Behind The Mind of Antigone
In Antigone by Sophocles, two characters go to the extreme in standing behind their beliefs. Unfortunately going to the extreme can lead to costly and tragic mistakes. Antigone discovers this first hand when fate takes its ultimate toll. Antigone, like many people, has hundreds of traits that define her character. These traits decide her fate, and push her towards certain doom. However, only two of her traits are major factors in deciding Antigone's fate. Her loyalty and respect for others, though normally admirable, are her main character flaws because they drive her to certain death.
Antigone has strong bonds to her family, which was not unheard of in ancient Greece. However, Antigone's family is dead except for Ismene and her uncle Creon. Moreover, Creon and Antigone are locked in an emotional battle over what they perceive as right and wrong. Antigone believes her loyalty to Polyneices and the gods is more important than obeying Creon's laws.
Nikiforos Lytras, Antigone in front of the dead Po...
Cadmus Sowing the Dragon's teeth, by Maxfield Parr...
Sarus Crane (Grus antigone). Français : Grue Anti..."... but Polyneices, who fought as bravely and died as miserably - they say that Creon has sworn no one shall bury him, no one mourn for him" (Prologue. 17-20. 1022). In this passage the reader see that Antigone is questioning Creon's ideals, and his laws. "... but I will bury him; and if I must die, I say this crime is holy I shall lie down with him in death" (Prologue. 55-56.1023). Antigone shows her loyalty to Polyneices with her words, but she also shows her loyalty to the Gods by saying, "...I will bury him." And "...this crime is holy." The reason this shows her loyalty is because during ancient times to bury the corpse was a holy act and if a person did not bury the corpse you would be defying the...