The chorus, a group of common people who follow the actions of the play
Antigone, waver in their support of either Antigone or Creon, depending on
their actions during a particular part of the story-line. Early in the
play it is evident that they are extremely pro-Creon, but a short time
later they seem to sway into the direction of Antigone and support her
actions. This incongruency about the them, however, was an extremely
interesting feature of this Sophocles drama, causing the reader to
question the reliability of the chorus.
The opening
lines from the chorus merely inform the reader about the war which had
just taken place between Thebes and Argos. Their last lines of this
opening choral passage, however, introduced king Creon, making him seem
quite noble yet mysterious to his loyal subjects. They state such
questions as: "what new plan will he launch?" and "Why this sudden call
to the old men summoned at one command?" (Lines 175-178) These lines are
utilized by Sophocles as a suspenseful introduction to Creon's orders
concerning the body of Polynices.
Nikiforos Lytras, Antigone in front of the dead Po...
Cadmus Sowing the Dragon's teeth, by Maxfield Parr...
Antigone And The Body Of Polynices - Project Guten...The chorus's next appearance blatantly
shows their biased attitudes against Antigone and her exiled father
Oedipus. At this point they still sing praise for King Creon and his
unwavering decisions concerning the law which was placed upon the city
regarding the body of Polynices: "When he weaves in the laws of the land,
and the justice of the gods that binds his oaths together, he and his
city rise high--but the city casts out that man who weds himself to
inhumanity thanks to reckless daring. Never share my hearth never think
my thoughts, whoever does such things." (Lines 409-416) In my opinion
the man laying down the law here is Creon and Antigone is the...