Antigone Compare and Contrest Essay

Antigone Compare and Contrast Essay

Sharayah Martinez

10/1/13

Blk2

                In the play Antigone by Sophocles, Antigone, the main character, comes into conflict with her uncle/king, Creon. Antigone’s two brothers had feud over who would be king after their father and left the kingdom. Polyneices was the brother that had went against his brother and his own country. Creon then labels him as a traitor to his country and according to Creon’s decree a traitor does not get a proper burial. Antigone tries to be loyal and give honor to her brother by burying him properly, but Creon gets in her way.

                Antigone is very loyal to her family. She stuck at her brother’s side even though he was a traitor. She still loved her father even after she found out he had been cured and cursed the whole family. Although she was not so loyal to Ismene, she had told her, “You shall not lessen my death by sharing it!” (830.156) What she was telling Ismene is that don’t try to take credit in what you didn’t help do or even want to help do. She was really loyal to the gods. To the gods a proper burial was important. If you did not bury someone properly their spirit would not make it to the underworld god Hades.  Creon on the other hand was not loyal to family but to the state. He didn’t care if Polyneiece or Antigone were his niece and nephew he still killed them and gave them no mercy. He told the people of Thebes, “I have the honor to inform you that our ship of state”. (prologue.8) He’s explaining the comparison of a ship to the state that it rocks back and forth and they must stabilize it. In scene two.118 he told Antigone that she was alone on that option. He was telling her even though that she is family that he doesn’t car and he won’t give her mercy.

                Antigone and Creon have one similarity. They both have a lot of pride. Antigone tells Creon, “I do. I deny nothing”. (2.59) she’s being prideful and taking responsibilities for her actions she isn’t begging for mercy or even saying sorry. In (scene2.121) she tells Creon that she does not feel any guilt in what she did. Antigone knew the consequences if she got caught but she took the risk anyway. Antigone is very prideful and determined and doesn’t let anyone stand in her way. Like Antigone, Creon is also very prideful. He told his son, “My voice is the one voice giving orders in this city!” (3.104) He’s saying that he doesn’t need anyone to tell him how to do his job or run the state. In (scene 3.74) he told the old man Tiresias that no matter what he said nothing would change his fate. He’s not going to believe him because he’s just an old man he could just be losing his mind. I noticed that both of Creon’s and Antigone’s prideful nature led to their down falls. Antigone and Creon’s Family had died because of their pride.

                It was mostly Creon’s fault. Creon did not listen Tiresias; as a result, his wife and son killed themselves. The people of Thebes didn’t think what Antigone did was wrong. Antigone was also the cause of the conflict to. If she would have obeyed Creon and Ismene when they said not to do it, she would still be alive. In conclusion, Creon’s wife and son dies due to his pride and Antigone completed her task, but also died.