Antigone
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One commentator has argued in “Antigone” that Antigones “view of what is right is as twisted as that of Creon.” Although I do not believe that either Antigones or Creons view is “twisted,” I do believe that their fate is a direct result of their extreme pride and stubbornness. In “Antigone,” Sophocles examines the conflict between the requirements of human and divine law that is centered on the burial of Polynices, Antigones brother and Creons nephew. On the issue of the burial, their views are opposed and they each believe that one is right and the other is wrong.
The views of Antigone and Creon are opposed, and they both possess the same stubborn belief in their own righteousness. This ultimately brings them both to their tragic fate. At first we believe that Creon acts from sincere, patriotic and unselfish motives, and that he is acting out of a sincere belief that his decision is best for the state. This is shown in the first episode (lines 163 – 331), where Creon hopes to be a wise and good ruler. Later on we learn that he is too inflexible and narrow to heed criticism or admit fault, and that this causes all the misery in his life. The same is true of Antigone. She appears to be a very compassionate individual in the prologue; however, later on we learn that she is also stubborn and unwilling to bend in her beliefs, which ultimately leads her to her tragic fate.
We come to know of Antigones plan to bury her brother in the prologue. She confides to Ismene that she knows of Creons edict, but that she intends to defy it. At Ismenes protests of not defying the kings orders, Antigone states that there are higher obligations to the dead and the gods. She points out (lines 85 – 91): “I will bury him myself, and even if I die in the act the death will be a glory. I will lie with the one I love and loved by him – an outrage sacred to the gods! I have longer to please the dead than please the living here: in the kingdom down below I will lie forever. Do as you like, dishonor the laws the gods hold in honor.” Antigone feels it is her duty to bury her brother and is in her view fulfilling a higher law. She believes that she is acting according to her religious duty and that she cannot dishonor the laws the gods have established. Here Antigone appears to be a selfless and compassionate individual, willing to risk her life in order to provide her brother his sacred rights. We feel compassion and sympathy towards her, since she is willing to stand for her religious beliefs and risk her life in the process.
In the second episode, Creons Sentry captures Antigone at Polynices graveside. When Antigone is brought before Creon, she proudly admits that the Sentrys recount of the story is true and that she buried Polynices. Creon suspects that Ismene, Antigones sister, is also involved. However, Antigone contemptuously recounts her sisters earlier refusal to assist him. In this scene, Antigone is shown to be a woman with extreme pride, arrogance, and stubbornness. She states again and again that she is just following the dictates of the gods and is not willing to listen to Creons logic. When Ismene is brought in, Antigone treats her with contempt and appears very harsh. This shows a very inflexible and hard character.
We are introduced to Creon in the first episode. Creon views that the laws of the state as the highest laws, and therefore decrees that the traitor Polynices should not be given a burial. He believes in the principle that the state will honor those who are loyal to the state, and punish the ones that are traitors. He states, “Whoever places a friend above the good of his own country, he is nothing: I have no use for him.” Here in his opening speech, Creon appears to be a wise and just ruler, wanting to always keep the interests of the state and the people foremost in his mind. His edict is from the most honorable of motives, wanting to keep the higher interests of the state. Although Polynices is his nephew, he keeps an objective view and refuses his burial as an example to others that would be traitors of the state. At the end of the scene, we notice how quickly his tone changes when he discovers that his authority has been disobeyed. He threatens the Sentry with death if he does not find the criminals who buried Polynices. Here Creon is revealed to be a man of high ideals but of immense pride and self-righteousness.
In the third scene, Haemon tells his father that the people of the city feel it would be better to spare Antigone. Creon resists his sons interference and a heated argument ensues between them. Haemon states (lines 794 – 797): “No its no disgrace for a man, even a wise man, to learn many things and not to be too rigidÐIm young, I know, but let me offer this: It would be best by far, I admit, if a man were born infallible, right by nature. If not – and things dont often go