Free Will In Antigone

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Oedipus killed his own father, the king of Thebes, without knowing it was actually his father and then married his mother, Iocaste. Together they had four children; including a girl named Antigone-- from which the play gets it's namesake-- who is the heroine of the play discussed in this essay. When Oedipus discovered who he was and what he had done he left the kingdom and cut out his own eyes. Iocaste’s cousin, Creon, took over as King of Thebes. Creon manipulated Oedipus’ two sons, Eteocles and Polyneices, into hating each other. Polyneices gathered a rebel army and a battled ensued; during which both Polyneices and Eteocles killed one another. Creon forbade anyone to mourn Polynieces and denies him a proper burial, this is where Antigone begins. Antigone is a timeless play filled with timeless themes; fate, love, and pride. And more often than not, these three themes often influence the outcome of the other.

Fate is a very large part of Antigone. In Greek mythology one’s fate was often controlled by the gods, who were …show more content…
Antigone’s love for her brother was so great that she sacrificed her life for his honor and the honor of her family. “As for Polyneices, your so called brother, from exile he returned to ravage his native land, to burn our temples, to drink the blood of those of us he could not first enslave. For him this is my edict: none will honor him. None will mourn his death. He will lie unburied, until his flesh is torn by angry birds and furious dogs crack his bones to dust. This is the law.” Despite the law, Antigone buried her brother. Creon arrested Antigone and sent her to a crypt to die. Haemon, Creon’s son and Antigone’s fiancé, begged for Antigone’s release. In a cruel twist of fate, they found Antigone had hung herself. Ironically, Haemon killed himself out of grief— Creon’s wife took her own life soon after. Because of all Creon’s pride, his fate was denied the

Antigone Fate Vs Free Will

cumbersome ego, is exemplary of a character who attempts to scorn fate, whether that fate be doled out by god or curse. His attempts, are in vain due to the actions and words of Antigone, who is the catalyst to Creon’s eventual downfall. Through delegitimizing Creon’s political power and revealing his fatal flaw of excessive pride, Antigone acts to use her tumultuous fate to take Creon down with her. Antigone’s extends the curse upon her family through her interactions with…

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Fate And Free Will In Sophocles Antigone

Antigone has one very important central theme that contributes vastly to the plot. This is the constant dual of fate and, although mostly limited, free will. Or in other words the tension between individual action and fate. Now, while free choices, such as Antigone’s decision to defy the king (Creon), are significant, fate is responsible for many of the most critical and devastating events of the play. One of the most unique parts of Sophocles’ plays are that his characters not only play the roles…

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Power Of Women In Antigone Vs Creon

men in their lives; Both are felicitous illustrations of women's endeavor to free themselves from the repressing power of man. Antigone is an exemplary piece of work depicting this desire for privilege of power. To commence, as a character with a rough heritage, Antigone has less power in society than that of other women. A feminine protagonist, who was the daughter/sister of Oedipus, the former Theban King, Antigone was the…

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What Are Antigone And Creon's Tragic Flaws

6th hour 26 September 2016 Antigone - The Tragic Flaw A tragic hero is usually a noble and influential person who meets destruction because of a personal flaw and the opposition of others. Who do you consider the tragic hero, Antigone or Creon? In the ancient Greek play, “Antigone” written by Sophocles, Antigone is described as the tragic hero. It can be debated that in the story, there are two tragic heroes; Creon and Antigone. Antigone has a few tragic flaws. Antigone is extremely loyal to the…

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Antigone Essay

audience already knew what would happen at the end of Antigone. The contrast between what the audience knows and what the characters know sets up the tension, the dramatic irony. However, Sophocles uses dramatic license and adds events that are not found in any previous account of the myth, including the quarrels between Antigone and Ismene, Antigone’s two attempts to bury Polynices, Antigone’s betrothal to Haemon, the entombment of Antigone, Tiresias’s argument with Creon, and the suicides. These…

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Antigone Research Paper

Lauren Locke Collage Composition Kristen Barton 25 April 2024 Tragedy of Antigone Antigone is a Greek tragedy written by Sophocles around 441 BCE. The play is about a young woman who defies her uncle, Creon, to give her brother, Polyneices, a proper burial. Antigone's brothers, Polyneices and Eteocles, die in war, and Polyneices is considered a traitor to Thebes, so Creon, the king refuses to bury him properly. Antigone is determined to give him a proper burial because she believes that even though…

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Comparison, And Creon In Sophocles Antigone

In the Greek play Antigone, by Sophocles, there are many conflicts, heroic acts, and deaths. All of the characters’ traits add to all the events and tragedies involved within this play. Antigone, King Creon, and Ismene are all main characters in Antigone. Antigone is stubborn, bold, and is willing to stand up for the rights of her dead brother, Polynices. King Creon, although his characteristics are very similar to Antigone’s, believes that Polynices should not be buried or given any rights because…

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Antigone Creon Analysis

moments. Going from a peasant to royalty, a king to despair or a great life to death. Be careful, pride can be very dangerous and Creon is an examples of how. In Antigone, Sophocles portrays the hubristic personality of Creon through his defiance towards the Gods, tone and diction towards his people and reluctance towards setting Antigone free. Sophocles portrays Creon’s hubris personality through his contempt speech about the Gods. There are many occurrences throughout the play where Creon talks down…

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Creon And Haemon Script Analysis

Antigone - Scene III The setting of the area is in war and the theme is the script of Creon and haemon fighting for letting antigone free and/or not letting antigone not free. The conflicts are Antigone was helping the enemy giving guns but Sergeant Major Creon caught Antigone smuggling, then Master Gunnery Sergeant Haemon was trying to free First Sergeant Antigone. Leader Young sir you should be the side with your kingdom or the people will be mad so you should speak and convince them. Creon You…

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Women's Power In Sophocles Antigone

handed to someone that could handle it better. Antigone was brought upon Creon after she was found guilty of burying her brother's corpse after Creon specified to let his body rot and not be buried. Antigone did her duty as a mourning sister but even if done by duty she still defied the law put in by Creon; the king. Creon states, "Now I am no man, but [Antigone] is a man if power lies with her with impunity" (30). Creon knows that if he lets Antigone go free she will be more powerful than him as she…

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