The play Antigone by Sophocles is a play like no other. There are three major themes or ideas which have a very important role in the play. The issues that Antigone and Creon have between them are what ties this whole play together. The themes are also developed with the use of their issues between each other and what they believe in. "Freedom of religion was encouraged to be exercised in the city-states and man was focused on more than the Gods or heavenly concerns. These new ideas and beliefs, though good in intention, often conflicted with one another and created complex moral dilemmas. In the play, Antigone and Creon battle a philosophical war concerning their ideas"(Arrowsmith 296). Antigone represents the laws of the Gods while Creon represents those of the humans. The first major theme is fate, on how the play comes about and the turn of events that come about throughout it. Another main theme or idea is the pride the characters have and their unwillingness they have to change their minds once they are set on something. The last major theme is loyalty and the practical problem of conduct involving which is a higher law between the divine laws and those of the humans. It is an issue of which law is the "right" law, and if Creon and Antigone's acts are justifiable or not. .
The first major theme of fate is what had gotten the family of Oedipus where they were when the play began. Fate is why Oedipus winds up killing his own father and eventually ended up marrying his own mother and then later on he found out about all of this. Fate is also what led Creon to be the new king of Thebes and what led his nephews to be on opposite sides of the war. The fate of the two brothers winds up ultimately killing both of them on opposite sides during the war. Antigone's ultimate fate was to die trying to honor her dead brother and show loyalty what is most important to her, her family. In the first paragraph of the play it reads, "My darling sister Ismene, we have had a fine inheritance from Oedipus.
This type of conflict is shown in Antigone an helps present the character traits of the antagonist, Antigone. ... Antigone was also very strong minded. ... Antigone was also very strong willed. ... Antigone chooses to defy this law. ... Antigone believes that Ismene is a coward while Ismene believes that Antigone is foolish. ...
Antigone stands poised at the river separating herself from civil disobedience. ... Antigone's unrepressed emotions give voice to her dissatisfaction with Creon's dictum. ... Antigone's morals render her unable to see her tragic flaw. ... Antigone impels Creon by defying his order, and seals the fate of her life. ... Antigone's convictions bear a burden on her that she is not strong enough to lift. ...
In the play, "Antigone," the main character Antigone goes against all authority in an effort to give her brother, Polynices, a proper burial. ... Antigone has no respect for authority. ... Antigone also claims, "What Creon says is quite irrelevant" ( ln 4). Thus, Antigone does not respect government or Creon as a sovereign. ... "We can't live by Antigone's alone, but if we have no Antigones within us we are spiritually barren" (Cornell). ...
Later in the act, the Sentry enters again, this time with Antigone. ... Creon asks Antigone if this is true. ... Creon aims to justify his decision to let Antigone's dead brother rot. He also wishes to validate his choice to punish Antigone. ... I believe Antigone's act was morally correct. ...
Pride is part of what makes Antigone heroic. ... This is between Antigone and Polyneices. ... Antigone doesn't mind doing anything on her own. ... Antigone has no problem working by her self either. ... I think Creon feels he must defeat Antigone because she is a woman. ...
In Antigone, by Sophocles, Antigone is the tragic hero of the play, rather than Creon. ... Sophocles wants us to see Antigone as the tragic figure. ... He can either kill Antigone, or spare her life. ... Antigone is in a different position. ... Antigone chooses wisely in defying the law. ...
However, in the play Antigone, Antigone goes against the beliefs and defies the powerful tradition of male domination. In the play, Antigone's life was filled with pain and sorrow. ... Even after all of this, Antigone had even more pain to deal with. ... Antigone didn't fear death, but instead faced it with great bravery and strength. ... That is why Antigone is such an influential character in the play. ...
The Antigone Essay Through "Antigone", the play, Sophocles lets it be known that family is more important than authority. ... Antigone felt awful that Creon was doing such a wrong thing. ... Antigone took a moral stand and buried Polyneices. ... Antigone was Haemon's true love. Haemon committed suicide once he lost Antigone. ...
Antigone is not from a normal family. Her family feels very strong in what they believe in. Especially Antigone and Creon. Antigone did things that other people wouldn't normally do. Some people wouldn't defy authority to do what they believe is right. Creon did things that people wouldn't do. I thi...
Bigger than her body Antigone was right, yet so was Creon. ... However Antigone defied the king. ... The gods sided with Antigone. ... Creon is protagonist against Antigone, who is the antagonist; at the same time, Antigone is the protagonist with Creon as her antagonist. Antigone's actions were justified by divine law. ...