tells him a morbid prophecy.

Creon will not listen to this either. He claims that Teirsesais has been corrupted by money, like many prophets at that time. He finally listens to the Charagous when reminded th at Teiresias has never been wrong. Antigone has no problem working by her self either. She demonstrates this when she slipped by all the guards that were protecting the dead body of Polyneices. Creon and Antigone are both independent, and they are both very loyal. They are loyal to their views. Creon is especially loyal to his laws. Antigone is loyal to her beliefs. Creon will not change his laws.

An example of this occurs when he and An tigone argue. He calls her “A traitor” For giving a burial for her dead brother Polyneices. He is so loyal to his own laws that he fails to see that he is disobeying the law of the gods. Antigone puts the laws of the gods ahead of the laws of the state s. She goes ahead and buries her brother. Which was strictly prohibited by Creon. This shows her short-sightedness is because she only does what she thinks the gods want. Instead of abiding by the law that Creon decreed. Creon is also short-sighted because he refuses to believe any other opinions or laws than his own.

Creon and Antigone are both so loyal which can also ake them very extreme. Creon is an extremist in reason. He thinks his law is the most important. Antigone is an extremist of passion. Creon is unwilling to put the god’s law above his law. He is u nwilling to listen to the passionate pleas of his son to let Antigone live. He instead puts his laws first, and states that if he lets Antigone live after she has broken his law, “How shall I earn the worlds obedience? ” His extreme will, later leads to his son’s death because he thinks his son has been corrupted by Antigone.

Antigone is equally as extreme and she will not listen to the reasoning of her sister Ismene. Ismene reminds her of the problems and dangers she is undertaking when she goes ou t to bury Polyneices. Antigone will not listen though, and this ends up killing her as well. Because Creon and Antigone are very extreme in their ways this can also make them cruel and foolish people. Creon is quite cruel to everyone around him. He never once listens to anyone, but instead he acts foolishly and hurts everyone.

When he is talk ing to his son Haimon, he retorts that Haimon is “a fool” and that he is, “Taken in by a woman! These words and his fathers attitude hurts Haimon and he becomes filled ith rage towards his foolish father. Antigone is also cruel and foolish. Especial ly to her sister Ismene. Ismene tries to help Antigone in the start of the play. When she tries to tell Antigone not to risk everything to please the gods. Antigone won’t listen though, She just tells her “Go away Ismene. I will be hating you soon”, in a striking example of her cruelty. Ismene and Antigone have been caring sisters until suddenly Antigone abandons her because she does not agree to help bury their brother.

Creon also is cruel to his old friend and prophet, Teirsesias. Teirsesias o mes to warn him that if he does not free Antigone that bad things will happen, but Creon doesn’t believe him. He claims that Teirsesias has “sold out” as a prophet and shows how foolish he is not to trust a long standing friend who has never been wrong. Creon and Antigone are both plagued by hubris. Creon wants to stand by the law he has made. Antigone is willing to risk it all to stand by the law of the gods and what is right. Creon’s stubbornness is clear when his old friend and prophet Teirsesias. Tells him to free Antigone.

Creon stubbornly refuses and remarks to the old wise an, “Bribes are baser then any baseness” Creon does not even listen to Teirsesias, who made him king in the first place. He is so stubborn that he refuses to listen cl aiming that Teirsesias had been corrupted by money and so his pride hampers his good judgment. He is so concentrated on everyone being corrupted that he does not even listen to common sense. His son, Haimon tries to come tell him that he should not s entence Antigone to death.

Creon is outraged by his son siding with her. He tells Haimon that he is a “Fool, adolescent fool! Taken in by a woman! Haimon esponds to this by saying that he is “perverse” Creon, even more outraged, calls him a “Girls struck fool” Haimon storms off with a loathing hatred for his father’s arrogant pride and stubbornness. Antigone has equal hubris herself. She is so passionate on burying her brother that she will not listen to reason. Full of arrogance and indignati on, she will not listen to the words of her sister. Ismene warned her of the dangers of burying their brother Polyneices but Antigone will not listen. She calls Ismene a “traitor” for not coming to help her and Ismene shakingly replies “I am so afraid o f you”.

Antigone, instead f listening to the common sense of her sister, snaps back that “You need not be: you have yourself to consider, after all”. Later in the story Antigone is arrested for burying her brother and Ismene comes crawling back to her. Ismene breaks the conversation between Antigone and Creon by admitting that, “I am guilty, if she let me say so”. Antigone will not let her and retorts coldly, “No, Ismene. you have no right to say so. You would not help me, and I will not have you h elp me” This reveals clearly how arrogant and stubborn Antigone can be. Even after her sister wants to share in her punishment and crawls back to her.

She will not accept it to her own demise. Creon and Antigone are both remarkably similar people. Ironically, they are both so much the same that they can not see it. The flaws they share make neither of them willing to listen to the other. Many of their traits are identical, but their opinion s are so different that they can’t stand each other. Sophocles did an excellent job in portraying the two vast extremes of the spectrum, passion and reason. This story hopefully proves to people that neither extreme passion nor extreme reason, but rather be in the middle and achieve arete.

The debate over who is the tragic hero in Antigone continue on to this day. The belief that Antigone is the hero is a strong one. There are many critics who believe, however, that Creon, the Ruler of Thebes, is the true protagonist. I have made my own judgments also, based on what I have researched of this work by Sophocles. Antigone is widely thought of as the tragic hero of the play bearing her name. She would seem to fit the part in light of the fact that she dies in doing what is right. She buries her brother without worrying what might happen to her.

She “Takes into consideration death and the reality that may be beyond death” (Hathorn 59). Those who do believe that Antigone was meant to be the true tragic hero argue against others who believe that Creon deserves that honor. They say that the Gods were against Creon, and that he did not truly love his country. “His patriotism is to narrow and negative and his conception of justice is too exclusive… to be dignified by the name of love for the state” (Hathorn 59). These arguments, and many others, make many people believe the Antigone is the rightful protagonist.

Many critics argue that Creon is the tragic hero of Antigone. They say that his noble quality is his caring for Antigone and Ismene when thier father was persecuted. Those who ezd behind Creon also argue that Antigone never had a true epiphany, a key element in being a tragic hero. Creon, on the other hand, realized his mistake when Teiresias made his prophecy. He is forced to live, knowing that three people are dead because of his ignorance, which is a punishment worse than death. My opinion on this debate is that Antigone is the tragic hero. She tries to help her brother without worrying bout what will happen to her.

She says, “I intend to give my brother burial. I’ll be glad to die in the attempt, -if it’s a crime, then it’s a crime that God commands” (Sophocles 4). She was also punished for doing what was right. Her epiphany came, hidden from the audience, before she hung herself. Creon’s “nobleness” of taking in young Antigone and Ismene is overshadowed by his egotistical nature. He will not allow justice to come about simply because he wants to protect his image. He says, “If she gets away with this behavior, call me a woman and call her a an” (Sophocles 13).

These elements prove that Antigone is the tragic hero. Creon, underezding his ignorance may lead one to believe that he is the true protagonist. But, if you define the word protagonist you would find that a protagonist is one who is a leader or supporter of a cause. Antigone is in support of her own actions in the burial of her brother Polyneices. She entrusts that she is doing what the Gods want, contrary to the belief of Creon. Many readers and critics may say Creon suffered greator hardships. Some may say Antigone never had an epiphany.

Who ould underezd it if their own brother were left to the birds and dogs. There would be no rational thinking involved in a act like this. These are arguments envolved in deciding who is the tragic hero of Antigone. Critics, to this day, still argue about who is the tragic hero of Antigone. Many say that Antigone is the heroin. Others say that it is Creon. My research favors Antigone as the perfect protagonist. No matter who the reader sides with, it is agreed by most that there is a valid argument either way, in light of the fact that they both endure great hardships.

The story of Antigone deals with Antigone’s brother who’s body has been left unburied because of crimes against the state. The sight of her brother being unburied drives Antigone to take action against the state and bury her brother regardless of the consequences. The concept of the Greek afterlife was far more important and sacred than living life itself. Everything they did while they were alive was to please the many gods they worshipped. They built temples for their Gods, made statues to symbolize their Gods, and had a different God to explain things that we now say are an act of mother nature.

Antigone percieved her actions to be courageous and valid, and Kreone, the King, percieved them as blasphemous. The entire story focuses on deciding who’s right. The question arises, “Did Antigone take proper action? ” Was it right to go against her Uncle Kreon’s wishes and go ahead and bury her brother that was to be left out for the vultures? Would it have been better just to leave the situation how it was? The fact is, Antigone did the right thing. She was acting out of divine influence so to speak. Since divinity and humanity are shown to be colliding forces where divinity out weighs humanity in ancient Greece.

Antigone was justified in her actions. Antigone was following divine laws, or walking with divine shoes, while Kreone followed the laws of the state. Her brother’s afterlife was so important to Antigone that she was willing to give up anything to ensure her brother’s happiness and “future” after his death. This supported in the play by the way she is so outspoken about what she had done after she is caught and while she is being questioned. “Why should I be ashamed of my loyalty to my brother? ” (Sophocles line 624).

Kreon didn’t like her speaking in the manner such as this because it shows him that she has no remorse for disobeying his orders. Furthermore, it damaged Kreone’s incredible pride. Kreone’s pride is so great in fact, that he can’t even be swayed by his son Haimon. Haimon asks his father to take his advice and not have Antigone executed, but, because of Kreon’s stubborness for the law of the state, Kreon gets furious and makes the situation worse then it already was.

He was way too proud to take advice from someone younger, and in his anger he decided to kill Antigone right away in front of Haimon’s eyes. Just understand: You don’t insult me and go off laughing. Bring her here! Let him see her. Kill her here, beside her bridegroom'” (Sophocles 919-921). This was too much for Haimon to take, and he runs out of the room, yelling, “‘her death will destroy others'” (Sophocles 908). Blinded by his pride and arrogance, Kreon takes that remark as a threat to himself, unknowing that it wasn’t directed to him, but was a suicide threat by his own son. Yet, Kreone may have been viewed as justified in his actions as well.

Kreon states that the gods would be unhappy if a traitor to their earth were to be buried. Someone that was a traitor to the Gods land would not be admired. The gods would agree that the person should be punished. Kreon “should” have been taken as correct on this argument because kings were the lawgivers and thought to be god-like. The same type of thing goes on in today’s government with our president. If we don’t like him , which many may not, that does not give us the right to ignore his laws or the laws of this country. The fact is laws are made for a reason, be it good or bad.

Even though they may seem a little far-fetched now, they were probably very reasonable then. The law may seem to be unjust to us in today’s society but that does not give anyone the right to create their own laws to live by. Unless, they are rebeling against a absoulutism; and this is precisely what Antigone was doing. In the story, Kreone was refferred to as a tyrant. “In the seventh and sixth centuries B. C. E. in one city-state after another, an individual “tyrant”-by which the Greeks meant someone who held the power contrary to the established traditions of the commmunity” (Bulliet pg. 1).

In other words, by defining Kreone as a tyrant in the text, they meant that he was dictator who took control and changed the laws of the land. Therefore, his laws were absoulute, and unjust in the first place. The morals that Antigone had instilled in her since the day of her birth are what caused her to rise above Kreone’s tyrany. Her moral concious could not allow her brother not to be burried. The fact that she was a woman standing up to the King, of all people, didn’t help sway Kreone’s decision.

Back then women did not have any more rights than the slaves did and to be talked to in such a powerful way by a woman was just unheard of, especially to a ruler. Only a strong willed woman with divine law in her corner could hope to accomplish a goal like standing up to a tyrant. Yet, Kreone had a chance to make amends. He was forewarned of his stupidity by many people “All mankind is subject to error. Once a mistake is made it is wise of him to make amends and not be unbending. Stubbornness is stupidity'” (Sophocles 1180-1184).

Teiresias, a old man who could accuratley tell the future, spoke these words to Kreone. However, Kreone’s stubborness held strong. This is why Kreone’s ego kept him from being righteous. Antigone’s actions were justified in tragedy of Antigone. But the magnitude of her actions can only be viewed when set against the background of the time period. A strong woman was unheard of in ancient Greece. But the interpretation that Antigone was justified in her actions and that she acted on the side of divinity, can help to visualize the text and the culture that produced Antigone.

According to Aristotle, “tragedy is a representation of an action, which is serious, complete in itself, and of a certain length, it is expressed in speech made beautiful in different ways in different parts of the play; it is acted, not narrated; and by exciting pity and fear it gives a healthy relief to such emotion” (Lucas 25). This definition categorizes Sophocles’ Antigone as a model tragedy. Aristotle also states that ” a tragedy must include pain and sorrow, and a tragedy goes from happiness to misery” (Leech 33).

The main idea throughout the play is entrenched in the conflict between Antigone and Creon, the two protagonists, on the basis of morale and justice. Antigone’s actions are out of eros, or love and Creon’s actions are based on state laws and hubris, or pride. In Sophocles’ Antigone, tragedy predominates the drama from the beginning of the story when Polynices and Eteocles, two brothers, fight in a battle for the throne of Thebes. Although the city of Thebes has won the battle, the two brothers have killed one another and Thebes has no king. The brothers uncle, Creon, assumes position of king of Thebes.

Under his first decree Creon declares that no man will be allowed to bury Polynices since he brought an outside army from Argos to battle against Eteocles in Thebes. Antigone, Polynices and Eteocles’s sister, ignores Creon’s decree and gives Polynices a proper burial to honor the gods in spite of Creon’s decree. Now the battle between Antigone and Creon begins, and they are the focal point of the drama. Antigone and Creon have totally opposite views of justice. Creon feels that justice is given in regards to the state whereas, Antigone goes against the ideas of Creon and sets with the laws of the gods.

She appeals to the “justice that dwells with the gods below” (Sophocles 135), and she is ready for her fate, which is death. Antigone is unreasonable and unsensible, and she insist that sometimes justice is more important than the laws set by man. Since she defines her own laws, she must suffer the consequences for trying to disobey the laws of the state. Antigone makes no effort to conceal her deed and challenges Creon’s right to make laws that are in conflict with the will of the gods. Creon is an example of an authority figure who is too rigid an inflexible to admit his mistakes and errors in judgment until it is too late.

Eventhough Creon sets the laws of the state higher than the laws of the gods by denying Polynices a decent burial, Antigone knows that she must please the gods by burying Polynices. Antigone and Creon not only struggle on the basis of laws but also on family matters. Antigone not only lost her two brothers, but she will lose her respect for her family and the gods if she does not bury Polynices. Creon does not let his relation with Antigone as her uncle affect his dealings with Antigone in any way. He swears to punish her even if she is a “sister’s child or closer in blood”( Sophocles 784).

His job now is to protect and serve the people of Thebes in any way he possibly can, but most of all he must uphold the laws of the state. If he does not punish Antigone, he will look as though he is a weak ruler. Since Creon is related to Antigone, he must carry out the punishment of Antigone so the Thebians will see him as a strong and powerful king. Antigone goes alone to bury Polynices because Ismene, her sister, will not disobey Creon’s law. Ismene says “I do them no dishonor, but to defy the city, I have no strength for that” (Sophocles 771).

Ismene pleads with Antigone to change her mind because Ismene has no other immediate family besides Antigone. Ismene asks “how can I live alone, without her? ” (Sophocles 789). The disagreement between Antigone and Ismene is between their views of “idealism and realism” (Webster 88). Ismene tries to persuade Antigone to change her mind and to remember “that we are women we’re not born to contend with men” and “we must submit”( Sophocles 61). Antigone’s strong will ignores Ismene’s pleas for her to change her mind, and she buries Polynices to satisfy the gods.

When Creon finds out that Antigone has disobeyed him and only wants to die, he tries to argue with her, but she remains arrogant and says “if you think I am behaving like a fool, it is perhaps a fool calling me a fool” (Sophocles 135). Immediately, Creon realizes he cannot argue with Antigone and says “while I live, no woman shall rule me” (Sophocles 135). This statement suggests the motive of Creon as hubris, or excessive pride. Antigone declares that “is not my nature to share in hating, but to share in loving” (Sophocles 135). Antigone’s motive of eros, or love is evident.

Creon’s attitude expresses his fear of being controlled by a woman and makes that known to his son, Haemon, who cares for Antigone. To conquer his fear he must follow through with his decree to punish Antigone. Antigone sees her womanhood as a source for strength and accepts her role to die as an act of audacity. Unlike Creon, Antigone does not the support of anyone but herself. Haemon, the son of Creon, does not want Antigone to die for what she has done. He attempts to convince his father that he should change his view about Antigone going against Creon’s decree.

Creon tells him that he is young and is blinded by the fact that he is the “woman’s champion” (Sophocles 137). Haemen does not want to displease his father, but he is not willing to back down from what he believes is right. He want to marry Antigone someday and in his opinion his father is interfering with his life all because of a decree. Creon gets angry and says “bring forth that hated thing, that she may die forthwith in his presence–before his eyes–and her bridegroom’s side” (Sophocles 137). Haemen leaves his father’s side and dies beside his true love, Antigone.

Aristotle’s happiness to misery concept is now being unleashed on Creon in an extreme. He loses his son and soon will lose his authority over Thebes. The Family curse has finally taken the course on Antigone and her fate is beginning to be sealed ( Adams 57). Creon has not yet stated a death punishment in Antigone, but in order to portray his strong leadership image he must execute his decree even if Antigone is his niece. When Antigone enters before Creon again she is ready to pay the price for her actions against Creon’s decree.

Antigone compares her destiny with Niobe’s, the wife of a former ruler of Thebes, because Niobe was turned into stone and Antigone will be isolated in a stone cave. Also, Niobe’s children were taken away from her, and Antigone will never get to experience having a family with Haemon, Creon’s son. In the end Antigone feels deserted by everyone including the gods, who she honored by burying Polynices. Now Antigone must die alone like the “typical Sophoclean tragic hero” ( Adams 55). Creon regains his authority over Antigone by finally sentencing her to death.

Now he is assured of his power because he places the state before his own kin. But his own fate is being quietly sealed because he has put his own aspirations and goals higher than his reverence for the gods. In Sophoclean tragedy, the divine laws are always more prevalent then man’s or state’s law. By exposing Antigone to isolation Creon is not human but animal-like. Antigone and Creon accept their fates very differently. Antigone has “accepted death heroically” (Sophocles 138) while Creon has not acknowledged his fate until he has to suffer immensely for sentencing Antigone to death.

Now their roles are reversing in that Antigone strongly accepts her fate and Creon weakens at the sight of his fate. Creon is blinded by his hubris until it is too late, and Antigone understands the price she will pay for the eros of Polynices. In Antigone, there are many different antitheses and conflicts, and this state of conflict is embodied in the presence on stage of two protagonists, each diametrically opposed to the other (Segal 62). Antigone receives her punishment through death, but Creon will receive his chastisement when he is exiled from Thebes from the gods.

Antigone’s “self-accepted death is the source of what is beautiful and heroic in the play” (Segal 85). The main conflict in Antigone revolves around what is right and what is wrong. Of the two protagonists, Antigone stands on the correct laws and morale. She believes in divine law and not human law as Creon did. “Antigone feels her duty is to the gods, and Creon feels his duty is to the state (Webster 88). The death of the tragic hero, Antigone, brings Aristotle’s idea of a tragedy to life.

Family is supposed to be the ultimate support, everlasting, and always ready to forgive. In Antigone by Sophocles, Creon is immersed in a “power trip” that alienates and even kills his family. He caused his son, Haemon’s death, his wife, Eurydice’s death and Antigone’s death. Creon views himself as the perfect leader, believes he is always correct, and in turn has to live with the guilt of three deaths that were his fault. Antigone goes alone to bury Polynices and deliberately disobeys Creon’s law.

Antigone not only lost her two brothers, but she will lose her respect for her family and the gods if she does not bury Polynices. When Creon finds out that Antigone has disobeyed him and only wants to die, he tries to argue with her, but she remains strong to her word. Immediately, Creon realizes he cannot argue with Antigone and says, “While I’m alive, no woman is going to lord it over me”(86). Creon does not let his relation with Antigone as her uncle affect his dealing with Antigone in any way. He swears to punish her even if she is family.

His job is to protect and uphold the laws of the state. If he does not punish Antigone he will look as though he is a weak ruler. Since Creon is related to Antigone, he must carry out the punishment of Antigone so the people of Thebes will see him as a strong and powerful king. Haemon does not want to Antigone to die for what she has done. He attempts to convince his father that he should change his view about Antigone going against Creon’s decree. Creon tells him that he young and has lost his “sense of judgement over a woman”(93).

Haemon does not want to displease his father, but he is not willing to back down from what he believe is right. Creon gets angry and says, “bring her out, that hateful-she’ll die now, here, in front of his eyes, beside her groom”(99). Haemon leaves his father’s side and dies beside his true love, Antigone. When Eurydice enters the palace she is faced with the news of her son’s death. She demands that the messenger tell her “the news, again, whatever it issorrow and [her] are hardly strangers”(121).

Eurydice blames Creon for the death of her son. She is so alarmed with the death that she kills herself. Creon returns with the body of Haemon only to find “a new corpse rising before [his] eyes”(125). Creon’s own destiny came about him, to prove that what he claims to be just isn’t always, and that the worst happenings and mistakes were his overconfidence and his pride. The rest of his life will forever be plagued with the tragedy and he will not be able to think the same way ever again.

A master artisan and innovator of the Greek tragedy, Sophocles’s insightful plays have held their value throughout countless time periods and societies. Through the use of common literary techniques, Sophocles was able to express themes and ideas that reflect all of humankind. On particular idea was that Sophocles believed that hubris is destructive and will eventually lead to one’s demise. Creon, the proud king of Thebes has such a fatal flaw. His hubris alienates Teiresias, Haimon, and his people. Teiresias attempts to explain to Creon the severity of Creon’s ctions, but Creon only shuns Teiresias.

No matter how potent the signs, Creon “would not yield,” (Scene 5, Line 47). Creon’s hubris prevents him from recognizing his self-destructive behavior. Instead, he accuses Teiresias of disloyalty and succumbing to bribery. He feels Teiresias has “sold out” (Scene 5, Line 65) and that Creon was “the butt for the dull arrows of doddering fortunetellers” (Scene 5, Line 42). Such inventions of Creon prove to be both counter-productive and foolish, for Teiresias did speak the truth and Creon is only further rawn into his false reality dictated by hubris.

Creon’s fatal flaw overcomes him in a discussion with his son. Haimon confronts his father about Creon’s reckless and unreasonable actions dealing with Antigone. His hubris transcends his better judgement and causes Creon to become defensive. Creon then ignores his son’s recommendations on the basis of age and seniority as follows: “You consider it right for a man of my years and experience to go to a school a boy? ” (Scene 3, Line 95).

His anger intensifies until he explodes at his son, “Fool, adolescent fool! Scene 3, Line 114). At that point, Creon was far too immersed in his own foolish pride to recognize his perverseness. His hubris had reduced him into a raving lunatic only capable of destructive behavior. Not even the Choragos was too insignificant to suffer the wrath of Creon’s fatal flaw. The Choragos asked if the gods might have had some part in the burial of Polyneices. To this he replied in a most vile manner, “Stop! Must you doddering wrecks go out of your head entirely? “The gods! ” Intolerable! ” (Scene 1, Line 92).

The attitude of Creon’s response emonstrates the counter-productivity of his fatal flaw. The resolution of Antigone is Creon’s loss of everything dear to him. Creon is left a pitiful wreck, “I am alone guilty. “, “My own heart… darkness to final darkness”, “I have been rash and foolish. “, “To risk everything for stubborn pride. ” (Scene 5, Lines 121, 87, 143, and 93 respectively). Creon is in such a position because he allowed hubris to cloud his judgement. While Creon did not directly kill his family, his foolish pride did, “I have killed my son and wife. ” (Scene, 5 Line 135).

Antigone committed suicide because her situation, which was dictated by Creon, seemed hopeless, “hanged herself… father had stolen her away… ” (Scene 5, Line 60). His hubris had led to the destruction of all he loved. Creon is the representation of all humanity and his misfortunes were brought about through hubris, which eventually leads to unhappiness, demise, and or destruction. Sophocles presented this idea to his audience over two centuries ago, and it is still a subject of much conversation. His plays have influenced past works and they will continue to affect literary works to come.

In “Antigone” written by Sophocles, Creon is the tragic hero. Creon is the tragic hero because of his error in judgement, stubborn way of ruling Thebes, his change, and all the tragedy brought on by his actions. Although Creon changed only when a messenger told him there would be a tragic ending because of all his actions, he did try to correct what he had done. Creon ordered that Polyneices’ body be left out to be eaten by vultures andwhile dogs because Polyneices rebelled against his brother Esteocles’ rule in Thebes.

In this incident, both Polyneices and Esteocles (the ruler of Thebes) were killed. Creon’s stubborn way of ruling influenced everything that occurred because of him giving Esteocles a formal burial and leaving Polyneices’ body out to be eaten. Antigone, the sister of Polyneices and Esteocles, thought it was wrong that Esteocles had a formal burial and Polyneices was left out to be eaten by wild dogs and vultures.

Antigone then decided it was her duty to bury Polyneices, so she disobeyed Creon’s decree and covered Polyneices’ body with dirt and wine. Unfortunately, Antigone was caught in the act of burying Polyneices so, Creon sentenced her (his own sons finance) to be put into a stone vault, to die of starvation and for Polyneices’ body to be uncovered. Then a messenger came and told Creon that there would be a tragic ending because of his error in judgement. Creon then quickly ordered Antigone to be freed and Polyneices to be buried, but he was too late.

In the meantime, a messenger told Eurydice (Creon’s wife) that her son Haimon was dead and that his death was caused by Creon’s actions. Eurydice killed herself because the son she loved most was dead. In the meantime, Creon discovered that Polyneices’ body had been eaten by vultures and wild dogs so he quickly went to the vault Antigone was put in. WhenCreon arrived at the vault, he found Antigone had hung herself with her wedding dressand his son Haimon had killed himself because of the death of Antigone.

Creon returned home to tell his wife Eurydice of all the tragedy caused by his own error in judgement, only to find Eurydice dead too. In account of Creon’s stubborn rule and error in judgement, everyone he loved was dead. Although Creon did change and try to reverse his wrong doings, and was not able to do so, he was still an overall good man and didn’t mean to bring this tragedy upon himself. Just because of Creon’s mistakes he had to live the rest of his life with guilt for causing many deaths.

Although ancient Greece was a male-dominate society, Sophocles Antigone, portrays women as being strong and capable of making wise decisions. In this famous tragedy, Sophocles uses the characters Ismene and Antigone to show the different characteristics and roles that woman are typical of interpreting. Traditionally women are characterized as weak and subordinate and Ismene is portrayed in this way. Through the character of Antigone, women finally get to present realistic viewpoints about their character.

The sexist stereotypes presented in this tragedy address many perspectives of men at this time. Creon the arrogant and tyrant leader is, the very character that exemplifies this viewpoint. Antigones spirit is filled with bravery, passion and fury; which allow her to symbolize the very essence of women. She is strong enough to do what her conscious tells her despite the laws of the land. Many examples in the play prove that Antigones character is very capable of making her own decisions in the name of justice.

First, Antigone opposes Creons law and buries her slain brother; because in her mind it was immoral not to. She does this because she is compassionate and loves her brother very much. Creon, however, believes that his laws must be upheld and would do anything to prevent any type rebelling. He is even more infuriated when he learns that a woman has broken his laws. He tries to show Antigone whos in charge by sentencing her to a life of imprisonment. Secondly, Antigone shows how determined she is by accepting her consequences with pride.

She does not try to hide that she is responsible for breaking Creons laws, moreover, she takes all the credit. All the while she maintains her strength because she truly believes in her actions. These sorts of actions ultimately prove that Antigone is courageous and willing to stand up to men, which was completely against the norm at this time. Her spirit refuses to submit to the role of a helpless woman like her sister Ismenes character does. Ismene is a coward and refuses to help her sister because she feared men.

This fear propels her to turn her head to the disrespect that is been shown to her brother, Polyneices. Her character is a close representation of the viewpoints of the male gender regarding women. She is subordinate and weak-willed. She refuses to stand up to Creon even though in her heart she knows that his laws are morally wrong. This type of demeanor in famous works of art is very common for women to behave like, according to the position of men. Ismene proclaims, We are only women, we cannot fight with men, Antigone! (Sophocles, pg. 7)

Proving that she is unwilling to do the right thing if it means standing up to a man. Another example of how spineless Ismene is portrayed is when she tries to take credit for burying her brother with Antigone. She is so scared that she will be left all alone with out Antigone that she is willing to die with her. Creon demonstrates his lack of respect for women again when he tries to accuse Ismene of aiding Antigone. Then when he realizes she had no part in the crime does he describes her as, . she never had a mind at all. (Sophocles, pg. 8)

The play is also filled with instances of a sexist male viewpoint. Creon is the leader of the Theben throne a position he highly regards. He believes that he has a divine rule and therefor his laws are just and fair. He rules the kingdom with an iron fist and demonstrates his prejudices towards women throughout the play. First, Creon is so upset that his laws are broken by Antigone that tries to hurt her as much as possible. He tries to act as prideful as possible, he states, No woman shall seduce us. If we must lose, Lets lose to a man, at least.

Is a woman stronger than we? (Sophocles,pg. 212) This is proof that Creon does not see women as equal to the authority of men. He feels that women have no common sense and, therefor, must be punished for their irrationality. He eventually realizes that he has offended the Gods with his actions as ruler of Thebes. It is not until his own wife kills herself because of his tyranny against humanity does he realize his mistakes. This of course is way too late to redeem his lost loved ones or take back his contempt toward women.