Antigone Essay

Sophocles at first depicts Creon as a ruler who values his authority and city more than anything, but he gradually becomes more despotic. With his role as king so recently acquired, Creon must first establish his position as superior to other citizens. He does so by declaring that “the ship of state is safe”(180) and “the gods who rocked her... have righted her once more”(180-182). Creon is attempting to prove that he deserves the position of authority because the gods that the citizens value so much have granted him the divine right to rule the state. By using the metaphor of the state as a ship, Sophocles shows that citizens are either in or out of the ship that Creon leads; they are either with or against his rule. He is also saying that there is a specific reason that the ship was stabilized when he gained power because he is destined to be in this position. To strengthen the citizens’ respect for him, Creon announces that it is

Haemon’s tone suddenly turns to pathos when he makes the comment, “the city mourns for this young girl” and “She with her own dear brother lying in his blood – She couldn’t bear to leave him dead, unburied, food for the wild dogs or wheeling vultures.” The pathos reveals the sympathy that the whole town has for Antigone. He

Haemon's words, actions, and ideas contrast with Creon’s character by posing his argument in support of antigone, and Creon refuses to listen to his side. Creon’s refusal to listen to his own son’s reasoned argument demonstrates how unreasonable Creon is being in contrast to his son’s reasonableness. When Haemon poses his argument in support of Antigone, Creon stubbornly

For example,“Whoever thinks that he's the only one who can think or use his tongue or soul, no one else-these men, when you open them up,are seen to be hollow”(Sophocles 718-721). In this quote it shows that Creon was very mean especially to the people that did not obey to him. For example, when Creon wanted to kill Antigone Haemon tried to convince him not to which made him mad and he was even more harsh. “The heart of one who weaves wickedness in darkness is usually convicted beforehand.I, for my part hate anyone caught in the act who tries to beauty his crimes in thereupon”(Lines 507-511). This quote shows how if you go behind Creon's back how mean and how he's a person that will get revenge on you. The way Creon phrases his sentences makes a person scared in this case shows Creon is a heartless person and doesn't care for anyone's feelings. “She stood in denial of nothing, something for me both sweet and painful, all at once. Nothing is sweeter than escaping trouble yourself, but it is painful to conduct friends into it. But, for me, everything takes second place to my own safety” (Lines 443 - 449). The guard was ready to go tell the king who buried the body, but when he did Creon acted in such rude way that someone actually got away with burying the body so then he got suspicious and thought the guard buried the body, but when

Antigone is a play written by Sophocles and is about a young girl named Antigone who struggles with written laws of her city, Thebes. Her uncle is King Creon and sentences her to death because she decided to bury her brother, Polynices, after it was declared that he deserved no burial. Antigone's sister, Ismene, was too afraid to go along with her. Antigone's fiancé, (who is also

A tragic hero is a character who makes an error of judgment or has a fatal flaw, which combined with fate, results into a tragedy. The tragic hero must fall from good luck and well being to misery and misfortune. The tragic hero causes a sense of pity through the tragic downfall that weakens the character. In Antigone by Sophocles, Antigone follows her own beliefs by giving her brother a proper burial, even if she has to break the law of King Creon. Because of her innocent actions, Antigone is punished unjustly and unfairly. Through her risky and unselfish actions, ability to follow her own beliefs, and perseverance Antigone is the tragic hero of this play.

Haemon shows his love to Antigone by revolting his father 's authority and committing suicide. Haemon is the son of Creon and Eurydice and is engaged to Antigone. He always respects and obeys Creon, taking Creon for a model. However, the decree of killing Antigone causes his violent controversy with his father because he is afraid of losing his fiancé—Antigone. Haemon defends the moral behavior of Antigone and reasons with Creon to change

Even if he believes he is right and his son should obey him, he doesn’t show an ounce of sympathy for Haemon, who loves Antigone. Creon details his thoughts on the importance of the rule of law over other loyalties, and his belief that to allow any anarchy or, seemingly, freedom would threaten the state. Creon’s method of executing Antigone is interesting. By entombing a living person, Antigone, and denying burial to a dead person, Polynices, Creon’s laws seem to go against common sense, tradition, and nature itself. Creon does not keep a cool head, as a wise leader should, or look for a way to compromise. He is as stubborn as Antigone, as if this were a street fight, he feels he could never back down.

Arrogance stimulates looking down upon others and down grading them giving themselves a high confidence and self esteem, others look down at these people for numerous reasons. Creon was not happy that Antigone buried her brother, and while he feels he is doing his responsibility, Teresias (a blind god) is telling him otherwise. Teresias tells Creon that the city is sick because of him. Stubbornness and pride get in the way of how Creon acts as Teresias gives him advice to not kick the dead. The blind prophet has always provided accurate information, yet Creon never brought him in before. The chorus gives him advice and Creon actually took some responsibility saying it was a mistake when things got out of hands after Haemon (his son) and Antigone kill themselves in the cave. It took a lot for Creon to finally realize that things got out of hands and unfortunately arrogance can get in the way of things and blind people from what is in front of them.

Antigone is a play about a woman who disobeyed the King's order to not bury her brother. The play was written by the famous Greek tragedian, Sophocles, in 441 B.C. The story took place in the city of Thebes and the time period is not mentioned. The main characters introduced in the play are of Antigone, Ismene, Creon, and Haemon. The primary focus was centered on Antigone and the consequences she faces after breaking the King's orders.

It is plain to see what about the character of Antigone it is that makes this a tragedy. Tragedy is defined as a dramatic composition dealing with a serious or somber theme, and this story fits all these criteria. First of all, it involves a tragic course of events that involved both of her brothers dying and then being completely disrespected even in death. She felt she had to rectify this mistake, even though it was against the law, and the opposition was too great. Because of her attempt to rectify the injustice, even more tragic things happened to her and her family. This is why she is a tragic heroine.

Sophocles’ play, Antigone, presents conflicts such as Antigone vs. Creon and Antigone vs. Ismene. However, there is an overlooked conflict between Creon and his son, Haemon. This father-son conflict stems from the view that a son should be submissive to his father. However, Haemon does not abide his role of being submissive to his father and tries to entangle himself with his father role, which indirectly results in his death. As well through analysis of Creon’s and Haemon’s relationship gives an insight to their fates; and furthermore, sheds light on the underlying issue between democracy and dictatorship in the Greek society.

and set of values. She dies with pride and no regret for she died because she acted doing what

Theme is a central idea or message in a work of literature. Theme connects with all events of a story, however, it is not the moral of the story like many may think. Theme is interpreted by the reader. In other words, the theme is just almost every aspect of a story. For example, theme needs characters, protagonist, antagonist, conflict, and speaker to analyze what theme is in a story. The equation for theme is character + conflict and resolution = theme. The story of Antigone for example has many themes. Antigone is the story of a young girl, who's purpose is to honor her brother Polyneices in a burial. Both of her brothers killed each other, however Eteocles, her other brother, fought for the city and got an honorable burial, while Polynieces,

Haemon is a character that conflicts directly with King Creon and contributes to King Creon becoming a tragic hero. King Creon is Haemon’s father and Antigone is his fiancee. In an emotional conversation with his father, Haemon defends the proper essence of Antigone's actions while cautioning his father that the people of Thebes agree with her dedication to bury Polyneices. He and his father part in anger, as he simply asks his father to do what's right for Thebes, and his father firmly pursues the path of the outermost struggle. Haemon's love to Antigone is clear; at her death, he is so tormented that he tries to kill his father and then kills himself.