Character Motivations in Antigone - 745 Words

The main characters in Sophocles’ drama, Antigone, are Antigone herself, the play’s tragic heroine and Antigone’s uncle and King of Thebes, Creon. Both characters are ruled by powerful motivations and beliefs; however, they differ from one character to the next. Antigone’s motivation is love for her family- she puts it above all else. In fact, she is willing to sacrifice her life to defend that love. Antigone goes to great lengths to bury her deceased brother, who according to an edict issued by King Creon, died in dishonor, consequently making it illegal for anyone to bury his body. Through her actions to comply with her motivations, it is revealed that Antigone’s actions are also fueled by her strong beliefs that, first, the gods’ laws†¦show more content†¦For these reasons, his character is a feared leader. First of all, the fact that he issues that his nephew cannot be buried shows that- one, he demands loyalty, even over loyalty to the gods, and two, he defends his country over his family. He continues displaying his beliefs when he doesn’t revoke the edict even after his wife, and niece clearly disagree with it. Creon’s pride continues to take precedent when he begins falsely accusingShow Mo reRelatedThe Conflict Between Nature Versus Human Institution937 Words   |  4 PagesAntigone by Sophocles is a play that has lasted through the ages because of its underlying meaning that can still be applied today in conflicts such as parents who choose to not vaccinate their children. It is a conflict between nature versus human institution. Throughout this play one notices there is no clear hero. The basic conflict in Antigone came about by a disagreement between two brothers in a royal family in Thebes, Eteocles and Polynices, Eteocles being the older brother. Antigone and IsmeneRead MoreEssay on Haimons Covert Scheme1021 Words   |  5 Pages nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Haimon has a certain tendency to be overlooked in Sophocles’ Antigone. At first he appears to be a minor character, an accessory to the overt conflict occurring between Kreon and Antigone. We see Haimon supporting his father, but soon thereafter in conflict with him. Haimon expresses disregard for the l ife of his cold bride to be, yet is defined as being driven by lust. Several questions come up: who does Haimon really support, what drives his actions, and what is hisRead MoreAntigone Feminist Analysis1622 Words   |  7 PagesAntigone, a Greek tragedy pertaining to the events following the deaths of Eteocles and Polynices, Oedipus’ sons, due to a conflict over power. Upon the death of both children their uncle Creon takes the throne of Thebes for himself and declares Polynices a traitor to the state and withheld his burial rights from him. Antigone choose to disobey Creon’s decree and bury her bother. Sophocles’ play has been a long treasure piece of literature throughout the ages; sparking many papers and debates fromRead MoreEssay about Women Behaving Like Men in Antigone, Electra, and Medea842 Words   |  4 PagesWomen Behaving Like Men in Antigone, Electra, and Medea Throughout Antigone, Electra, and Medea, many double standards between men and women surface. These become obvious when one selects a hero from these plays, for upon choosing, then one must rationalize his or her choice. The question then arises as to what characteristics make up the hero. How does the character win fame? What exactly is excellent about that character? These questions must be answered in order to choose a heroRead MoreSophocles Antigone : The Third Of The Three Theban Tragic Plays1106 Words   |  5 PagesSophocles’s play, Antigone is the third of the three Theban tragic plays and was written around 440 B.C. and is still well known today. Sophocles s play Antigone tells a tragic story about family honor and a sister’s love for her brothers. After Antigone’s two brothers, Polynices and Eteocles died in battle, Creon became the new leader of Thebes. Creon orders that Eteocles have a proper burial while Polynices’s body remain u nburied, simply left to rot. Antigone refuses to let her brother’s bodyRead MoreAntigone Character Analysis1422 Words   |  6 Pages Antigone, the final play in a series including Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, discusses the ideas of leadership, family, and choices. It features two central characters: Antigone, a girl who chooses to illegally bury her brother, and Creon, a king who decrees the burial of the brother to be illegal. Upon the first encounter of the text, it appears that Antigone is the â€Å"hero† of the play, but on further analysis, one realizes that the tragic hero, as defined by Aristotle, is actually Creon. The ideaRead MoreThe Personal Dilemmas Of Creon Vs. Antigone920 Words   |  4 Pageslovers lie endlessly, caught in the web of duty.† - Stephen King (brainyquotes.com). In Sophocles’ Antigone as well as Anouilh’s version of the play duty versus personal motives is a very significant theme that heavily contributes to the outcome of the character’s actions. The two protagonists, in both plays, Creon and Antigone are aware of the negative consequences of their actions. Creon and Antigone both believe that they are correct within their arguments, regardless of their knowledge of the repercussionsRead MoreEssay on Creon As The Tragic Hero In Antigone602 Words   |  3 Pages Sophocles’ Antigone is, without a doubt, one of the greatest tragedies ever written. There are many questions that somebody could ask about this work, but this one intrigues me the most: Who is the tragic hero? Could it be Antigone? Or could it be Creon? Antigone might be the name of the tragedy, but I believe that Creon is the winning candidate. His role in the plot of this tragedy, his sensible tragic fault, and his dynamic character are the obvious reasons why I chose him as the tragic heroRead MoreAntigone: Sophocles and Creon839 Words   |  4 PagesCreon and Antigone are both honorable people and yet, both are fatally proud and that is the source of the tragedy. To what extent do you agree? During the time of Ancient Greece, tragic plays were commonly used to deliver a moral message to their audience. Sophocles’ â€Å"Antigone† demonstrates the dangers of hubris and the disaster it can cause using the conflict between the two central characters, Antigone and Creon, as the basis of the tragedy. Although they are honourable in their own differentRead MoreCreon Vs Antigone Essay911 Words   |  4 Pagesgoing to write about Creon versus Antigone. They both have strong character as Gender, Agency and State, laws. . Antigone is a woman who has a strong character that challenges the king Creon law in order to obey her beliefs. On other hand, Creon is effectively manufactured, however a fatigued and wrinkled man enduring the weights of running the show. A viable man, he immovably separates himself from the awful yearnings of Oedipus and his line. As he tells Antigone, his lone intrigue is in political