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Dramatic significance in antigone
Literary elements of antigone
Dramatic significance in antigone
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The major conflict is between Creon and Antigone. The conflict was over the decision to determine which principles were most valuable. One would argue or question whether the duties of the gods are more essential than the law of the land. However, one would also argue that we have the power to make choices that will affect not only our lives, but the lives of other people. In our everyday life we’re always faced with situations like Antigone that causes us to make wise sound choices. Its how we handle the consequences behind our choices is what matter. This is where the major issue between Creon and Antigone began. In this story, Antigone experienced the loss of her two brothers. She knew Eteocles would receive an honorable burial …show more content…
Creon knew that no Ruler can expect complete loyalty from his subjects until he had been tested in office (line 146-147). Creon felt that if his country was headed for ruins that he could not be afraid to speak out plainly; and that he hardly could remind you that he would have no dealings with an enemy of the country (lines 154-157). Nevertheless, Antigone went along with her plans and buried her brother Polynecies. One of the messengers saw that Polynecies had been buried and went to inform the King. Once the king heard this news, he insisted to know which nuisance did this. One of the Kings messengers went to deliver the news that Antigone was the culprit who buried Polynecies. The King became furious and outraged by the information that had been divulged to him. King Creon and Antigone were both stubborn and set in their ways and felt that each one had to defend themselves. Creon felt the need to question Antigone. Antigone argued that it was the law of man that made it illegal and not the law of the gods (line …show more content…
Antigone made it known that she loved her family and her deceased brothers. Antigone felt the decision she made to bury her brother was the honorable thing to do even if her life depended on it. When Antigone was charged for what she had done, she denied nothing. King Creon was so outraged with Antigone that he ordered that she be put to death. Even after getting wise counseling and advice from his son Haimon and his God Teiresias, not to but Antigone to death, King Creon ignored the advice and believed that he had to stand firm on the new laws that he put in place. In expressing Creon and Antigone views, we noticed that Creon was not acting justly. Creon refused to see Antigone actions were all good. Creon placed greater value in the city and the laws he made instead of the, providing compassion for his family. He declined to see the law of the gods until it was foretold to him by the prophet that he will pay (line 842). Antigone never under estimated her love for her family, nor did Creon question what he considered his civil duty to the city until his behavior lead to the death of his entire
He fells that people are already starting to do that at the beginning of his rule and says, “there have been those who have whispered together, stiff-necked anarchists, putting their heads together, scheming against me in the alleys” (i 113-115). His paranoia causes him to feel that people are plotting against him, which causes him to not accept input from other people. Because he is so clear that he does not want rebellion, Creon is very unhappy when Antigone buries Polyneices and feels that this is some form of rebellion. Instead of just accusing Antigone of the illegal burial, Creon blames her for “a double insolence, breaking the given laws and boasting of it” (ii 80-81). Though Antigone never boasted about defying the law, Creon is so self-conscious that he sees the act as much more than it really is. Finally, Creon does realize that he must break away from his ignorant ways. By the time he realizes that he should “not fight with destiny” (v 101) and that “the laws of the Gods are mighty” (v 108), it is too late. He was too oblivious and caught up in his own self-consciousness that he was not able to make the right decision quickly enough. Though Creon did eventually understand his mistakes, it was not enough to save him from the wrath of the
...fe as life, but only a life trapped in a corpse” (1593). Creon was once a good King to the people. He saved the city of Thebes for the people, and by doing so became King. But now we see what may have curved his mannerisms. By taking the throne, Creon had more power than ever before, and that power caused him to lose his joy for the city and the people and became the ruler we see in the beginning. This explains why he ruled against the burial of Polyneices and decreed death upon those who would go against him. I think Creon feared he would lose his power over the people if he allowed Polyneices to be buried, bringing war to a now peaceful city in part due to Creon. Reading the excerpts at the end of the play has given me a better understanding of why Sophocles wrote the play in the style he did, as well as develop a better understanding of Antigone and Creon.
After Antigone was found to be guilty of burying her brother Polyneices, Creon said “I suppose she’ll plead family ties, well, let her. If I permit my own family to rebel then how shall I earn the world’s obedience?” (III, 29-31) Creon was so egotistic and sententious that he would even look down on his own family. He really did not care at all that he was sentencing his own niece to death. by the end of the play Creon began to realize just how terribly he had treated his family so he said “Lead me away, I have been rash and foolish. I have killed my son and wife.” (Exodos, 134-135) Creon killed his son and wife because he chose to ignore the fact that he was single handedly tearing his family apart. He was conceited and too self-absorbed to notice just how much damage he had been causing. This proves that he was a bad father and husband and that he felt no obligation to his family as long as he was in charge of
Although Antigone was considered to be high status, Creon was in a much higher position as king. Before this string of unfortunate events, Antigone’s life was already unsatisfactory. Her father had gouged out his own eyes and had died while she and her sister were both very young. Her mother had committed suicide, and all of her siblings but her sister had died. At one point during the play while she delivers a passionate speech about her fate and her past, she is quoted saying “ O mother, your marriage bed the coiling horrors, the coupling there- you with your own son, my father- doomstruck mother! Such, such were my parents, and I their wretched child.” (103. 951-954). Before the beginning of the play, Creon hasn’t really had anything devastating happen to him so far. He was in a good position and the people of Thebes liked him. Besides Antigone’s marriage to Creon’s son, Haemon, her life was considered to be worthless during that time period. In Greek tragedy, the tragic hero is also usually both good and bad, or has one fatal flaw. This is certainly true for Creon. Although Antigone surely has flaws of her own, Creon’s are far more prevalent and more similar to the kinds of flaws other tragic heroes have had in other examples of greek tragedy. Therefore, by definition Creon is far more similar to a traditional tragic hero than Antigone
Antigone also had a big impact on the play. Her display of hubris was a direct result of Creon’s decision to give one of her brothers a burial with full honors and to give the other no burial at all. Antigone followed the principle of Greek Mythology that said the dead must be buried or their souls will not make it to the afterlife. Antigone made it known very quickly that she is willing to die for burying her brother, stating “I am not afraid of the danger; if it means death, it will not be the worst of deaths – death without honor.”(1248). Antigone felt that her will to die for what she believed was right was honorable, so if she had to die to give her brother a burial, she would. Antigone’s hubris affected others around her just like Creon’s did. Her sister, Ismene, was not on board to help Antigone bury their brother when Antigone told her of her plans. But after seeing that Antigone was being sentenced to death, she decides to admit guilt to Creon, even though she didn’t have anything to do with
Antigone is the daughter of Oedipus, she has a sister, Ismene, two brothers, with a mother and an uncle, Creon. Antigone has watch her two brothers battle each other and soon slain each other. She is torn between the law and what is morally right. The brothers defended a side of their own in a war, one with the law, the other against it. Antigone’s father has passed away hence Creon being the new ruler. Creon's sworn to prohibit anyone to bury Polyneices, because of his treachery against the kingdom. While Eteocles, who fought with the kingdom, was given a soldier's funeral with military honor. Antigone begs her sister, Ismene, to help her bury Polyneices, but she declines in fear. Ismene warns Antigone not to harass the law and leaver their
Antigone pursues a life guided by divine law, in which she is subservient to each and every proclamation of the Gods and preserves her virtuous destiny. By embracing an honorable reputation in compensation for protection from the gods, Antigone convinces herself that she possesses the intelligence and greatness to disobey Creon’s civil orders and perform a sacred burial for her brother, Polyneices. For example, Antigone denounces Creon’s edict of providing Eteocles with a holy burial, while leaving Polyneices to rot above land and be devoured by birds. She even insists that the risk of death by punishment neither, instills fear nor proceeds as a burden, in which her brother’s burial will satiate her need for greater glory. Determined to bury her beloved brother for the sake of piety and morality, Antigone states, “I shall suffer nothing so great as to stop me dying with honor” (Sophocles 25). Aware of her dedication and devotion to sanctity, Antigone deems it unacceptable for an injustice to strike her family, without the perpetrator of the injustice being punished by the gods. She refuses to surrender to Creon’s power as she knows his mandates deceive and belittle the gods. Therefore, as Antigone entrusts her destiny in the hands of the divine powers, she also confides in their absolute authority, cleverly
Antigone, Haemon, and Tiresias all argued with Creon, each proving their point, but to Creon, all that mattered was his own opinion that leaders must stick with their original decisions. He does not care about the Gods, who are Antigone’s reason for burying Polynices. He does not care about family, which is Haemon’s reason not to kill Antigone. Finally, Creon does not care about the truth, which Tiresias tells him, all because Creon is too selfish and arrogant. Creon’s unwillingness to change his orders until the last minute, when it is already too late, ultimately dooms him and his family, and causes a great tragedy to
In the drama Antigone, the conflict between Creon and Antigone has demonstrated the theme of blood versus nation, and the text supports Antigone more. Antigone mentions a story of a Greek princess who wants to bury her brother that has betrayed the country, and another of her brother has died while protecting the country in the same battle. However, the new king promulgated a law that forbids his subjects to bury him, and he would kill one who buries him. Conflicts appeared when Antigone considers that she should bury her brother since they own ties of blood, and that the kings recognizes X as a betrayer; both of them had their standpoint:
In the following paper, I plan to discuss the source of conflict between the title characters of Antigone and Creon in Sophocles’ “Antigone”. I also plan to discuss how each character justifies his or her actions and what arguments they give for their justifications. I will also write about the strengths and weaknesses of these arguments. The final points I try to make are about who Sophocles thinks is right and who I think is right.
In the play, “Antigone,” there is a conflict between the characters Creon and Antigone. Polyneices, their brother, had died while battling with his brother, Eteocles, over the throne of Thebes. While Antigone wanted to provide a proper burial for her brother, Polyneices, their uncle Creon considered him a renegade and furthermore did not want to bury him. Antigone’s decision to defy her state’s laws and bury Polyneices was honorable because it is right to follow God’s laws, even if that means defying the government laws. Another reason is that everybody deserves a proper burial to pay condolences to the deceased, as well as their family. Creon’s view of the situation may allure some of the audience because loyalty can be viewed as an essential
In Antigone, her brother Polynices, turned against his own city by attacking his own brother just so he could become king. On this day, both brothers died. One, Eteocles, was given funeral honors, but the other, Polynices, was not. This decision was made by Creon, Antigone’s uncle and the current King of Thebes. Creon said “He is to have no grave, no burial, no mourning from anyone; it is forbidden.'; (Pg. 432; l. 165) He also announced that anyone who should attempt to bury him would be put to death. After hearing this decision, Antigone said that Creon couldn’t do that and that the Gods would want Polynices to have a proper burial, therefore Antigone promised to her sister Ismene that she would be the one to defy Creon and bury her brother; and she didn’t care if the whole city knew of her plans. After being caught in the act, she was taken to the palace and when asked by Creon why she did it. Knowing the punishment that would come from it, she replied by saying that she didn’t think Creon had the power to overrule the u...
In Antigone by Sophocles, the basic conflict is based on the reverence of two major characters (Antigone and Creon). There is also a moral conflict, where Antigone is presented as less concerned with the laws of the city. Whereas Creon, the king is determined to uphold and maintain the order of the thrown and the city, Antigone is determined to do what she feels is morally right in her opinion despite the consequences. By defying the laws of the city, and thus a direct order from the king, Antigone sets in to motions a series of events that result in a conflict between her and the king, as both become rivals over which values they perceive to be most fundamental.
In the story of Antigone, which was a drama written by Sophocles, its major heroes were Antigone and her powerful uncle Creon the king of Thebes. Despite that they were relatives, there were some issues between them, which make them the tragic heroes of the story. The story ended by the death of Antigone, Haemon her Fiancé and his mother, while the king Creon ended up alone after he had lost his close relatives. Based on the story there were two main issues that caused Antigone and Creon to come into conflict as they did. First, was the issue of male gender. second, the main and most important disagreement is the debate of moral and divine law versus human law. In this most important dispute Creon strictly adhere to human laws and Antigone
In the play “Antigone” by Sophocles, Antigone fights for her beliefs by doing something that she felt deeply about and thought was morally right. She wanted to give her respect to her dead brother, Polynices, by having an appropriate burial for him. Creon strongly disagreed with what she wanted to do. When she ignored Creon’s judgement, Creon convicted