Antigone by Sophocles describes the aftermath of a war in which two brothers, Polyneices and Eteocles, murder each other. The author centers the main conflict on individual conscience and the obligations to the state. The play depicts the clash between human and divine law in which Antigone and Creon deny the essential elements of justice equally. Creon is a dictator who firmly believes in the duty towards the state over family and religion. However, Antigone’s motivation is primarily rooted in family and faith. Sophocles depicts the struggle between Antigone’s strong will against fate, observed in her decisiveness and courage. In that way, the play strikes a balance between law and justice, where both Antigone and Creon are unrelenting in their defiance against state power and religious laws. Sophocles accurately constructs the characters in the play portraying their ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind simultaneously. This characteristic is mostly observed in Antigone and Creon, although Ismene, the Chorus, and Haimon show their ability to hold opposing views while maintaining flexibility in their actions.
The characters in the play acknowledge the uncertainty of beliefs, also known as negative capability. This concept allows individuals to explore opposing ideas and to embrace flexibility in their actions. Sophocles depicts each character differently, creating a conflict of perceptions regarding religion, women, and power. While Antigone holds a genuine dedication to family and religion, her sister Ismene completely ignores family obligations and remains indecisive. In essence, the play shows a significant contrast between Ismene’s actions and beliefs with those of Antigone and Creon. Antigone holds opposing ideas in her mind as she is torn between burying her brother and rebelling against the state. She understands the complexity of the issue and attempts to incite her sister to join her. She speaks boldly to Ismene, “You be as you think best, but I shall bury him. To me it’s fine to die performing such a deed,” showing her loyalty to family as she is ready to sacrifice her life to honor her brother (Sophocles 71-72). However, Ismene contends that she cannot dishonor the state for the sake of the family. This indicates Antigone’s commitment to her ideals while her sister remains indecisive.
Ismene holds opposing thoughts in her mind about her sister’s course towards family and against the state. She refuses to join Antigone to bury their brother Polynices, saying that it is easier to be submissive to the rule of men as a woman. The conversation between the two sisters shows Ismene’s stand “Yes, bury my own brother-and yours too-if you’re not willing. I will not be caught in treachery. Audacious one! Against Creon’s express command?” (Sophocles 45-47). She has a slight inclination towards the obligation to family, in burying Polynices and standing with her sister. However, she entertains other thoughts of remaining loyal to the state to avoid defying Creon’s command. Later in the play, she regrets having not followed Antigone in her path after realizing that once Antigone is dead, she will have no family left. Besides, despite refusing to join her sister in burying Polynices, Ismene is quick to admit that she took part in the burial when Creon asks. Having opposing ideas in her mind makes Ismene indecisive as she shifts from one belief to another. Although she claims she wants to follow Antigone in death, she fails to commit suicide due to her weak strength.
As the ruler of Thebes, Creon bears the responsibility of making difficult decisions on behalf of the citizens. When Eteocles and Polyneices kill each other in the battle for the throne, he decides that Polyneices’ body be left unburied for scavengers to eat while his brother is offered a proper burial. This decision is contentious as Polyneices was the rightful heir of the throne because he was the eldest and had their father’s blessing for the throne. When Antigone proceeds to bury her brother Polyneices, she is buried alive as punishment. In the play, Creon also chooses to punish Polyneices for treason when he should have handed his power to him and accorded him the throne. On the other hand, he rushes to save his family when his political decisions threaten to rob him of his family. In the end, however, he is too late and he loses his wife, his son, and his niece in pursuit of power and pride. He tells his son, “Am I to rule this land at someone else’s whim? By law is not a city his who holds the power?” (Sophocles 736-738). He does not take civil disobedience easily, but his arrogance and total commitment to political law is his downfall.
On the other hand, Antigone, daughter of Oedipus and sister to Eteocles and Polyneices goes against the king’s orders, despite knowing that she would be punished for her actions (Sophocles 443-464). She attempts to give her brother a proper burial, which contravenes the land’s political law. As a reflection of her rebelliousness, her name means “the one with an opposing opinion” in Greek. She does not care about the charges against her brother Polyneices, and she risks her life to honor him posthumously. Additionally, she is the one who stays with her father Oedipus after he was banished from Thebes for his crimes of patricide and incest. While she acknowledges that her actions will attract punishment, she goes ahead to do what is right in her opinion. Finally, she also goes against natural law when she takes her own life because of the frustration of Creon’s disregard of the gods’ wishes (Sophocles 443-464). This reflects her inability to function when she is conflicted in her decisions.
For his part, Haimon implores his father to spare his betrothed, Antigone, despite knowing well that she committed civil disobedience. He is blinded by love and asks his father to forgive her transgression against the law. He does not understand why his father is pursuing power instead of listening to the gods. In his conversation with his father Creon shows his feelings “Haimon: Yes, since in justice I can see that you are wrong. Creon: So I am wrong to show due reverence for my rule? Haimon: Irreverence, trampling on the honors of the gods” (Sophocles 743-45). When his father refuses to reconsider his punishment for his fiancée, he runs away and goes ahead to commit suicide next to her. He also shows that he cannot make difficult decisions, especially when a loved one is involved. He risks encouraging civil disobedience, as long as he gets to spend the rest of his life with Antigone.
Other characters who have a moral dilemma and have to rely on their intelligence to make the right decision are the members of the Chorus of Theban elders. At first, they fully support Creon’s decision to punish Polyneices. They do not doubt that the political law of the land has to be upheld, and the crime of treason has to be deterred at all costs. However, at the back of their minds, they acknowledge that natural law is superior to political law. They promptly remind the king that the prophet’s warnings will come to pass because they know that the gods will avenge Antigone’s and Polyneices’ punishments. They tell the king, “As quickly as you can, my lord. The gods’ avenging Harms, swift-footed, cut down those with evil thoughts” (Sophocles 1103-04). Additionally, they rejoice when the two brothers kill each other and claim that the gods punished their arrogance and later supported the king’s decisions over the gods’ wishes. This council of elders continually grapples with choosing between natural law and political law throughout the play.
To sum up, one of the motifs in the play Antigone by Sophocles is the conflicting nature of natural and political law. As demonstrated throughout the play, many characters continually choose between what is right and wrong, often agreeing with contrasting ideas. Usually, they risk or sacrifice their lives and as they stand for what they believe to be right. The willingness to do so shows that indecision and moral dilemma are the prevalent themes in the play. The characters rely on their intelligence to make decisions when they hold conflicting ideas in their minds at the same time.
Work Cited
Sophocles. Antigone. Translated by Ruby Blondell, Hackett Publishing Company, Inc., 2012.