Similarities Between Antigone And Creon

“Antigone” by Sophocles is one of the most deliberated plays, due to the indefinite struggle of wrong and right, the demands between the government and family, as well as the struggles of the laws. Both Antigone and Creon have very strong justifications for their beliefs of how the law should be enforced. Antigone believes in strong moral justification for her actions, while Creon believes the law of the land is the final say because he is the primary law maker. Antigone, is driven by a strong sense of feelings and morals; she believes there is a divine law one should live by. Creon, on the other hand, believes that the law of the land is the only authority by which people should live. In Creon’s world, men have an indefinite rule over everything

including women. To have Antigone defy his laws is out of character for women of the Thebian world.
Antigone’s main priority throughout the play is to attain justice for her brother, by giving him a proper burial.

She is very fond of her family and does not feel her brother’s body should rot and be eaten by animals. Her intention is to go against Creon’s ruling and give her brother the proper burial. She has such a passionate love towards her family. Nussbaum argues, “Duty to the family dead is supreme law and the supreme passion” (2046). Her sister Ismene thinks she is wrong by going against Creon, but Antigone explains that is wrong not to bury their brother. Antigone states, “but if I dared to leave the dead man, my mother’s son dead and unburied, that would have been real pain” (line 2017). She views what she believes is right for her brother and is aware of the consequences but does not care. Rouse states, “As I see her, she has a clear knowledge of what is to be done, and she will not shrink from doing it at all costs; but when the thing is done, there is not more anxiety for her…”(Rouse 40). Although she is eager to fulfill justice in burying Polyneices, her irrational thinking gets in the way and causes a commotion among the city of Thebes. There is no doubt that Antigone is a woman who stands up for what she believes in, especially when it comes to her family. For example, when asked by Creon if she admits to her part in burying Polyneices, she replies, “Yes, I confess; I will not deny my deed” (line 487). Antigone is one of the many women that stood up for her family and her beliefs, while living in a male dominant

society.
Creon is in a position of power where only his rules matter and can overrule all others, because he is the law maker. Antigone had two brothers who died in war. One died defending the city and was given a proper burial. The other brother, Polyneices, died fighting against the city. Creon thinks Polyneices is a traitor and should be punished. Creon states that, “Polyneices, who broke his exile to come back with fire and sword against his native city and the shrines of his father’s gods . . . is to have no burial” (Sophocles lines 217-224). Although Polyneices fought against the city, Creon acts irrational towards Antigone for burying her brother due to the fact that he is a traitor. Antigone has a legitimate motive to bury her brother based on her morals and religion. She sees injustice when only one brother is allowed a burial while the other is left to rot unceremoniously. She states, “There is nothing shameful in honoring my brother…the god of death demands these rites for both” (lines 559 & 570). Creon feels uneasy about his rulings being questioned and not just followed blindly. Holt brings this to light when he states, “Kreon’s nervous insistence on these principles begins to look like a sign of weakness, inflexibility, or even tyranny” (2056). This attribute portrayed by Creon shows that he is an unsuccessful leader due to his excessive pride. These qualities portray a dictator, not a helper, which is the reason the people of Thebes did not respect Creon, thus causing him to be an ineffective leader.
The loss of her brother weighs more heavily on Antigone than any other person. She states, “had I been a mother of children, and my husband been dead and rotten, I would not have taken this weary task upon me…but when father and mother both were hidden in death no brother’s life would bloom for me again” (Sophocles lines 954-962). To Antigone this is one of the many reasons to honor her brother. In honoring her brother, she is honoring her mother and father as well. Creon, as the new king, wants to show his abilities as a ruler. He values his rules, so the people of Thebes would not take him as a king that allows chaos to be present in his city. Nussbaum proves that when she states, “Creon saw that the city itself is pious and loving; that he could not be its champion without valuing what it values, in all its complexity”(2048). If Polyneices is not punished then Creon's power may be called into question by the people of Thebes. Creon believes that if someone dishonors the city, that they shall be punished for their behavior. He states that by saying, “those that have done this deed…will have to pay for what they have done” (lines 333-334). Antigone and Creon have different justifications in law; that in divine moral law and that of law of the land. However, one cannot say who is wrong or who is right, but look at the laws and morals behind it. Both Creon and Antigone have logical reasoning behind their actions. Creon has the justification of the law of the land. Antigone has the justification of beliefs in divine law.
In the play, Antigone, Antigone and Creon cannot yield to each other. If Creon gave in by sparing her life, he would have felt he was breaking his very own laws and would have made himself weak as a ruler in the eyes of the Thebian people. Antigone felt the need to break his law for the honor of her already dishonored brother. She felt as though it was all they could hope for, and the least she could do for her brother. Still, in the end, Creon found that the law of the gods was the only true absolute and just ruling, and he had to concede in the end. Both Antigone and Creon feel justified for their beliefs of how the law should be enforced. Antigone believes in strong moral justification for her actions while, Creon believes the law of the land is the final say, due to the fact he is the primary law maker. Antigone, is driven by a strong sense of feelings and morals, she believes there is a divine law by which one should live. Creon on the other hand believes that the law of the land is the only authority by which people should live. Although Antigone’s arguments had some flaws, such as abandoning her sister for their dead brother, while proclaiming that family loyalty is important, her obedience to the gods showed the only true path for a justifiable moral.