Antigone: the Tragedy

Antigone: The Tragedy Antigone is a Greek play that is part of Ancient Greek literature, and it is still important for our society, in the twenty-first century. According to George Steiner, this play develops five main conflicts throughout it: confrontations between men and women, difference in age between characters, conflicts between the individual and society, the living and the death, and religious beliefs. In the play, Sophocles develops these conflicts in different ways, with the purpose of keeping the attention of the reader. All these conflicts are the essential key of the play, making it a words dealing with a high moral values. The gender between the characters was a big issue in the development of this work. Creon had very low respect for women, because of his experience with his wife. The fact that he was having marital problems created a feeling of rage and dislike for women. The feeling of dislike for the women is reflected when Creon is talking to Antigone, and he replies:
“Go to Hades, then, and if you have to love, love someone dead. As long as I live, I will not be ruled by a woman” (22). The conflicts in the play, especially between Creon and Haemon, are based on the different ways of thinking of each one of them. The big difference in age between Creon and his son was an issue that effects their relationship through the play. For example, when Creon is confronted by his son, Haemon, about Antigone’s crime, he replies to the chorus, “Do you really think at our age, we should be taught by a boy like him?” (31). The differences between Creon, and the society he ruled is demonstrated in different scenes in the play. For example, when Creon is talking to Haemon he says, “A city belongs to its master. Isn’t that the rule?” (32). In this scene, it is understood that Creon is almost ignorant about the necessities of society, and that his individual interests are above the group or the common good. The action of imposing his will eventually