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Analysis of Sophocles’ Antigone

By NASRULLAH MAMBROL on July 29, 2020 • ( 0 )

Within this single drama—in great part, a harsh critique of Athenian society and the Greek city-state in general—Sophocles tells of the eternal struggle between the state and the individual, human and natural law, and the enormous gulf between what we attempt here on earth and what fate has in store for us all. In this magnificent dramatic work, almost incidentally so, we find nearly every reason why we are now what we are.

—Victor D. Hanson and John Heath, Who Killed Homer? The Demise of Classical Education and the Recovery of Greek Wisdom

With Antigone Sophocles forcibly demonstrates that the power of tragedy derives not from the conflict between right and wrong but from the confrontation between right and right. As the play opens the succession battle between the sons of Oedipus—Polynices and Eteocles—over control of Thebes has resulted in both of their deaths. Their uncle Creon, who has now assumed the throne, asserts his authority to end a destructive civil war and decrees that only Eteocles, the city’s defender, should receive honorable burial. Polynices, who has led a foreign army against Thebes, is branded a traitor. His corpse is to be left on the battlefield “to be chewed up by birds and dogs and violated,” with death the penalty for anyone who attempts to bury him and supply the rites necessary for the dead to reach the underworld. Antigone, Polynices’ sister, is determined to defy Creon’s order, setting in motion a tragic collision between opposed laws and duties: between natural and divine commands that dictate the burial of the dead and the secular edicts of a ruler determined to restore civic order, between family allegiance and private conscience and public duty and the rule of law that restricts personal liberty for the common good. Like the proverbial immovable object meeting an irresistible force, Antigone arranges the impact of seemingly irreconcilable conceptions of rights and responsibilities, producing one of drama’s enduring illuminations of human nature and the human condition.

Antigone is one of Sophocles’ greatest achievements and one of the most influential dramas ever staged. “Between 1790 and 1905,” critic George Steiner reports, “it was widely held by European poets, philosophers, [and] scholars that Sophocles’ Antigone was not only the fi nest of Greek tragedies, but a work of art nearer to perfection than any other produced by the human spirit.” Its theme of the opposition between the individual and authority has resonated through the centuries, with numerous playwrights, most notably Jean Anouilh, Bertolt Brecht, and Athol Fugard grafting contemporary concerns and values onto the moral and political dramatic framework that Sophocles established. The play has elicited paradoxical responses reflecting changing cultural and moral imperatives. Antigone, who has been described as “the first heroine of Western drama,” has been interpreted both as a heroic martyr to conscience and as a willfully stubborn fanatic who causes her own death and that of two other innocent people, forsaking her duty to the living on behalf of the dead. Creon has similarly divided critics between censure and sympathy. Despite the play’s title, some have suggested that the tragedy is Creon’s, not Antigone’s, and it is his abuse of authority and his violations of personal, family, and divine obligations that center the drama’s tragedy. The brilliance of Sophocles’ play rests in the complexity of motive and the competing absolute claims that the drama displays. As novelist George Eliot observed,

It is a very superficial criticism which interprets the character of Creon as that of hypocritical tyrant, and regards Antigone as a blameless victim. Coarse contrasts like this are not the materials handled by great dramatists. The exquisite art of Sophocles is shown in the touches by which he makes us feel that Creon, as well as Antigone, is contending for what he believes to be the right, while both are also conscious that, in following out one principle, they are laying themselves open to just blame for transgressing another.

Eliot would call the play’s focus the “antagonism of valid principles,” demonstrating a point of universal significance that “Wherever the strength of a man’s intellect, or moral sense, or affection brings him into opposition with the rules which society has sanctioned, there is renewed conflict between Antigone and Creon; such a man must not only dare to be right, he must also dare to be wrong—to shake faith, to wound friendship, perhaps, to hem in his own powers.” Sophocles’ Antigone is less a play about the pathetic end of a victim of tyranny or the corruption of authority than about the inevitable cost and con-sequence between competing imperatives that define the human condition. From opposite and opposed positions, both Antigone and Creon ultimately meet at the shared suffering each has caused. They have destroyed each other and themselves by who they are and what they believe. They are both right and wrong in a world that lacks moral certainty and simple choices. The Chorus summarizes what Antigone will vividly enact: “The powerful words of the proud are paid in full with mighty blows of fate, and at long last those blows will teach us wisdom.”

As the play opens Antigone declares her intention to her sister Ismene to defy Creon’s impious and inhumane order and enlists her sister’s aid to bury their brother. Ismene responds that as women they must not oppose the will of men or the authority of the city and invite death. Ismene’s timidity and deference underscores Antigone’s courage and defiance. Antigone asserts a greater allegiance to blood kinship and divine law declaring that the burial is a “holy crime,” justified even by death. Ismene responds by calling her sister “a lover of the impossible,” an accurate description of the tragic hero, who, according to scholar Bernard Knox, is Sophocles’ most important contribution to drama: “Sophocles presents us for the first time with what we recognize as a ‘tragic hero’: one who, unsupported by the gods and in the face of human opposition, makes a decision which springs from the deepest layer of his individual nature, his physis , and then blindly, ferociously, heroically maintains that decision even to the point of self-destruction.” Antigone exactly conforms to Knox’s description, choosing her conception of duty over sensible self-preservation and gender-prescribed submission to male authority, turning on her sister and all who oppose her. Certain in her decision and self-sufficient, Antigone rejects both her sister’s practical advice and kinship. Ironically Antigone denies to her sister, when Ismene resists her will, the same blood kinship that claims Antigone’s supreme allegiance in burying her brother. For Antigone the demands of the dead overpower duty to the living, and she does not hesitate in claiming both to know and act for the divine will. As critic Gilbert Norwood observes, “It is Antigone’s splendid though perverse valor which creates the drama.”

Before the apprehended Antigone, who has been taken in the act of scattering dust on her brother’s corpse, lamenting, and pouring libations, is brought before Creon and the dramatic crux of the play, the Chorus of The-ban elders delivers what has been called the fi nest song in all Greek tragedy, the so-called Ode to Man, that begins “Wonders are many, and none is more wonderful than man.” This magnificent celebration of human power over nature and resourcefulness in reason and invention ends with a stark recognition of humanity’s ultimate helplessness—“Only against Death shall he call for aid in vain.” Death will test the resolve and principles of both Antigone and Creon, while, as critic Edouard Schuré asserts, “It brings before us the most extraordinary psychological evolution that has ever been represented on stage.”

When Antigone is brought in judgment before Creon, obstinacy meets its match. Both stand on principle, but both reveal the human source of their actions. Creon betrays himself as a paranoid autocrat; Antigone as an individual whose powerful hatred outstrips her capacity for love. She defiantly and proudly admits that she is guilty of disobeying Creon’s decree and that he has no power to override divine law. Nor does Antigone concede any mitigation of her personal obligation in the competing claims of a niece, a sister, or a citizen. Creon is maddened by what he perceives to be Antigone’s insolence in justifying her crime by diminishing his authority, provoking him to ignore all moderating claims of family, natural, or divine extenuation. When Ismene is brought in as a co-conspirator, she accepts her share of guilt in solidarity with her sister, but again Antigone spurns her, calling her “a friend who loves in words,” denying Ismene’s selfless act of loyalty and sympathy with a cold dismissal and self-sufficiency, stating, “Never share my dying, / don’t lay claim to what you never touched.” However, Ismene raises the ante for both Antigone and Creon by asking her uncle whether by condemning Antigone he will kill his own son’s betrothed. Creon remains adamant, and his judgment on Antigone and Ismene, along with his subsequent argument with his son, Haemon, reveals that Creon’s principles are self-centered, contradictory, and compromised by his own pride, fears, and anxieties. Antigone’s challenge to his authority, coming from a woman, is demeaning. If she goes free in defiance of his authority, Creon declares, “I am not the man, she is.” To the urging of Haemon that Creon should show mercy, tempering his judgment to the will of Theban opinion that sympathizes with Antigone, Creon asserts that he cares nothing for the will of the town, whose welfare Creon’s original edict against Polynices was meant to serve. Creon, moreover, resents being schooled in expediency by his son. Inflamed by his son’s advocacy on behalf of Antigone, Creon brands Haemon a “woman’s slave,” and after vacillating between stoning Antigone and executing her and her sister in front of Haemon, Creon rules that Antigone alone is to perish by being buried alive. Having begun the drama with a decree that a dead man should remain unburied, Creon reverses himself, ironically, by ordering the premature burial of a living woman.

Antigone, being led to her entombment, is shown stripped of her former confidence and defiance, searching for the justification that can steel her acceptance of the fate that her actions have caused. Contemplating her living descent into the underworld and the death that awaits her, Antigone regrets dying without marriage and children. Gone is her reliance on divine and natural law to justify her act as she equivocates to find the emotional source to sustain her. A husband and children could be replaced, she rationalizes, but since her mother and father are dead, no brother can ever replace Polynices. Antigone’s tortured logic here, so different from the former woman of principle, has been rejected by some editors as spurious. Others have judged this emotionally wrought speech essential for humanizing Antigone, revealing her capacity to suffer and her painful search for some consolation.

The drama concludes with the emphasis shifted back to Creon and the consequences of his judgment. The blind prophet Teiresias comes to warn Creon that Polynices’ unburied body has offended the gods and that Creon is responsible for the sickness that has descended on Thebes. Creon has kept from Hades one who belongs there and is sending to Hades another who does not. The gods confirm the rightness of Antigone’s action, but justice evades the working out of the drama’s climax. The release of Antigone comes too late; she has hung herself. Haemon commits suicide, and Eurydice, Creon’s wife, kills herself after cursing Creon for the death of their son. Having denied the obligation of family, Creon loses his own. Creon’s rule, marked by ignoring or transgressing cosmic and family law, is shown as ultimately inadequate and destructive. Creon is made to realize that he has been rash and foolish, that “Whatever I have touched has come to nothing.” Both Creon and Antigone have been pushed to terrifying ends in which what truly matters to both are made starkly clear. Antigone’s moral imperatives have been affirmed but also their immense cost in suffering has been exposed. Antigone explores a fundamental rift between public and private worlds. The central opposition in the play between Antigone and Creon, between duty to self and duty to state, dramatizes critical antimonies in the human condition. Sophocles’ genius is his resistance of easy and consoling simplifications to resolve the oppositions. Both sides are ultimately tested; both reveal the potential for greatness and destruction.

24 lectures on Greek Tragedy by Dr. Elizabeth Vandiver.

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Department of Greek & Latin

Antigone Study Guide

Sophocles (c. 497/6- 406/5 BC) is, along with Aeschylus and Euripides, one of the three ancient Greek tragic playwrights by whom complete plays survive. He won at least twenty victories in the tragic competitions, and never came third (last), a feat which suggests that he was the most successful of the three. Seven complete plays of his survive, of which Antigone and Oedipus Tyrannus are the most well-known and frequently performed. The following three essays explore the play's themes and context.

Sophocles' Antigone in Context by Professor Chris Carey

Greek tragedy is a remarkable fictional creation. We are used to a theatre which can embrace past and present, fictitious and historical, bizarre fantasy and mundane reality. The Athenian theatre was far more limited than this. Like virtually all Greek poetry at all periods in antiquity, its subject matter was heroic myth. Invented plots with fictitious people and events were very few (and not found before the late fifth century). Historical tragedy (the staple of theatre from Shakespeare to the present) again was very rare. With very few exceptions, tragedy was about heroes. For Greeks at any period, the world of the heroes meant the world which they met in epic poetry, and especially Homer, the ultimate Greek classic.  

Because we are so used to Greek tragedy, we don't usually stop to notice how strange all this is. The heroes are members of a superior elite. And the epic world is always ruled by kings. It has assemblies, and they matter; but they don't have power. Hereditary monarchy had become a rarity in Greece long before the rise of tragedy. So the epic world was politically remote. In fact, of all Greek states in the classical period, Athens was probably the furthest removed from the political world of epic. In democratic Athens public policy and legislation were in the hands of the mass assembly. Yet for two hundred years and more mass audiences sat in the theatre of Dionysus and watched plays about kings sponsored by the democratic state.

The issue is of course more complicated than this. Firstly, the world of the epic was a very familiar world to the Athenian audience. Epic poetry was performed every year at the civic festivals, which meant that the heroic age was a shared possession for the vast audience in the Athenian theatre, not just the property of an educated elite. Secondly, the world inside the plays and the world in which the audience lived were engaged in a complex and shifting relationship. In any attempt to represent or even to understand the past, the present acts as frame which shapes presentation or perception; we may or may not be aware of it, but it is always there. Literature which deals with the past therefore has a foot in two worlds. This includes Greek tragedy. Tragedy is riddled with anachronisms, on politics, gender, ethnicity, status, even technology (people in tragedy write letters and suicide notes, for instance, while in the epic world writing is completely absent except for one very mysterious passage in Homer's Iliad ). The effect is to make the tragic world a middle space where heroic past and present meet.

This makes the tragic stage an ideal space to explore political issues of interest to democratic Athens. Not all tragedy is political and not all of the political questions are unique either to Athens or to democracy. But Athens (with rare exceptions) was unusual among the classical Greek states in its openness to dispute and dissent and Athenian drama is almost unique in Greek literature in its ability to explore areas of actual or potential political tension.

This is true in the case of Antigone . Anyone in the audience listening to the newly appointed regent Creon might well catch echoes of contemporary sentiments about loyalty to the city. The rhetoric of devotion to the city above all else and at any cost which Sophocles puts in his mouth sounds very like the rhetoric of the democratic statesman Pericles in the historian Thucydides (Pericles even goes so far as to claim that we should all be lovers of the city). The sentiment has a powerful appeal. This was a world of citizen soldiers and a citizen was expected to fight and if necessary die for the city. As Creon says: 'This land - our land - is the ship that preserves us and it is on this ship that we sail straight and as she prospers, so will we.' But his insistence on loyalty to the state to the exclusion of all other allegiance prolongs into the present the rifts of the past and proves disastrous for the next generation of the family and robs him of his family.

The issue of burial which forms the focus for conflict in this play had political echoes. Burial was a vitally important aspect both of family and of civic life. For the city it was a means both of honouring devotion and also of punishing disloyalty. The world of this play is not just postwar but post-civil-war. The dead Polynices came with a foreign army to take his home city by force and died in the attempt. In Sophocles' Athens anyone executed for treason could not be buried in Attica. So some features of the play probably sounded very familiar. Democratic Athens demanded a lot of its citizens and at the probable date of Antigone this was visible especially in the treatment of the dead. As far as we know Athens monopolized its war dead to a degree unmatched by any other Greek state. Where most Greek states simply buried their dead on the battlefield, Athenian practice was to collect and burn the dead and bring the bones home. They then held a state funeral and buried the war dead in communal state graves (excavations for the new Athens metro unearthed one such burial just a decade ago) with no designation of family, just the name of their tribe. The war dead are now the property of the city. At the same time private grave memorials almost disappear. It looks as though only public burials, and specifically those for the dead warriors, matter. But by tradition the family not only buried its dead but also made offerings every year at the family tombs; and the job of preparing the dead and the lead in mourning fell to the women. By the late fifth century the private memorials, including memorials for those who died in war, become more common, and it looks as though the tensions between the demands of the state and the needs of the family have been resolved. But tensions there probably were and death and burial was one of the key areas. Issues such as family or individual versus state are Greek issues as well as Athenian issues. But they were probably present in Athens to an unusual degree and were at their most visible at the time Antigone was performed in the late 440s.

Antigone is not about Athens' burial of the war dead. And it is not about contemporary democratic ideology. It is a story about a clash of wills, a clash of principles and a clash of loyalties. About power and its limits and legitimacy. About commitment, tenacity and integrity. And it is not a sermon. It throws up more questions than it answers. It could play in any theatre of the Greek world, as it has played in countless theatres in many languages since. But for its Athenian audience the echoes of contemporary areas of tension gave it an added intensity.

Questions and Activities:

• How would the experiences of ancient Greek theatrical audiences have differed from those of modern ones? How might that affect our appreciation of Sophocles' Antigone ?
• If you were to translate the basic story of the play into modern Britain, what aspects would you change, what would you retain, and why?
• What difference would it make if Antigone were staged in a contemporary setting, rather than the distant past? 

Antigone and Creon in Conflict by Dr. Dimitra Kokkini

Antigone is a play full of intensity. Audience (and scholarly) responses have always been conflicted when it comes to analysing both characters' arguments. For some, secular law and rationality, as expressed by Creon, are right, while Antigone's religious approach is to be rejected as irrational. For others, Antigone's argument is the only one with validity. The remaining views recognise various degrees of legitimacy in both arguments, eventually proving the impossibility of the task in discerning right from wrong in this conflict.

Despite the fact that this explosive clash highlights the vast differences between Creon and Antigone in terms of world views and loyalties, it also brings to the fore their similarities in terms of characterisation. Creon continuously asserts his power, both in terms of social and gender status; he is the ruler of the city, in fact, its defender in what is seen an unlawful attack by Polyneices against his own fatherland (the gravest of sins in civic terms). Moreover, he is a man, faced with an insubordinate, stubborn, powerless female who is also a member of his own family and under his jurisdiction and protection. Antigone, on the other hand, continuously asserts the validity on her argument in religious and moral terms, being, at the same time, constantly aware of her limitations due to her gender and position in the city and her own family. Yet, although they both take pains to highlight the unbridgeable gap between them, contrasting civic/rational (Creon) and family/religious (Antigone) duty, they are remarkably similar in the way they approach and respond to one another. Both are characterised by unyielding stubbornness, a deep belief in the rightness of their own value system, and complete failure in identifying any validity whatsoever in each other's argument. Both insist on upholding their respective values with obstinate determination to the end: Antigone dies unchanged, whereas Creon's change of heart comes too late having first caused the destruction of his entire family.

More importantly, neither of them are easily relatable - or indeed sympathetic - characters. Antigone is often too self-righteous, obsessed with honouring Polyneices at all costs. She is dismissive of Ismene, almost indifferent to her betrothed, Haemon. Creon is equally obsessed with administering what he perceives as justice, as well as upholding his law and punishing the offender, he is cruel and dismissive towards his son. It is easier for us, the audience, to identify with Ismene, Eurydice or Haemon. Ismene, a foil for Antigone and her exact opposite, is arguably less determined and daring than her sister; but she is also much closer to an everyday person, aware of her limitations and hesitant to challenge authority and the laws imposed by a ruler. Antigone may be admirable for her bravery and resolution, but she is also extraordinarily distant to ordinary human beings. Although she presents herself as a weak woman and speaks of all the typical female experiences she will be missing with her untimely death, she functions more like a symbol - some say she is almost genderless. Ismene, however, appears to be more human, displaying a more conventional kind of femininity, which renders her pitiful but also more relatable as a character.

In a similar way, we feel more pity and sympathy for Haemon than we do for the two protagonists. His attachment to her is evident in a rare tragic instance of a young man being in love, but it is hardly reciprocated. Antigone's fixation on honouring Polyneices leaves little room for the development of any other relationship. Haemon fights, unsuccessfully, with his father in an attempt to save his betrothed and, when this fails due to Creon's refusal to repeal his decision, his response is rash and emotional. This is a young man in love, who is denied his chance to be with his beloved and, on seeing her dead decides to take his own life out of grief. In contrast with Antigone, whose suicide is consistent with her characterisation throughout the play and is directly related to her immovable value system, Haemon's suicide is full of pathos and his motivation feels more easily understandable in terms of personal relationships and youthful desperation. His death functions as the trigger for Eurydice's suicide, the culmination of Creon's catastrophic decisions and Antigone's unyielding position. Her appearance on stage is limited to one scene, with her uttering one single question to the Messenger before departing in silence, ominously, after the death of her son is confirmed, never to reappear on stage.

Antigone and Creon are caught in an impossible circle of stubbornness, miscommunication and destruction. Together, they manage to cause utter grief and ruin for their family caught in a conflict of ever-increasing intensity as they pull further and further apart. Antigone's death and Creon's remorse cause pity and reveal the utter futility of their conflict at the end of the tragedy; but the fate of the other characters, the innocent bystanders entangled in this mighty clash of wills, beg for our sympathy and compassion as much as the protagonists, if not more.

1. Which character from the play do you sympathise with the most and why?

2. 'Creon and Antigone are more similar than different to one another'. To what extent do you agree with this claim?

3. To what extent must tragedy always depend on conflict?

Conflict and Contrast in Sophocles' Antigone by Dr. Tom Mackenzie

Perhaps more than any other Greek tragedy, Sophocles' Antigone has captured the interests of philosophers, ranging from Aristotle (fourth century BC) to Martin Heidegger (1889-1976) and beyond. Most famously, the German philosopher G.W.F. Hegel (1770-1831) saw the tragedy as depicting, at its core, a conflict between the abstract principles of the household (the oikos) and the state (the polis), embodied in the characters of Antigone and Creon respectively. When we come to watch the play, it is not hard to see why this interpretation has proven immensely influential. On a purely formal level, the two characters dominate the action more than any of the others. It is their decisions - Creon's to impose the sanction against burying Polyneices, and Antigone's to bury him nonetheless - that cause the events of the narrative. Antigone is the eponymous heroine whose initial speech opens the play, whilst Creon receives more lines than any other character and is the exclusive focus of our attention after Antigone's departure in the latter part of the tragedy. The two characters thus bookend the action onstage, a structuring device that seems to illustrate the contrast between them. It is sometimes claimed that Greek tragedy typically focusses on a single character, but if that is the case, then Antigone is an exception to this tendency, for Creon and Antigone appear to be of equal concern.

Many aspects of the play can be taken to suggest that the two characters are indeed representative of certain contrasting principles. Perhaps the most obvious contrast is that between male and female: Ismene initially opposes Antigone's act of defiance partly on the grounds that they are women, and so 'cannot fight against men'. Creon further emphasizes the gender division in claiming that Antigone will be 'the man' and not him, if she is to challenge his authority with impunity. Several other statements of his also betray this anxiety. Antigone's defiance of her uncle, her closest living male relative, markedly transcends the normal behaviour expected of women in fifth-century Athens, a notoriously patriarchal society with severe restrictions on the freedom of women. The contrast in genders also evokes wider political and cosmic polarities: women's influence was supposed to be restricted to the oikos, whilst Athenian politics was exclusively a male activity: the welfare of the city was thought to be the responsibility of free males alone. Antigone's act is one of loyalty towards a close relative, a member of her oikos - but it is seen by Creon as an act against the interests of the state. His edict was pronounced in order to protect Thebes, and he explicitly criticises anyone who 'values a loved one greater than his city', a statement which inevitably recalls Antigone's defiance. Indeed, part of this initial speech was quoted by the fourth-century Athenian orator Demosthenes as a positive, patriotic sentiment, a fact which may suggest that Creon, at least at this point in the play, could be taken to embody civic values.

Yet Antigone herself does not see the conflict as one between the oikos and the polis so much as one between the man-made laws of the city, and the unwritten, permanent laws of the the gods. It is to these unwritten laws that she appeals in justifying her actions against Creon's proclamations. The Greek word for 'laws', nomoi, has a broader scope than the English term conveys - it can be translated as 'conventions' or 'customs' and can cover the religious duties such as burial of the dead. There is nothing metaphorical about such 'unwritten' nomoi: Aristotle even quotes Antigone in recommending lawyers to appeal to unwritten laws when the written laws are against them. For Antigone, there is a conflict between these unwritten laws, and those pronounced by Creon.

Accordingly, the two characters have different conceptions of justice and the just. The Greek word for justice, dikē, and its related adjectives, occur frequently throughout the play. Both Creon and his opponents, Antigone and Haimon, appeal to dikē to support their decisions. Creon seems to identify justice with the will of the ruling party, whilst for Antigone and Haimon, it is a super-human concept that is independent of the arbitrary decisions of any mortal ruler. This dispute reflects contemporary debates surrounding the nature of justice: Plato, writing in the first half of the fourth century BC, depicts the fifth-century thinker Socrates as arguing that justice is natural and objective, against opponents who argue that justice is simply the will of the more powerful. In Sophocles' play, there is little doubt that Creon's conception of justice is proven inadequate. That the downfall of his family and his personal suffering come as a direct result of his actions is assumed by all remaining characters at the end of the play. His folly reveals a central predicament in Sophoclean drama and in Greek theology: there is a divine, cosmic system of justice, but it is one that is usually impossible for mortals to understand until it is too late. The motif of 'learning too late' is commonplace in Greek tragedy, and Creon conforms to this literary convention, as the chorus' statements at the end of the play make clear. Only a select few mortals - notably the blind prophet Teiresias - can have a privileged, albeit still limited, understanding of this system before the catastrophes unfold.

'Justice', or rather dikē, in this sense of 'divine order' was taken by some early Greek philosophers as a governing principle, not only of ethical behaviour, but also of the rules of physics. Anaximander (early 6th century BC) saw the universe as composed fundamentally from opposite qualities - such as the hot and the cold, the dry and the wet - that give each other 'justice and reparation' for injustices committed, as a result of which some balance is maintained in the universe. Similarly, Heraclitus (late 6th century BC) saw 'justice' as keeping the Sun within its established limits. Viewed in this context, we can see Creon's actions as violations of this cosmic order: the deceased Polyneices ought to be buried, but Creon prevents that from happening; conversely, he orders Antigone to be entombed whilst still alive. After his punishment, he himself becomes, in the words of the messenger, a 'living corpse'. The balance is thus settled for Creon's blurring of the distinction between the living and the dead by refusing Polyneices' burial.

This enactment of cosmic 'justice' might be taken to support the notion that Creon and Antigone embody contrary principles. Yet their actions can also be explained by recognisably human motivations: Antigone no longer fears death, and even expresses suicidal thoughts, because of the immense suffering that she has experienced in the form of her family's tribulations; Creon is a new ruler who is paranoid that his rule is not accepted - he refuses to back down as he fears it will undermine his authority. The characters appeal to general principles, which place their specific conflict in a wider cosmic context - it is perhaps this feature which has aroused such philosophical interest in the play - but they are not reducible to those principles alone. Creon is a flawed and inconsistent ruler, and Antigone's ultimately self-destructive act is detrimental to her household, for it prevents her from continuing the family line. The play thus presents conflicts of principle and of character, but offers no easy resolutions: Antigone's desire for Polyneices' burial may be vindicated by the course of the narrative, but the gods still allow her to perish. In developing the imagined consequences of these conflicts of both character and principle, Sophocles unsettlingly exemplifies one of the virtues that Aristotle identified in the plots of great tragedies: that the course of events seems inevitable, but only in retrospect.

Questions and activities:

1. Should you be more loyal towards your family or towards your country? Come up with reasons in support of both sides of the argument - how do your reasons compare with what is said by Antigone and Creon?

2. If we do not agree with traditional Greek beliefs about the the gods and justice, how does that affect our appreciation of the play?

3. Given that she knows that this action will lead to her death, is Antigone right to bury Polyneices? Explain your answer with reference to the text.

4. I've learned through my pain (Creon): What exactly has Creon learned? Does the play make this clear and does it matter?

Suggested Reading and Further Resources

An enormous amount has been written on Greek tragedy in general, and on Sophocles' Antigone  in particular. The following may be recommended as accessible introductions to the play and the genre:

• Brown, A.,  Sophocles' Antigone (Warminster: Aris & Phillips, 1987) - an edition of the Greek text with translation and commentary.
• Cairns, D.,  Sophocles: Antigone (London: Bloomsbury, 2016) - a recent introduction to the play.
• Griffith, M., Sophocles: Antigone (Cambridge: CUP, 1999) - an edition and commentary of the Greek text, with an introduction that is accessible to the Greekless reader.
• Hall, E., Greek Tragedy: Suffering Under the Sun (Oxford: OUP, 2010) - a recent introduction to the genre, with specific discussion of Antigone on pp. 305-9.
• Scodel, R. An Introduction to Greek Tragedy  (Cambridge: CUP, 2010) - another recent introduction to the genre, with specific discussion of Antigone  on pp. 106-119.

The above works may be consulted for more advanced bibliography. 

• Short clips of professor Felix Budelmann (Oxford University) discussing Sophoclean drama, and Antigone in particular, are available  here .

Antigone the Tragic Hero

This essay about “Antigone” explores the character of Antigone as a tragic hero in Sophocles’ classic work. It examines her defiance of Creon’s decree to honor her brother, showcasing her loyalty, moral conviction, and the tragic flaw that ultimately leads to her downfall. The analysis highlights Antigone’s role as a symbol of resistance against societal norms and gender roles in ancient Greek society, emphasizing the play’s exploration of themes such as justice, duty, and the human spirit. Through Antigone’s story, the essay reflects on the enduring relevance of her character as a representation of the struggle between societal laws and personal conscience, offering insights into the nature of integrity and the costs of standing up for one’s beliefs.

How it works

In the rich tapestry of classical literature, Sophocles’ “Antigone” stands out as a compelling exploration of the tragic hero archetype. At the heart of this narrative is Antigone herself, a character whose depth, determination, and tragic flaw encapsulate the essence of Greek tragedy. Through Antigone’s story, Sophocles crafts a narrative that is as relevant today as it was in ancient Greece, offering profound insights into the nature of justice, duty, and the human spirit.

Antigone, the daughter of Oedipus, is driven by a profound sense of loyalty and duty to her family.

In defiance of Creon’s decree that her brother Polyneices’ body shall remain unburied as a traitor, Antigone decides to bury him, honoring the gods’ laws above those of man. This act of defiance sets the stage for Antigone’s tragic downfall, highlighting her unwavering commitment to her principles, even in the face of death. It’s this steadfast adherence to her moral compass that makes Antigone such a compelling tragic hero. Unlike characters who might waver or compromise, Antigone’s resolve is unbreakable, underscoring the play’s thematic exploration of the conflict between individual conscience and state law.

Antigone’s tragic flaw, or hamartia, is often debated among scholars and enthusiasts alike. Some argue it is her hubris, seeing her defiance of Creon as an act of pride. Others suggest it is her loyalty to her family and the gods’ laws that blinds her to the consequences of her actions. Regardless of which perspective one subscribes to, it is clear that Antigone’s flaw is intrinsically linked to her virtues. This duality is a hallmark of the tragic hero, where the very qualities that make them admirable lead to their downfall. Antigone’s willingness to sacrifice everything for what she believes is right underscores the play’s exploration of the costs of integrity and conviction.

Furthermore, Antigone’s journey is a poignant reflection on the role of women in ancient Greek society. In a world dominated by male authority, Antigone stands out as a figure of resistance and courage. Her actions challenge the societal norms of her time, adding another layer of complexity to her character. Sophocles uses Antigone’s defiance to question the foundations of authority and gender roles, making her not only a tragic hero but also a timeless symbol of the fight against oppression.

The universal themes explored through Antigone’s character resonate well beyond the context of ancient Greek tragedy. Her story is a testament to the enduring human struggle between the laws of society and the laws of conscience. It invites the audience to reflect on the nature of justice and the price of standing up for one’s beliefs. In a world where moral dilemmas and ethical conflicts are ever-present, Antigone’s tale serves as a reminder of the complexity and cost of moral integrity.

In conclusion, Antigone is the quintessential tragic hero. Her story weaves together the threads of duty, defiance, and destiny into a rich narrative tapestry. Through her, Sophocles explores themes of loyalty, justice, and the role of women, making “Antigone” a work of enduring relevance. Her tragic flaw, intertwined with her virtues, invites us to ponder the paradoxes of human nature and the intricate dance between righteousness and ruin. Antigone’s legacy is a powerful reflection on the sacrifices that come with standing firm in one’s convictions, reminding us of the timeless and universal nature of the human condition.

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Essays on Antigone

Table of Contents

About antigone book.

After Oedipus Rex, Antigone written by Sophocles’ is the best-known play to exist. Even though Antigone was written more than two thousand years ago, the moral dilemma it examines via its two key characters — Antigone and Creon — is as important now as when Antigone writer wrote it. Antigone is one of the best Greek tragedies ever written.

The tragic story and theme of the book is the tension between an individual’s action and fate. The book is based n various myths and is hard to read.

Book Summary

Both Polyneices and Eteocles were killed in battle. They were brothers who led different sides in the civil war in Thebes. According to Creon, there will be respect for Eteocles and shame for Polyneices, the future king of Thebes.

As a result, the corpse of the disobedient brother will be left unburied and available for consumption by carrion animals. It is Antigone and Ismene, the surviving siblings of Oedipus’s long-dead brothers, who will carry on his legacy.

Antigone meets with Ismene late at night outside the city gates for a covert meeting because she intends to bury Polyneices’ body against Creon’s command. Antigone denies Ismene’s assistance because she is afraid of the death punishment, but she is powerless to stop her.

Creon comes in, as well as the Chorus of Theban Elders. He hopes they will stand by his side in the days to come, especially when it comes to disposing of Polyneices’ corpse. Support from the Chorus of the Elders has been pledged.

It’s said that a Sentry has already buried the corpse. An enraged Creon tells the Sentry that he will die if he doesn’t discover the guilty. The Sentry departs, but he returns with Antigone after a brief period.

Creon asks her about what she did, and she doesn’t lie. She doesn’t back down when she talks to Creon about how moral the law is and her actions. A furious Creon summons the young woman, certain that Ismene supports her.

Antigone refuses to believe Ismene’s story that she made up in order to die with her sister. Creon gives the order to lock up the two women temporarily. Antigone’s fiancé, Creon’s son Haemon, joins the fray to make a pact with his father.

His willingness to follow Creon’s orders is first apparent, but Haemon’s attempts to gently convince his father to rescue Antigone quickly devolve into an exchange of insults. To avoid seeing Creon ever again, Haemon departs.

It is decided that Antigone will be imprisoned in a cave while Ismene will be rescued. One last time, she cries out and defends herself in front of her family and friends. As she is dragged away, the Chorus expresses their deep sadness for what will happen to her.

The blind prophet Teiresias makes his entrance. He says the gods back Antigone. To prove his innocence, Creon says he would lose one of his children because of the sins he has made in the past: letting Polyneices unburied and burying Antigone.

The gods will reject Creon’s sacrifices because of his disgrace, and all of Greece will despise him. The scared Chorus begs Creon to listen to their advice. They instruct him to bury Polyneices and liberate Antigone, and he agrees.

Creon reluctantly accepts, and his confidence weakens. In order to correct his blunders, he goes with a large group of men. It is revealed that Haemon has taken his own life as announced by a Messenger, who joins the Chorus midway through their choral homage to the deity Dionysis.

Creon’s wife and Haemon’s mother, Eurydice, appears and requests the Messenger for all the information. Haemon and Antigone, according to the Messenger, have both committed suicide. As Eurydice enters the palace, she vanishes.

Creon carries Haemon’s corpse. He knows he created this. A second messenger tells Creon and the Chorus that Eurydice committed suicide. She cursed her spouse as she died. Creon blames himself and begs his servants to assist him inside.

The order he treasured is safe, and he is still king, but he acted even against gods and lost his kid and wife. The Chorus concludes by stating that even if the gods chastise the haughty, retribution provides insight to the one who endures it. 

Antigone Quotes

If you have read the Antigone book summary, hopefully, you will enjoy these words and tales of the ancient drama Antigone.

• “Say I am mad and give my madness rein To wreck itself; the worst that can befall Is but to die an honorable death.”
• “No youths have sung the marriage song for me, My bridal bed No maids have strewn with flowers from the lea, ‘Tis Death I wed.”
• “I was born to join in love, not hate – my nature.”
• “For death is gain to him whose life, like mine, Is full of misery.”
• “When misfortune comes, The wisest even lose their mother wit.”

Essay Structure On Antigone

In terms of content and structure, an ancient Greek drama was typically organized chronologically from beginning to end. To get a better understanding, you must read the Antigone short summary. The fundamental format for an essay about Antigone is as follows:

Introduction

As the name suggests, the introductory paragraph serves the function of introducing your topic. An effective introduction starts with a “hook,” a sentence or phrase that piques the reader’s interest and encourages them to continue reading.

It’s important to include a thesis statement in your introduction, which you should do around the paragraph’s conclusion. The drama “Antigone” follows a chronological sequence; however, there are moments when individuals talk about events from the past.

The introductory, episodes and final scenes were laid out in a three-act structure in ancient Greek plays. “Antigone” is a tragedy in the literary sense: the plot illustrates human collapse as a consequence of hubris. It keeps the audience wondering about the key elements long after the play has ended.

The bulk of your Antigone essay takes place here. This is when you flesh out your thoughts and bring up all elements linked to your primary theme.

In most cases, you should have three body paragraphs or parts, each focusing on a specific topic. You may think of it as raising the issue. There are three key types of evidence that, when combined, provide strong backing for your main idea.

Many students are unsure how to write a conclusion to essays about Antigone. They tend to see their ending as an afterthought; nonetheless, this portion is just as vital as the rest of your work and should not be neglected.

In your conclusion, you should not propose new ideas, but you should synthesize your important arguments and illustrate how they support your thesis statement.

Tips To Consider While Writing An Essay About Antigone

Learn how to write an excellent essay on a work of literature you’ve read and persuade your readers that it’s worth their time. To help you with your Antigone essay, here are some pointers to keep in mind:

Read The Book Thoroughly

Don’t read anything only to figure out what the author is trying to convey or get some data. Participate actively in the reading process by circling key phrases and highlighting paragraphs as you read the material.

Find A Compelling Topic

With a greater understanding of the essay, you’ll be able to choose a more appropriate subject. A good way to start brainstorming is to take a seat and let your thoughts flow freely. To write an outstanding essay, concentrate on a certain essay style and its intended audience before selecting an intriguing subject.

Create The Outline

Starting with your thesis statement at the top of the outline, you’ll want to lay down the fundamental structure of your essay. Using subject sentences is a smart strategy for writing an Antigone literary analysis essay.

When a new paragraph begins, the first sentence of the paragraph should include a subject sentence that serves as a mini-thesis statement. The paragraph’s central theme is introduced in this phrase.

Write The Thesis Statement

Creating a good thesis is frequently the most difficult element of the essay writing process since you will be developing it throughout the whole piece. When choosing a thesis statement, make sure it’s broad enough to cover a wide range of topics, but it’s not broad, so you can’t adequately express your ideas.

Include A Lesson Or Moral

The play Antigone teaches its audience that the gods’ rule should be revered more than the law of humans. The violation of God’s law by human law is a sin. Antigone is correct to defy Creon’s wicked rule preventing Polynices’ burial in Antigone.

Conclusion: Proofread Your Work

You’ll review your essay repeatedly to ensure nothing has slipped through the cracks. You’ll begin by ensuring that your essay is logically organized, that all of your ideas are relevant to your subject, and that all of your facts are properly mentioned and supported. Correct any issues in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and formatting.

i. What is the basic story of Antigone?

After the civil war in which Oedipus’ two sons, Eteocles and Polyneices, murder one another. The new king and Creon’s successor try to punish Polyneices for treason by not burying him properly.

ii. What is Antigone known for?

Antigone secretly buried Polyneices because she loved him and believed the order was unfair. As a result, she was sentenced to death by Creon and imprisoned in a cave where she killed herself by hanging.

iii. Who is Antigone, and what did he do?

Sophocles’ trilogy of tragedies includes Antigone, written about 441 B.C., as one of three plays. Creon’s (King) rule forbids Antigone from burying her brother Polynices. Therefore she defies him by doing so. Despite Creon’s threats to kill anybody who dug up Polynices’ grave, Antigone persisted in her determination.

iv. Who is Antigone in love with?

There is a lot of love in Antigone, and it is best expressed by three characters: Antigone, Creon, and Ismene. Antigone adores her brother Polyneices and the gods, while Creon lusts for great wealth and power, and Ismene adores Antigone and the gods.

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FAQ about Antigone

by Sophocles

Antigone essay questions.

Why does Ismene object to Antigone's plan to bury Polyneices?

Possible Answer:

Ismene believes the men who rule Thebes must not be disobeyed because men are stronger and their will must be respected.

How does Antigone demonstrate pre-feminist ethics?

Antigone believes that a woman's duty is not to the men who rule a domain, but rather to her own instincts and her own sense of right and wrong. She believes that the gods do not dictate through a ruler, but rather through individual beliefs.

When does Creon become apologetic for his actions?

Creon never apologizes for his actions. Instead, he simply orders Antigone to be freed because he knows that Teiresias is never wrong - and therefore that his own life is at risk. However, he never truly believes that his order to imprison her was the wrong course of action.

What is the seeming reason for Haemon's suicide? Does he kill himself only out of desperate love for the dead Antigone?

Haemon's suicide seems to have two motivations - first out of anguish over Antigone's death, but also because he is so furious with his father for having betrayed his trust. Early in the play, Haemon tells his father that as long as he offers wisdom, Haemon will follow him. But now it is clear that his father led him astray, and for that Haemon believes that one of them must die.

Why isn't Creon killed by the plague that befalls him at the play's end?

Creon's punishment is to suffer without a family, and to suffer the guilt of knowing he destroyed the lives of innocents to preserve obsolete traditions and a misconceived legacy of misogynist rule.

What is Creon's tragic flaw?

Creon's tragic flaw is that he believes that men have the right to interpret divine will and impose absolute power in their name. As a result, a simple belief - men cannot be wrong in the face of women - is elevated to law and thus leads to multiple (unnecessary) deaths.

Is Antigone ever apologetic for burying Polyneices?

Though Antigone bemoans her fate and believes death is a cruel and unnecessary punishment for burying Polyneices, she is never apologetic for actually covering his body. She believes until the end that she did the right thing.

Why does Antigone not allow Ismene to join her in her death sentence?

Antigone does not want her sister laying claim to an act that was solely hers for two reasons: one, because she wants her sister to remain alive, and two, because she wants her sister to feel the shame of abandoning her principles for the sake of staying alive and being subservient to men.

What is the role of the Chorus?

The Chorus is meant to reflect the conscience of Thebes - they are the elders who expect Creon to guide them towards wisdom. As they lead him astray, they begin to sense this and reflect their feelings in their choral poems.

What is unusual about the Watchman's speech?

Unlike the other characters, the Watchman's speech is written in more natural rhythms and dialect.

Antigone Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Antigone is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

How does the play begin?What impact does this technique or beginning have on the audience?

In her very first speech, Antigone only briefly alludes to her and her sister's circumstances, but a Greek audience would have quickly filled in the gaps created by this 'in media res' device (meaning that Sophocles begins the story 'in the middle...

demonstration of pre feminist ethics in sophocles antigone

Antigone's gender has profound effects on the meaning of her actions. Creon himself says that the need to defeat her is all the more pressing because she is a woman. The freedom of Greek women was extremely limited; the rules and strictures placed...

Whose rights should assume priority - Creon's to legislate and punish, or Antigone's to bury her brother? Is there any way to resolve the competing claims of Creon and Antigone?

I like Antigone. Some critics see Antigone as too self-righteous, even alienating, but others claim her as a seminal feminist, determined to do what is right even in defiance of patriarchal law. Indeed, Antigone captured the public imagination...

Study Guide for Antigone

Antigone study guide contains a biography of Sophocles, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Antigone
• Antigone Summary
• Character List
• Lines 001-241 Summary and Analysis

Essays for Antigone

Antigone essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Antigone by Sophocles.

• Influence of Antigone on A Doll's House
• The Use of Light and Dark Images in Antigone
• Batman and Creon: Denied the Glory?
• Relativist Justice in Antigone
• Hubris in Antigone and Oedipus

Lesson Plan for Antigone

• About the Author
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to Antigone
• Relationship to Other Books
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• Antigone Bibliography

E-Text of Antigone

Antigone e-text contains the full text of Antigone by Sophocles.

Wikipedia Entries for Antigone

• Introduction
• Historical context
• Notable features
• Significance and interpretation

Antigone and Creon: Comparison Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Introduction

Works cited.

Sophocles’ tragedy Antigone addresses various moral dilemmas, but the major conflict is associated with the rule of law. The clash between Antigone and Creon serves as the setting for the discussion of the superiority of state over the family or secular over divine values (De Luigi 35). After becoming the ruler, Creon tries to exercise his power by showing that any unlawful activities will result in punishment. The prohibition to bury Polynices’ body is the chosen punishment. Antigone fails to obey the law and buries her brother trying to follow the existing traditions and divine laws (Young 99). The conflict between Creon and Antigone can serve as the platform for the discussion of the relationship between divine and secular laws.

The conflict between individual and common interests can lead to personal dramas or even the fall of countries (Etxabe 86). Creon’s position is associated with the power of the state and secular laws. However, they can sometimes be inconsistent with cultural norms, divine laws, and ethical choices. Creon concentrates on the interests of the majority of citizens as he wants to prevent any attacks or actions that can harm the whole city. Whereas, Antigone puts her individual interests ahead and makes sure that her brother is buried according to the existing traditions.

In conclusion, the relationship between divine and secular laws is apparent in the clash between Antigone and Creon. People create regulations that help them exist in the existing environment. State regulations often serve the majority while cultural norms are meaningful at the individual level. In a democratic society, secular laws seem to have more power, but family and traditions should always be taken into account when addressing issues and conflicts.

De Luigi, Alberto. Justice as Equality and Neutrality . CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2015.

Etxabe, Julen. The Experience of Tragic Judgment . Routledge, 2013.

Young, Julian. The Death of God and the Meaning of Life . 2nd ed., Routledge, 2014.

• Beauty as a Philosophical Concept
• Philosophy. The Socratic Method: What Is It?
• Does Antigone Have an Obligation to Obey or Disobey Creon’s Law?
• The Ancient Greek Tragedy “Antigone”
• Treatment of Women by Shakespeare and Sophocles
• Unlimited Concept in the Fragment of Anaximander
• Why Philosophy Emerged in Greece in the 6th Century BC
• Authenticity: Kierkegaard, Brittingham, Klosterman
• Difference Between Structuralism and Post-structuralism
• Philosophical Perspectives in 20th Century
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2021, June 16). Antigone and Creon: Comparison. https://ivypanda.com/essays/antigone-and-creon/

"Antigone and Creon: Comparison." IvyPanda , 16 June 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/antigone-and-creon/.

IvyPanda . (2021) 'Antigone and Creon: Comparison'. 16 June.

IvyPanda . 2021. "Antigone and Creon: Comparison." June 16, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/antigone-and-creon/.

1. IvyPanda . "Antigone and Creon: Comparison." June 16, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/antigone-and-creon/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Antigone and Creon: Comparison." June 16, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/antigone-and-creon/.

Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Antigone — Analysis Of Antigone’s Character Development

Analysis of Antigone’s Character Development

• Categories: Antigone Sophocles

About this sample

Words: 792 |

Published: Feb 8, 2022

Words: 792 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Works Cited

• Sophocles. (2010). Antigone (P. B. Murray, Trans.). Oxford University Press.
• Segal, C. (1986). Tragedy and Civilization: An Interpretation of Sophocles. University of Oklahoma Press.
• Griffith, M. (1999). Sophocles' Antigone: A New Translation. Cambridge University Press.
• Knox, B. M. W. (1998). The Heroic Temper: Studies in Sophoclean Tragedy. University of California Press.
• Winnington-Ingram, R. P. (1980). Sophocles: An Interpretation. Cambridge University Press.
• Goldhill, S. (2010). Sophocles and the Language of Tragedy. Oxford University Press.
• Derrida, J. (2001). The Law of Genre. In Acts of Literature (pp. 221-252). Routledge.
• Rocco, C. (2016). Tragedy, Identity, and History: The Theoretical Implications of "Antigone". In The Cambridge Companion to Greek Tragedy (pp. 182-202). Cambridge University Press.
• Segal, C. (2001). Antigone's Anarchic Struggle. The Classical World, 95(3), 225-234.
• Whitlock, R. (2014). Tragic Wisdom and Beyond: Studies in Sophoclean Thought and Literature. De Gruyter.

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