Antigone Analysis
5-2-13
It isn’t uncommon for people to challenge society for what they believe in. For example, in day to day life, Society says to not stone your wife if she has an affair, while the Bible says that it is alright. In Antigone by Saphocles, Antigone was right to disobey Creon by burying her brother, because she knew that he deserved the same rights as everyone else, despite the fact that he went against Creon’s rulings. Creon decided that Polyneices wouldn't be allowed to be buried because he fought against him in the war instead of joining his side. While trying to convince Antigone that he was a bad person, he said “An enemy can never be a friend, not even in death” (302. 607). But Antigone stayed persistent and claimed “Hades still desires equal rites for both” (301. 592). She was trying to prove that the Gods’ Laws were the more powerful than Creon’s, and that he was being unjust. After not listening to Antigone, he decided he was going to take her to die, despite the wishes of his son, Haemon, and her sister Ismene. “In the farthest corner of the tomb, we saw Antigone hanging by the neck” (322. 1358-59). Antigone killed herself in the cave where Creon placed her. When she was found, Haemon killed himself with a sword because he couldn’t bear the thought that his fiancé was dead. After Haemon was found, his mother killed herself because she couldn’t bear losing her son. All in all, Creon was the cause of every death that took place. Antigone fought to the death for the right of her brother and she still didn’t even get what she wished. Creon killed an innocent girl, and a loving family, for the sake of being right. But towards the end, he began to pile on guilt because he knew he was the cause of all the pain. “Everything I touch goes wrong, and on my head, fate climbs up with it’s overwhelming load” (325. 1489-90). The chorus in Antigone stated, “The most important part of true success is wisdom” (325. 1501-02). Creon thought he was wise, when he really was reckless and had high expectations that everyone would follow him. In society, it quite frequently happens. Just because someone thinks they are right, and tries to tell you they are, doesn’t mean you should believe them. Fight for what you believe in, even if you don’t get what you want in the end. You can always say that you tried. Antigone stood up for what she believed in, and she didn’t give up, even when obstacles got in the way.
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