Sophocles’s play Antigone addresses the conflict between allegiance to the state and obedience to its laws, as well as adherence to a higher code of morals and ethics dictated by the individual’s beliefs. Antigone revolves around the struggle between man’s ethical sense of what is right, and the social law in which society has endorsed. The friction between the two is shown by Antigone’s obligation to her family as well as Creon’s need to bestow the rule of administering government law. The play unequivocally makes pronouncements on these conflicts. This central theme of Antigone is first articulated in the exchange between Antigone and Creon regarding the body of Polynices. Creon is both furious and disappointed that Antigone would defy his decision to refuse Polyneices proper burial rites. Early in the play Creon says,
CREON: And yet you dared defy the law.
ANTIGONE: I dared.
It was not God’s proclamation. That final Justice
That rules the world below makes no such laws.
Your edict, King, was strong,
But all your strength is weakness itself against 360
The immortal unrecorded laws of God.
They are not merely now: they were, and shall be,
Operative for ever, beyond man utterly.
This exchange perfectly captures the tone presented throughout the play. It shows the dialect of two contrasting positions on the amount of power the individuals have. Should individual rights supercede the government? Or does the government have the right to tell you what an individual can or cannot do? Antigone carefully explores the relationship between the individual and the government to show that the individual is above the state.
Antigone and Creon express conflicting opinions that allude to the theme of individual conscience versus the laws of government. In the beginning of the play, Oedipus’s daughters, Antigone and Ismene, discuss whether they should bury their brother, Polynices. Creon, the King of Thebes, however, orders that Polynices does not deserve a proper burial because of his dishonor towards Thebes and “he that spilled the blood of his blood and sold his own people into slavery” (1308). Furthermore, he declares that anyone who attempts to bury Polynices will be exiled for disobeying his order. Creon’s harsh punishment on those who disobey the law makes many fear him and dare not to go against him. However, Antigone, refuses to listen for her loyalty to her family results her in doing so. She decides to give Polynices a proper burial but gets caught in the act.
CHORAGOS: What does this mean? Surely this captive woman
Is the Princess, Antigone. Why should she be taken?
SENTRY: Here is the one who did it! We caught her
In the very act of burying him. ––Where is Creon?
Creon’s beliefs regarding the laws of the government results in him becoming insensitive to all other beliefs. He feels that all should obey the laws set forth by him, even if other beliefs, morals or religion, state otherwise. His laws are superior to all others according to him. Antigone, on the other hand, hold the beliefs of the Gods in high reverence. She feels that the laws of the Gods should be obeyed above all others, especially when in respect to family. Creon has an exceptionally solid sentiment about the laws of the city and the laws go by him. His strategy for upholding them is extremely strict.
CREON: [ Furiously.] Stop!
Must you doddering wrecks
Go out of your heads entirely? “The gods!”
Intolerable! The gods favor this corpse? Why? How had he served them? 240
Tried to loot their temples, burn their images,
Yes, and the whole State, and its laws with it!
Is it your senile opinion that the gods love to honor bad men?
A pious thought!
He is being brutal because he does not want the people of Thebes to take him for a simple ruler that can be easily pushed around or persuaded.. Creon feels that on the off chance that somebody shames the city in which he controls, they need to be subject to penalty. Although, he does not want to punish Antigone for the fact that she is family, his title as a strong king seems to be more important to Creon. However, in any case that Polyneices and Antigone’s disobedience goes unpunished, Creon’s power may be underestimated by the general population of Thebes, therefore leading everyone to think he is not a good fit as king.
CREON: Do you want me to show myself weak before the people?
Or to break my sworn word? No, and I will not.
The woman dies.
They would consider him a powerless ruler who can be shamed without dread of discipline. Creon needs and wants to be regarded and dreaded as a ruler because this will give him more power. Unfortunately, for Creon to be looked as strong ruler, he must be strict and firm in his choices. No matter who and what he has to go against. This leads him to have Antigone sentenced to death for her defiance, regardless of her being family.
ISMENE: But how could I go on living without her?
CREON: You are.
She is already dead.
ISMENE: But your own son’s bride!
CREON: There are places enough for him to push his plow. 455
I want no wicked women for my sons!
Creon also states that because Antigone is a woman her punishment should be certain. Creon implies that men are the enforcers of law while women are weak and are to be controlled. The fact that a women specifically, openly defied the law puts Creon in a great deal of anger.
CREON: No, no: good lives are made so by discipline.
We keep the laws then, and the lawmakers,
And no woman shall seduce us. If we must lose,
Let’s lose to a man, at least! Is a woman stronger than we? 540
This perfectly captures Creon’s refusal to be defied by not only a man, let alone a woman. Antigone, however, does not feel pity for herself nor does she regret her decision to go against the laws of man. She feels a great loyalty to her brother and her family.
Antigone believes that Creon does not hold the authority to abrogate her faith of the Gods. Antigone feels firmly about buring her sibling against Creon’s requests. She declined to down from her opinion even when she was confronted by Creon and condemned to death. She Furthermore, even when her sister did not approve of Antigone’s decision to go against the laws of man, her beliefs did not waiver.
ANTIGONE: You may do as you like
Since apparently the laws of the god mean nothing to you.
ISMENE: They mean a great deal to me, but I have no strength
To break laws that were made for the public good.
ANTIGONE: That must be your excuse, I suppose. But as for me,
I will bury the brother I love.
Antigone is committed to honoring her family and validating the commitment to what she perceives as right. . She sees herself as not guilty in the eyes of the Gods so she does into her death courageously. She is content with what she has done because she beliefs that it was the right thing to do.
ANTIGONE: If that is what you think,
I should not want you, even if you asked to come.
You have made your choice, you can be what you want to be.
But I will bury him; and if I must die, 55
I say that this crime is holy: I shall lie down
With him in death, and I shall be as dear
To him as he to me.
Antigone feels that her commitment to her familial honor transcends Creon’s laws and edicts. She sees Creon as a fool due to that fact that he thinks he has the right to go against the laws of the Gods. As portrayed in the particular beliefs of Antigone herself
ANTIGONE: I knew I must die, even without your decree:
I am only mortal. And if I must die 365
Now, before it is my time to die,
Surely this is no hardship: can anyone
Living, as I live, with evil all about me,
Think Death less than a friend? This death of mine
Is of no importance; but if I had left my brother 370
Lying in death unburied, I should have suffered.
Now I do not.
You smile at me. Ah Creon,
Think me a fool, if you like; but it may well be
That a fool convicts me of folly.
Ismene’s, loyalty on the other hand, only extends so far. She holds the same beliefs as Antigone however fails to be as courageous as her. Unlike Antigone, she is afraid to risk her own life attempting to justify her brothers right to a proper burial knowing that there will be a consequence waiting for her.
ISMENE: I scorn them not, but to defy the State
Or break her ordinance I have no skill.
ANTIGONE: A specious pretext. I will go alone
To lap my dearest brother in the grave.
ISMENE: My poor, fond sister, how I fear for thee!
ANTIGONE: O waste no fears on me; look to thyself. (82-85)
Like her sister, Ismene seems to value family ties and the laws of the gods over the laws of man. However, she is not valiant enough to stand up for her beliefs. She is more afraid of what Creon would do to them rather than fearful of not giving the brother she loves a proper burial, as Antigone is.
ANTIGONE: Ismene, I am going to bury him. Will you come?
ISMENE: Bury him! You have just said the new law forbids it.
ANTIGONE: He is my brother. And he is your brother, too.
ISMENE: But think of the danger! Think what Creon will do!
ANTIGONE: Creon is not enough to stand in my way. 15
The courage to stand beside her sister does eventually come to Ismene. It seems that the idea of family over law hit Ismene when her sister was sentenced to exile. When Creon arrests both daughters of Oedipus, Ismene asks that she be executed alongside Antigone for she is as equally guilty. Antigone, however, scorns Ismene’s belated attempt at being righteous.
ISMENE: Yes, if she will let me say so. I am guilty. 430
ANTIGONE: No, Ismene. You have no right to say so.
You would not help me, and I will not have you help me.
ISMENE: But now I know what you meant; and I am here
To join you, to take my share of punishment . . . .
ISMENE: Do you refuse me, Antigone? I want to die with you:
I too have a duty that I must discharge to the dead.
ANTIGONE: You shall not lessen my death by sharing it.
ISMENE: What do I care for life when you are dead? . . . . 440
ISMENE: But we are equally guilty!
ANTIGONE: No more, Ismene. You are alive, but I belong to Death
At the encouragement of the Chorus, Creon eventually yields on executing Ismene. In Antigone, Ismene dread of defying Creon and the laws of the state keep her from partaking in her sister’s defiance as well as her destiny. In this play, Ismene’s words and activities clarify that she cherishes her sister as well as her families name, yet varies from Antigone significantly, as well. On the contrary to Antigone, Ismene appears to be deadened by her social way of life as a woman. Ismene is more prone to plead for leniency than fight for justice.
ISMENE: Our own death would be if we should go against Creon 45
And do what he has forbidden! We are only women,
We cannot fight with men, Antigone!
The law is strong, we must give in to the law
Furthermore, In Antigone the Chorus specifically influences the activity of the play in a tremendous way. In spite of the fact that they at first appear to be absolutely in favor of their new ruler Creon, they start to ask him to become more moderate and understanding. In fact it is at their arguing that Creon chooses not to condemn Ismene to death alongside her sister.
CREON: That is true… . It troubles me.
Oh it is hard to give in! but it is worse
To risk everything for stubborn pride. 865
CHORAGOS: Creon: take my advice.
CREON: What shall I do?
CHORAGOS: Go quickly:
free Antigone from her vault
And build a tomb for the body of Polyneices.
CREON: You would have me do this?
CHORAGOS: Creon, yes!
And it must be done at once: God moves 870
Swiftly to cancel the folly of stubborn men.
The Chorus likewise insists that Creon accept Teiresias’ recommendation to free Antigone. Creon eventually is convinced and consents. Tragically, however, it’s too late. The fact that Antigone is as taken her own life both depresses and infuriates Creon’s son, and Antigone’s fiance, Haemon. When Haemon confronts his father, Creon gives a speech about how women come and go and that family loyalty is more important. Which is ironic since he is condemning Antigone for having those same beliefs. Haemon tries to reason with Creon, telling him that he has heard many of the town’s people talking about Antigone’s death sentence.
HAEMON: But I, at any rate, can listen; and I have heard them
Muttering and whispering in the dark abut this girl.
They say no woman has ever, so unreasonably,
Died so shameful a death for a generous act: 555
“She covered her brother’s body. Is this indecent?
She kept him from dogs and vultures. Is this a crime? Death? ––She should have all the honor that we can give her!”
This is the way they talk out there in the city.
Haemon explains to his father that the people of Thebes think Antigone’s actions are noble and that the King’s punishment is far too harsh. He also reminds his father that when men refuse to be open minded, fate historically brings nothing but trouble. As it did to Oedipus.
In result of Creon feeling attacked and betrayed by not only his son but his people, the conversation quickly turns into a heated argument between the two. Haemon states God’s law should be put over man’s law and Creon becomes extremely tempered as he too is disobeying the laws of man.
CREON: So? Your “concern”! In a public brawl with your father!
HAIMON: How about you, in a public brawl with justice?
CREON: With justice, when all that I do is within my rights?
HAIMON: You have no right to trample on God’s right.
CREON: [Completely out of control.] Fool, adolescent fool!
Taken in by a woman! 605
HAIMON: You’ll never see me taken in by anything vile.
CREON: Every word you say is for her!
HAIMON: And for me.
And for the gods under the earth.
CREON: You’ll never marry her while she lives.
Creon does not take what Haemon is saying into consideration. He sees him as a foolish young boy who is blinded foolishly by the love he has for a girl, while Haemon is actually making valid arguments for his family, his culture and the future of Thebes.
The central theme of Antigone is revealed in the conflict between two differing viewpoints. This famous Greek tragedy created my Sophocles is known for its controversy regarding an individual beliefs vs. the laws of the state and or man made laws. Antigone addresses the relationship between the individual and the state to prove that individual beliefs can indeed supersede higher man made laws.