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Character analysis antigone essay
How is justice shown in antigone
Analytical essay for antigone
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All of the characters in this plot have to fight for something, and Haimon, Creon's son and Antigone's Fiance falls victim to their determination. Antigone buries her brother, which means Haimon has to face the fatality of his loves execution and Creon is the one to punish Antigone so Haimon feels his father couldn't care about anything but the way he is viewed as King.Haimon has a lot to contest for and uses the three appeals, pathos, logos and ethos to do this.His fiance Antigone breaks the king’s laws and therefore has to face the consequences. She is punished with death by the laws holder.This tragic sister welcomes death, as it is an honor for whom she encounters it for. But Haimon won’t accept this and knows that If anybody were to
Creon's insecurity blinds his ability to direct order in his country properly. After Antigone buried Polyneices Creon felt he needed to take a strong stand or people would think he would always be lenient toward criminals. However, to achieve this Creon felt he needed to take drastic action against Antigone. He once even said to his son, Haimon, who was about to marry Antigone, "The woman dies. I suppose she'll plead family ties. Well, let her. If I permit my own family to rebel, how shall I earn the world's obedience?" (19) This quote shows that Creon feels that to prove himself to the country he needs to earn the "world's obedience".
...f civil disobedience causes a tragic domino effect. Antigone commits suicide. Haemon, who is Creon's son and Antigone's fiancé, is torn apart by grief and kills himself. Haemon's mother and Creon's wife, Eurydice, learns of her son's death. She becomes despondent and takes her own life: "She drove home to the heart with her own hand, once she learned her son was dead" (Antigone 1440-1441). Her words do end many things. The law is banished. Her brother is allowed to be buried, but now he is accompanied by three others.
In this essay I intend to show how Creon systematically chose to exalt state law over divine law and how the end of the play - as Creon loses his son, wife, niece and status - tragically demonstrates the severity of his mistake. I will discuss how far Creon and his dogmatic beliefs heap tragedy on his head, whether he was correct in tenaciously pursuing those beliefs, and whether he can be blamed for demanding unquestioned obedience to the state laws. I also intend discuss the role which other characters - specifically Antigone - played in contributing to the tragedy at the end of Antigone.
In the Antigone, unlike the Oedipus Tyrannus, paradoxically, the hero who is left in agony at the end of the play is not the title role. Instead King Creon, the newly appointed and tyrannical ruler, is left all alone in his empty palace with his wife's corpse in his hands, having just seen the suicide of his son. However, despite this pitiable fate for the character, his actions and behavior earlier in the play leave the final scene evoking more satisfaction than pity at his torment. The way the martyr Antigone went against the King and the city of Thebes was not entirely honorable or without ulterior motives of fulfilling pious concerns but it is difficult to lose sight of the fact that this passionate and pious young woman was condemned to living imprisonment.
In conclusion, the tragic hero has been proven to be Antigone, her choice to bury Polyneicês is what the play revolves around. Her impulsive personality and love drives her to disregard the will of the struggling King Creon and bury her Polyneicês. The consequences of her actions cause the downfall of not only herself, but also Haimon, who commits suicide after hearing of her death. Accordingly, analyses of the play Antigone shows that the tragic hero would have to be the heroine and main character herself, Antigone. Since she possesses all traits that a tragic hero should have. These include, not being overly “good or bad”, bringing pity to the audience, and having a single flaw that brings upon their own downfalls.
Third, Antigone is a wonderful example of a martyr. Her legacy will live on, and inspire many other rebels to stand up for their beliefs. Antigone dared to defy the King’s threat of death to bury her brother, and shows true family pride. The people take pity on Antigone, and feel that she should be let alone. Haemon, Creon's son and Antigone's betrothed, states how the people of Thebes feel. “On every side I hear voices of pity for this poor girl doomed to the cruelest death…for an honorable action-burying a brother who was killed in battle…has she not rather earned a crown of gold” (
Antigone, as a character, is extremely strong-willed and loyal to her faith. Creon is similarly loyal, but rather to his homeland, the city of Thebes, instead of the gods. Both characters are dedicated to a fault, a certain stubbornness that effectively blinds them from the repercussions of their actions. Preceding the story, Antigone has been left to deal with the burden of her parents’ and both her brothers’ deaths. Merely a young child, intense grief is to be expected; however, Antigone’s emotional state is portrayed as frivolous when it leads her to directly disobey Creon’s orders. She buries her brother Polynices because of her obedience to family and to the gods, claiming to follow “the gods’ unfailing, unwritten laws” (Sophocles 456-457). CONTINUE
Antigone holds her love of family, and respect to the dead, elevated beyond the laws of Creon, whom she believes, has no righteous justification to close his eyes to the honor of the deceased. In her determination to fulfill Polynices' rights, she runs directly into Creon's attempts to re-establish order. This leads to encounters of severe conflict between the dissimilarities of the two, creating a situation whereby both Creon and Antigone expose their stubbornness and self will.
Summing up, Antigone decides to express her discontent with what she considers to be the unethical new regime of King Creon by burying her brother's body. By taking this bold step, Antigone shows the strength that an individual’s actions hold in a democracy. Creon, with his stubborn attitude, shows how a democracy where peoples’ voices are not heard can be dysfunctional, and that laws should be made by taking other people into confidence and not on an individual basis. In the end, Antigone resolves to sacrifice her own life in the service of a greater justice. It is this kind of formidable resolve that changes the course of history, and that is something that we can respect equally in the 5th century B.C. and the 21st century A.D.
He anxiously awaits the day when he can call Antigone his wife, but because she defies King Creon, she deprives him of that opportunity. At first, Haemon tries to be loyal to his father. He tells Creon that he supports his decision to execute Antigone. However, as the conversation continues, he reveals that the community members are starting to renounce Creon’s decision. As the pain of potentially losing his fiancé becomes too much, he also renounces his father’s decision, arguing that the Gods would not condone it. In an act against his father, Haemon hurries to the cave Antigone was exiled to, in hopes to save her, but instead finds her hanging from the veil she was supposed to wear on her wedding day. Instantly overwhelmed with grief, Haemon, “[bewails] the loss of his bride” (Sophocles 152). Similarly, to Ismene’s case, Haemon cannot picture himself living on Earth without Antigone by his side, and commits suicide. In Antigone’s desire to appease the Gods, she abandons her loved ones, and causes them great suffering. This could have been avoided has she not pursued her desire to bury
In conclusion, the gods and the love of her family rule Antigone’s life. Creon’s life is ruled by what he thinks is good for his country and pride. Creon did not change his mind to free Antigone until a prophet told him he would suffer horribly for his actions. However, because Creon was so stubborn for so long and did not take heed to anyone’s advice sooner, he ultimately suffers in the end, as does everyone else in the play. This was all due to a man’s lack of good judgment, his selfish pride and his stubbornness.
Antigone was caught and death was the price to pay as ordered by Creon, not to her surprise. Death to Antigone seemed wanted, it was the only thing left as honor for her. Haemon, the son of Creon and Antigone’s fiancé has enough respect for his father that he does not interfere with Creon's decision to put Antigone to death.
Antigone was born full of superiority and courage, yet leaves the world as a conquered person. She respects her family despite what has happened in the past and always seems to be loyal towards her brothers, Polyneices and Eteocles, as well as her sister, Ismene. Antigone feels that abiding by the laws of the gods, is a valuable merit to follow. This theory gradually affects her actions and behavior towards Creon. The tragic flaw of Antigone leads to many lamenting events in the play. The manner she poses her characteristics in such as being stubborn and her raggedness portrays her flaw in the play. Antigone attempts to challenge Creon's love for power and accepts the punishment given to her. She bows to death because she is aware that she has done a good deed and she will inhale her last breath in honor. Whether Creon thinks of her as a traitor or not, Antigone knew the gods would reserve their judgment in favor of her. She never once regrets burying her brother, which makes her character all the more admirable.
As the tale continues, Antigone does indeed bury her brother, but is caught by Creon. In doing so however, she wins the support of the people of Thebes with her selfless actions for the sake of her family. Creon, despite the counsel of several people, including his own son, feels that regardless of the people 's opinion, Antigone must be executed for her "traitorous actions". This is self evident in an exchange between Creon and his son Haemon, who was in love with Antigone and slated to marry her: (Creon): "So this creature is no criminal, eh?" (Haemon): "The whole of Thebes says "no." (Creon): "And I must let the mob dictate my policy?" (Haemon): "See now who is speaking like a boy!" (Creon): "Do I rule this state, or someone else?" (Haemon): "A one man state is no state at all." Thus the plot thickens, and the tragedy begins to develop as Antigone 's actions have achieved her the respect of the common man, but is unquestionably soon to bring her
We don’t have to deny the human cost as a democracy and justice. It is a huge consumption. Typically, this cost caused injustice obviously. Firstly, Antigone adhered to bury her brother's corpse, follow the blood ethical belief that the relatives of the deceased must be buried, and must not be exposed corpse wilderness. Creon prohibited the burial of body, is to follow the provisions of the city-state of ethics that is a traitor to the city-state should be ruthless. The two sides stand in sharp opposition but have their rationality, which makes the tragic conflict, is inevitable. Secondly, Unyielding struggle against fate in Antigone only demonstrates the individual's free willing, also shows women's dignity and consciousness. Antigone dared to confront the supreme power of their own monarchy, it shows that the spirit of freedom and equality during the ancient Greek democracy advocates. And Creon has discrimination of being against women Antigone’s actions and fully defends the dignity of women. It was a great event for human.