The Deaths of Antigone and Creon

Antigone and Creon are the main characters of the play Antigone written by Sophocles.   Antigone is the daughter of Oedipus, who was a major figure of ancient Greek myth.   Oedipus accidentally killed his father and married his mother.   Because of that act, Oedipus ended up cursing his family and died a horrible death.   After his death, his sons inherited his kingdom and in a power struggle ended up killing each other.   One of the sons, Polynices attacked the city to try and claim power from his brother.   But since both of the brothers died and the city was not taken Polynices was labeled as a traitor whereas the other brother who died defending the city was celebrated as a hero.   Creon decreed at the beginning of the play Antigone that no one was to bury the body of traitorous Polynices.   Antigone felt that it was here responsibility to bury the body because he was still a member of her family.   This led to a huge argument with Creon who felt he shouldn’t be crossed because he was the leader of the state.   Eventually both Creon and Antigone are destroyed by the gods (and by each other) through their own actions.



Antigone is a powerful character, strong-willed, determined and at times self-righteous.   She is contrasted by her sister Ismene, who is weak and powerless.   Though Antigone is a powerful character, she has no real political power and is dominated by one man, Creon.   Creon is both the ruler of the state as well as the patriarch of her family.   Antigone was raised by Creon’s house after her own father went in to exile.   Antigone is betrothed to Creon’s son, Haemon, further cementing Creon’s power over her.   There is one aspect of life that Antigone does have legitimate power in and that is her family, especially her blood line.   In ancient-Greek culture the women’s place was in the home, she was responsible for household things and often wasn’t even allowed to leave the house.   It is because of this responsibility that Antigone needed to...