Antigones Fate Essay -- Character Analysis Sophocles

Sophocles play titled Antigone, embellishes the opposing conflicts between Antigone who stands for the values of family, and Creon who stands for the values of state. Sophocles explores the depths of Antigone’s morality and the duty based on consequence throughout the play, as well as the practical consequences of Creon who is passionate and close-minded. Although Antigone’s moral decisions appear to be more logical and favorable than Creon’s, a personal argument would be that both characters’ decisions in society can be equally justified. In the play, Sophocles examines the nature of Antigone and Creon who have two different views about life, and use those views against one another. Antigone who is depicted as the hero represents the value of family. According to Richard Braun, translator of Sophocles Antigone, Antigone’s public heroism is domestically motivated: â€Å"never does [Antigone] give a political explanation of her deed; on the contrary, from the start [Antigone] assumes it is her hereditary duty to bury Polynices, and it is from inherited courage that [Antigone] expects to gain the strength required for the task† (8). Essentially, it is Antigone’s strong perception of family values that drive the instinct to disobey Creon’s orders and to willingly challenge the King’s authority to dictate her role in society. In addition, Antigone is a strong believer in the divine laws of the gods and that by following those laws the gods will give Antigone an honorable place in the afterlife. In a quote by Antigone to Ismene, â€Å"I will bury him myself. And even if I die in the act, that death will be a glory†¦I have longer to please the dead than please the living here† (Sophocles, 1468). It is this unyielding belief that pushe... ...es of family becomes disobedient against state laws posed by Creon, the king of Thebes, acknowledging that the deeds are moral and are seen by the gods as honorable. In the case for Creon, the character believed in the laws made by mortals, not the divine gods. Although Creon was the champion of upholding the state law, the tragic ending that occurred left Creon without anything else but the power of the throne. Works Cited Braun Emil Richard. Introduction. â€Å"Sophocles Antigone.† 7th ed. New York: Oxford UP, 1974. 8. Print. Peters, Julia. "A Theory Of Tragic Experience According To Hegel." European Journal Of Philosophy 19.1 (2011): 85-106. Academic Search Premier. Web. 9 May 2012. Sophocles. â€Å"Antigone.† The Bedford Introduction to Literature Reading, Thinking, Writing. 9th ed. Boston, MA: Bedford / St. Martins, 2011. 1279-280. Print.