Antigone, a dramatic play written by Sophocles, tells the story of Antigone, a young woman in conflict with loyalty. She is feeling internal conflict mainly because she decides to go against the law and give her brother named Polynices, who was declared a traitor against Thebes, a proper burial. Another main source of contradiction she feels is that her sister sides with King Creon by agreeing that the law should go above the state. She is caught attempting to bury her brother by King Creon, and goes against her punishment of solitary in a cave by committing suicide while in captivity. The conflict in the play is mainly attributed to tension within Antigone's religion, family loyalty, and gender roles of Thebes; these represent the rigidness and imbalance of life in Greece at the time of Sophocles.
At the time of Antigone, the nation itself is in conflict because the death and replacement of their former king, Eteocles, by King Creon. Polynices is a traitor against Thebes. After his death, Creon "set forth against [Thebes] because of the contentious claims of Polynices"" (110-111). Along with the other unrest Antigone feels, the land Thebes itself was in chaos as well. This further represents the social unrest occurring in Greece at the time of Sophocles. Further on in the tragedy, king Creon states "Tyranny is luck in many ways, above all in doing and saying what it will"" (521-522). This also points back to the betrayal of Polynices against Thebes. This also encompasses the decision Antigone made to bury her brother, even though it is against Creon's laws. .
The tragedy shows that Antigone has a profound concern for family with the predominant conflict of the play where she buries her brother even though it was illegal because he is a traitor. Antigone feels a deep concern in caring for her deceased brother who was forbidden from receiving a proper burial. She decided to "go and heap a tomb for [her] dearest brother, completely disregarding Creon's laws" (81-82).
In Antigone, by Sophocles, Antigone is the tragic hero of the play, rather than Creon. ... He can either kill Antigone, or spare her life. ... Antigone is in a different position. ... Antigone chooses wisely in defying the law. ... At the end of the play, Creon is left alone, a shattered broken man whose own stubbornness and arrogance ruins his life. ...
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. ...
Pride is part of what makes Antigone heroic. ... Antigone has the burning desire to honor her brother Polyneices and sacrifices her life out of devotion to principles higher than human law. ... This is between Antigone and Polyneices. ... Antigone doesn't mind doing anything on her own. ... That is where Ismene insists that she will not take the risk of her life to honor her brother Polyneices. ...
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. ...
Bigger than her body Antigone was right, yet so was Creon. ... However Antigone defied the king. ... The gods sided with Antigone. ... Conversely, Antigone did not specifically have a downfall since she took her own life. ... Antigone's actions were justified by divine law. ...
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, daughter of Odepius, puts her own life on the line in order to respectfully bury her dead brother. ... Antigone understands that regardless of the laws of society, the bond between two family members requires respect in life and in death. ... Ismene, Antigones sister, refuses to help Antigone bury their brother's body for fear of her own life. ... Antigone was willing to risk her own life in order to bury her brother and also to save the life of her sister. ... Antigone refuses to allow Ismene to be blamed for a crime that she did not commit, so Creon grants Ismene her life. ...
Devotion to her brother and beliefs that her actions would be held sacred by the gods drove Antigone to attempt a proper burial for Polyneices. ... Upon being brought into the scene as a culprit of Antigone, Ismene states "What? ... Despite Haemon's attempts to sway his father's decision regarding Antigone, saying the "...city mourns for this young girl... Arriving upon the scene to find Antigone dead, "hanged by the neck in a fine linen noose," Haemon leans on his sword killing himself. ... When news of the double fatality reached the ears of Eurydice, she two took her own life by "...
