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What is the conflict between Antigone and Creon? This paper has the answer. Read it to learn all about the conflict between Antigone and Creon.
Antigone Summary
This story begins after banishment of Oedipus, the king of Thebes. His son Eteocles takes over the throne. Eteocles brother Polyneices refutes this and the two engage in a civil war for the throne where they both die. Following the death of the two brothers, their uncle Creon takes over the throne.
As king, Creon deems it right to honor Eteocles, the rightful heir to the throne and put polyneices, the rebel to public shame. Creon rules that everyone should leave Polyneices body lying unburied in the battlefield as prey for vultures and worms. Antigone, a sister to the two brothers does not take this well. She takes it upon herself to bury her brother, Polyneices. Antigones act sparks a conflict between her and her uncle, Creon.
How the conflict between Antigone and Creon is about duty
Both Antigone and Creon are obligated to their family and to the state. Polyneices a brother to Antigone and Creons Nephew betrays the state by fighting his brother for the throne. This brings conflict of obligation to family or to the state between Antigone and Creon. Antigone chooses to obligate to her family and overlook her state duties. Conversely, Creone chooses state obligation over family duties.
Crone passes judgment that everyone should leave Polyneices body lying unburied in the battlefield as prey for vultures and worms. Creon bases his action on Polyneices disobedience to state laws. He says, There is nothing worse than disobedience to authority (An. 671). The kings obligation to his state leads him to forsake his duty to his family and ends up imprisoning his niece, Antigone when she defies his orders.
Despite the Kings orders, Antigone proceeds to bury her brother, Polyneices. Her loyalty to her family and to divine laws conflicts with the state rules. As a citizen, she ought to obey the state laws but she does not. The king had clearly said that no one should put a friend before the state, as the person will be damned. Antigone defies this and thus compels the king to Imprison her alive in a tomb.
How Antigone and Creon represent different aspects of duty
Antigone has an obligation to her family. She represents this by her dedication to bury her brother, Polyneices in spite of the kings orders.
On the other hand, Creon represents his duty to the state by upholding the morals of the state. As a king obligated to his state, Creon punishes Polyneices, the traitor by leaving his body unburied in the battlefield.
How Antigone and Creon justify their actions
Antigone justifies her defiance and disobedience to the state by acknowledging her responsibility to her family and the authority of Divine powers. She insists on burthe ying Polyneices so that she can bring honor to her family and to the gods. She says that her deeds must please those that are dead (An. 77).
Similarly, Creon justifies his acts of leaving Polyneices body unburied by attaching importance to obedience to the state laws. He says, There is nothing worse than disobedience to a authority (An. 671). To him, the state should come before family.
Which event resolves the conflict between Antigone and Creon?
Antigone and Creon do not resolve this conflict. The play ends tragically with Antigone dead and Creon alone with all his family members dead.
Antigone and Creon could have solved this conflict by tolerating each others opinion, balancing their obligation towards the state and their family, and by subduing their arrogant pride.
Aristotle tragedy functions in Antigone
Aristotle defined a tragedy hero as one who evokes a sense of fear or pity in the audience. Aristotle discussed several characteristics of a tragedy function. One is change of characters fortune from good to bad and not the other way. Second, he established that the hero should be morally blameless and virtuous i.e. flaws of the hero should result to their death. These characteristics come out in the play, Antigone.
In the play, Antigones ending concurs with Aristotles definition of tragic hero but we cannot consider her one because her fate is predictable from the start.
In Creons case, his fate changes from good to bad and his flaws result in his downfall. In the end, he talks to prophet Teiresias and decides to amend his mistake by freeing Antigone from the tomb where he had imprisoned her. Unfortunately, when he gets to the tomb, he finds Antigone dead. Creons son Haemon kills himself when he learns of Antigones death.
These events successfully capture the emotions of the audience and crush their hopes of a happy. The audience sympathizes with Creons misfortunes. Therefore, this makes Creon the tragic hero of the play.
Significance and interpretation of Antigone
Actions of both Antigone and Creon are justified. Creon is justified as he has upheld the morals of the state and punishes the traitors. Automatically his action of leaving Polyneices unburied affects Antigone, as she is his sister. This justifies the action of Antigone burying her brother.
The pride and intolerance of Antigone and Creon end up with the two loosing. Should they have dropped their pride they story might have ended otherwise.
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