Antigone Central Conflict

Haemon stated that his father had dishonored the gods by sending Antigone off to her death, but Creon responded by saying, “You, you soul of corruption, rotten through-/ woman’s accomplice!” (836-37) Creon refused to acknowledge his son’s point, therefore, not changing his mind on Antigone’s fate. In another scene, Creon showed his independence by refusing to listen to Tiresias’ prophecy. Knowing that Tiresias’ prophecies were never wrong, Creon still ignored him. Creon stated, “You and the whole breed of seers are mad for money!” (1171) He claimed that Tiresias was wrong, and he was doing the right thing. In this scene Creon showed his independence in a cruel manner by disrespecting Tiresias. Antigone and Creon both showed that they wanted to be independent. Antigone’s will to be independent ultimately caused her death, and Creon’s caused him to lose his son, niece, and wife.

However, Creon resists yielding, but rather accuses Tiresias shooting his “arrows at my head” implying that he essentially attacks Creon for disagreeing with his decisions when in reality, Tiresias wants only the best for Creon and believes that telling him about the prophecy would help him avoid a tragic fate. Fundamentally, Creon pushes those who attempt to help him away because of his belief that he can not trust anybody and that he views himself superior to those who oppose him as he believes that his way is the best way. Namely, when Tiresias and Creon discuss the burial of Polyneices, Creon rejects the burial altogether, saying, “You’ll never bury that body in the grave, not even if Zeus’s eagles rip the corpse and wing their rotten pickings off to the throne of

The story of Antigone is about a princess named Antigone, who wishes for the King of Thebes to peacefully bury her brother Polyneices. However, he reveals that he has never honored the man, and demands his kingdom to not mourn his death. This angers Antigone, for she believe's that one's body must be buried in order for their soul to rest in peace so, she buries her brother instead. The foolish act causes Creon and Antigone to go through conflict solely based on their differences throughout the story. However, the pair finds more similarities in each other than differences.

The story of Antigone deals with Antigone’s brother who’s body has been left unburied because of crimes against the state. The sight of her brother being unburied drives Antigone to take action against the state and bury her brother regardless of the consequences. The concept of the Greek afterlife was far more important and sacred than living life itself. Everything they did while they were alive was to please the many gods they worshipped. They built temples for their Gods, made statues to symbolize their Gods, and had a different God to explain things that we now say are an act of mother nature. Antigone percieved her actions to be courageous and valid, and Kreone, the King, percieved them as blasphemous. The entire story focuses on

However, the way his actions work and feed the conflict throughout also make Creon fit our definition of a protagonist. After Antigone's capture, the play centers on Creon. He boasts of his decision to the town leaders (the Chorus in this play), and he argues with Tiresias about his actions and leadership ability. Tiresias' endless enforcement of truth forces Creon to face his mistakes, even though his pride is hurt: "It's a dreadful thing to yield . . . but resist now? / Lay my pride bare to the blows of ruin? / That's dreadful too." (page 661).

disapproval but also against the King’s law. Antigone is very loyal and family oriented and takes

Throughout the play, whenever these two characters are interacting with each other, it is like fire coming in contact with gasoline. Readers are able to sense the tension between them. It is apparent that one of the main issues these two have with each other are differences in views. From the beginning, readers can tell that family plays a significant role in Antigone’s life. Antigone’s brother had been killed in a war and due to the side he was fighting on; he was considered a traitor towards Thebes. Because of this, Creon has made the act of burying his body illegally. Antigone tells her sister hat she wants to defy the laws of her homeland and give her brother the proper burial that she feels he deserves. She even states, “I’ll bury him myself. And

                Not only does Creon suffer from a lack of council, he also suffers from hubris, another personality trait of a tyrant. He refuses to admit he was wrong even when the gods send a prophet to tell him that he has gone against their will. The prophet explains that Creon “dishonorably” jailed a “living soul,” and caused an “unholy corpse” to remain above ground, withholding it from the “gods below” (Antigone line 1070).  He initially refuses the prophet’s advice only to be persuaded otherwise by the Chorus later. It took the persistent efforts from the Chorus to finally sway Creon from his stubborn will. Not only will Creon not listen to the gods, he ignores his son Haemon when Haemon tells Creon he has done wrong in the eyes of the people. Haemon explains that Antigone has not fallen to this “disease,” for her “fellow citizens” of Thebes “deny it” (Antigone line 744).

In addition to ruling with an iron fist, Creon’s other major flaw is having too much Hubris. His pride becomes a problem, when he doesn’t listen to the blind seerer Tieresias, who comes to warn Creon that the gods are unhappy with his choices and if he doesn’t right his wrongs he will have to face grave consequences. “Pay to the dead his due wound not the fallen./ It is the glory to kill and kill again./ My words are for your good and will,/and should be acceptable, being good for you “ (153, Antigone) this shows the gods threats and Tieresias’s clear warning. Creon ignores the warning and tries to make it sound like Tieresias is trying to trick him. “I say prophets seek their own advantage” (154, Antigone) In this line it is made obvious that instead of being open minded and trying to listen, Creon instead tries to blame his wrong doings on others.

In determining how to honor her brother, Antigone represents a woman who is willing to defy laws that encourage injustice in her community and go against traditions and laws of the gods. Not only is she willing to challenge these rules, but she is also prepared to die for her cause; furthermore, revealing characteristics of a headstrong woman who is fully aware of the consequences. Consequently, Antigone uncovers a new idea: that the demands of the dead, rather than the living, can often make a larger impact on society and create the most change. Antigone believes that by dying for a cause, she will be able to have a greater

There has always been a struggle between government laws and religious laws. This struggle is tragically shown in Antigone by Sophocles. A play way ahead of its time when it comes to religion, government, and the issues they both present. Antigone represents the laws of the gods, whereas her uncle Creon represents the laws of man. When the religious act of burial is forbidden by a state law, the audience is left to decide or ponder through their fear of Creon and pity for Antigone which laws come first: those of men or those of the gods.

     Antigone's decision to bury her brother caused harm to many people. First, she tried to convince her sister Ismene to help her. She did this by trying to make Ismene feel guilty if she did not; stating it was Ismene's brother too. She says after Ismene tells her she is on a hopeless quest "If you say so, you will make me hate you and the hatred of the dead, by all rights, will haunt you day and night."(Act I: Scene I: Line 57) This threat brings Antigone farther apart from the only living family member that she has left. She has her mind set so much on burying her brother that she will stop at nothing, not even threatening her opposing sister to do it. Since Ismene has been through the same

     Finally, Creon is a dynamic character. He undergoes changes in emotion throughout the work. He realizes his mistakes when Tiresias forecasts the future. Thus, Creon attempts to correct himself by releasing Antigone. But he is too late. He is forced to live, knowing that three people are dead as a result of his actions. This punishment is worse than death. Although Creon’s self-righteousness and inflexibility did not change until the end of the play, his motivations traveled from patriotic ones to personal ones. This created a major portion of the

In this quote Creon is making himself look like he is taking charge and punishing Antigone harshly. He is trying to amplify what he plans to do to Antigone. He is being too proud. In reality, though, he did not do these things to the degree he boasts about to Antigone. Creon makes it seem that he is cruel, but he really is not as cruel as he appears. Another time, the prophet is calling Creon out.

Antigone begins With the Discussion between two sisters(antigone,and ismene) about burying their brother(polyneices),but they aren't allowed to because their uncle(creon) has announced a decree forbidding the burial of polyneices.Since he”broke his exile to come back with fire and sword against his native city and the shrines of his father's’ gods,whose one idea was to spill the blood of his blood and sell his own people into slavery.”One of the sisters(ismene)doesn't want to bury the brother ,but Antigone does since “it was not god’s proclamation.That final justice that rules the world below makes no such laws.”Each time she would bury her brother soldiers would un-bury him until one time she was caught.She did not deny it instead she proudly stated that creon's decree has no rule over gods unwritten laws.Creon immediately out of reflex made some soldiers get her sister ismene to see if she had any part to do in this crime.Ismene immediately said yes though she did nothing except know about it.Antigone told creon she was lying that only she was to be charged with the crime.Antigone was put inside a stone prison.Creon was told by a blind prophet that if he didn't let Antigone go his family would be the one to pay; immediately he hurried to free antigone,but he was too late for she had hanged herself with her own clothes.When creon got there his son haemon had Antigone in his arm.When haemon saw Creon he tried to kill him but failed