Preview

Theme Of Conflict In Antigone

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
130 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Theme Of Conflict In Antigone
In Sophocle’s play “Antigone”, a conflict grows between Antigone and Creon. A conflict between the two aforementioned people commenced when Creon discovered that Antigone had buried Polyneices. Crean says, “But this is Antigone! Why have you brought her here?”. The sentry bringing the news replies with “She was burying him, I tell you!” (732, 17-18). Secondly, the conflict between them grew when Antigone calls out Creon’s selfish behavior. She says, “Ah Creon, Creon, Which one of us can say what the gods hold wicked?” with Creon responding “An enemy is an enemy, even dead” (735, 115-117). Furthermore, the conflict ends when Antigone commits suicide. The messenger that delivers the message to Creon says, “We say her lyring; she had made a

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Creon’s pride and Antigone’s stubbornness create Antigone’s central conflict and create devastating consequences. Antigone loses her life, prompting Creon’s son and wife to commit suicide. Creon is forced to live with the guilt of the deaths of those dearest to him knowing that they were a result of his selfish actions. These events could not have turned out any differently due to how deeply engrained Creon and Antigone’s flaws are. Antigone is so determined to bury her brother that a potential death sentence and words from her sister do not deter her. The motivation of doing what the gods want, honoring Polyneices, and her stubbornness cause her to be unafraid of punishment. This is illustrated when Antigone says, “This death of mine/Is of…

    • 283 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Creon's Laws In Antigone

    • 326 Words
    • 2 Pages

    “I admit I did it. I won’t deny that.”(Line 500) Antigone’s views are a direct polar opposite of Creon. The motivations of Antigone conflict with Creon highlight his characteristics of self pride, views of laws, and rudeness towards women. Each of these characteristics brings Creon out as a tragic hero as soon as the play begins and his role is ginormous throughout the play Antigone.…

    • 326 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    When put in a difficult situation, Antigone is shown to keep her composure, while Creon panics and does not stay calm in an argument. Creon and Antigone have an argument after she is discovered burying Polyneices. Antigone stays calm during the situation, while Creon slowly starts to lose his temper. Creon ends the argument when he says “Go join them, then; if you must have your love, / Find it in hell!” (Sophocles, 2.419-420). This is an example of how Creon can easily lose his patience and doesn’t know how to intelligently handle an argument. Although Antigone is a teenage girl, she is more emotionally stable than an adult male. This proves to be Antigone’s advantage when arguing with Creon, and he eventually loses his sanity completely by the end of the play, after losing everyone that he…

    • 723 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Sophocles' play "Antigone”, the ideas of obeying the law of one’s community and following ones own moral beliefs come into conflict. The plot revolves around two brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices having killed each other in an attempted to gain rule and their Uncle Creon gaining power after their deaths. He orders Eteocles given an honorable funeral and Polyneices to be left in the streets to rot. Creon believes that Polyneices' body shall be condemned to this because of his civil disobedience and treachery against the city. However, the dead brothers’ sister, Antigone, believes this unfair to Polyneices and insulting to the Gods.…

    • 103 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the play, Antigone by Sophocles Antigone is a rebel against society because she went against Creon, the king of Thebes to bury her brother. Antigone breaks Creon’s law because she believed it was unfair that her brother Eteocles was buried with full military honors and Polyneices wasn’t. So she went on a mission to bury Polyneices even though she knew her actions would come with serious consequences. Then when she was finally able to bury her brother she was captured by the sentry and brought to the king. When she stood before him she said, “This death of mine Is of no importance; but if I had left my brother.…

    • 165 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The play Antigone supports Creon’s claims that the rule of the king must be obeyed even if it is wrong in order to avoid anarchy and chaos. It is tragic that so many lives had to be lost. It is hard to be a king and maintain the rule of law. King Creon is a strong king that demands to be obeyed no matter what the cost. Tragically he lost so many that he cared for. First his brother dies, then his two nephews fight over the throne and end up killing each other. Eteocles was the king however his brother Polyneices fought to take his place. To no avail they both die. Eteocles was giving a proper burial for a king where Polyneices was just left to rot on the battlefield.…

    • 685 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The play “Antigone” conveys the interactions between the King Creon and his niece Antigone. Their interaction is different than a normal conversation between a women and male at the time, especially a man with as much power as Creon. Normally, a woman would surrender to the males wishes and keep her thoughts to herself. Antigone separates herself from this commonality by showing no fear as she admits to burying Polyneices, her brother, when the Creon questions her (Line 411). Creon is shocked by this confession because he doesn’t believe Antigone, or anyone for that matter, would know about his decree and blatantly disobey it (Line 414). She explains that any retribution for burying Polyneices would not pain her. Antigone even goes as far to call the king a fool (Lines 431-432). By performing these actions, she is showing her defiance to the decrees of Creon, making his order look inferior, as well as showing her commitment to perform the actions declared by the Gods. She defends her decision by saying that the dead don’t think their burials are less honorable if a traitor is also buried (Line 476). Antigone states her belief that most people in the kingdom would agree with the…

    • 659 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Foils In Antigone

    • 490 Words
    • 2 Pages

    In the tragedy Antigone, there are two central characters who serve as foils for one another. The main protagonist and heroine, Antigone, defies the wishes of the king of Thebes, who is also her uncle named Creon. Beginning as a man devoted to art patronage and falling into a position of power after the death of his brother, Creon begins the play with a declaration that says Polynices, one of Antigone’s brothers, cannot have a proper burial. Antigone disregards Creon’s law and covers Polynices in dirt, sending his soul to the underworld. The author Sophocles’ uses Antigone’s defiant actions to show Creon’s obsession with maintaining the subordination of women. However, it’s important to note that Creon’s obsession may not just pertain to having power over women, but also power over everyone in general.…

    • 490 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Selflessness, and determination are great characteristics to have, but when they are put against each other, problems can arise. In the play Antigone by Sophocles, Antigone is trying to bury her brother Polynices after his tragic death, while fighting for the throne. Creon doesn’t want Polynices to be buried because of how he died, fighting for the throne, and killing Eteocles, the rightful king. Creon doesn't think it is just for Polynices to be buried. But Antigone says the gods desire it. Antigone and Creon put each other in tough situations, which creates a theme and advances the plot. Throughout the play Antigone acts as a foil for Creon and her selflessness contrasts with Creon's determination to advance the plot and develop the theme of staying true to your morals.…

    • 860 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Imagine having no authority over your own fate. Not being able to exchange your fate for another. We will discover and unravel the life of a girl name Antigone. In the play called “Antigone” this book explains the fate of Antigone and her family. This is a tragic and emotional fate that this girl goes through by the cause of a curse. These three themes will transform and revolve around her during her life period. In the play Antigone by Sophocles, the main theme is fate, and love conquers and religion and Gods are supporting themes.…

    • 96 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The conflicts that occur in Antigone are between Creon and various characters such as Haemon, Eurydice, and the protagonist herself, Antigone. All of which conflicts contribute to the demise of Creon’s family. The connection with each person is connected. Antigone kills herself after being banished by Creon, Haemon kills himself when he sees Antigone dead, and Eurydice kills herself after receiving the news of…

    • 956 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    First of all, Antigone says to Creon “But if I’d allowed my own mother’s dead son to just lie there, an unburied corpse,then I’d feel distress.” (227-229). This quote shows how Antigone is doing the right thing by burying her brother and what Creon is doing to her brother Polyneices an act of injustice. This also shows how Antigone and Creon are different because she is being driven by the love she has towards Polyneices and Creon is being driven by the hate he has towards him. Second, Antigone says to Creon “But where could I gain greater glory than setting my own brother in his grave?” (570-571). This quote shows how Antigone is willing to disobey the law to give her brother a proper burial because of how much she loves him. This quote also shows how Antigone is determine to do what she thinks is right which is bury her brother Polyneices even though she would be disobeying orders. He doesn’t think women are the same as men because they disobey men’s…

    • 830 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Antigone Vs Creon Essay

    • 514 Words
    • 3 Pages

    “I did not think anything which you proclaimed strong enough to let a mortal override the gods and their unwritten and unchanging laws,” (lines 510-513) proclaims Antigone, once again asserting her opinion on whose laws she is justified to follow. Antigone’s persona contrasts with Creon’s character ultimately due to their conflicting motivations about which laws should be followed: the word of the gods, or the laws of man.These conflicting motivations the characteristics of unreasonableness, anger, and disrespect to be highlighted within Creon’s character. In the end, these conflicting motivations develop Creon as a tragic hero by ensuing his stubbornness, and damaging his pride.…

    • 514 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Creon claims that his rule as king must be obeyed, even if it is wrong, in order to avoid anarchy and chaos, but the play does not side with him. Creon's first rule as king is that no one "shall entomb [Polyneices] or mourn, but leave unwept, unsepulchred, a welcome store for the birds, as they espy him, to feast on at will." He also states that if anyone is to bury him they shall be put to death. When he is told that Antigone has buried her brother Creon is faced with questions of loyalty. He can not go against his law or he will look weak and it will look as though his laws do not apply to his family. He can not kill his niece or he will look evil. Antigone feels what she did and is prepaired to do is just with the Gods, but what Creon did was not his choice to make, that he played the Gods role. As the play unravels Creon's struggle with divine morality versus religious morality is highlighted by how fate plays out. While Antigone is taken away the town of Thebes urges Creon to free her. Creon loses support of his family and his people. Chaos quite literally breaks out in his own backyard. Creon's steady decline suggest not only that his rulings were wrong, but also that they should not have been obeyed. Towards the end of the play Teiresias warns Creon by saying "Then know thou...that thou shalt not live through many more courses of the sun's swift chariot, ere one begotten of thine own loins shall have been given by thee, a corpse for corpses; because thou hast thrust children of the sunlight to the shades, and ruthlessly lodged a living soul in the grave; but keepest in this world one who belongs to the gods infernal". Creon hurries to correct his…

    • 428 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Antigone Vs Creon

    • 704 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Antigone contrasts Creon’s character throughout the play. Primarily, she shows contrast in her views about the gods. Although, their views are very contrasting, both characters are arrogant and selfish in their own ways. In the play when Antigone gets caught and is brought to Creon she states her thoughts about the gods “ ...you [Creon] proclaimed strong enough to let a mortal override the gods and their unwritten and unchanging laws”. Antigone believes that the gods have the highest power to any living thing on earth. Gods created the laws of what is right and nobody of mortal status can change that. Creon, however,thinks…

    • 704 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays