Sunday 12 July 2015

At the end of Antigone, who deserves more sympathy, Antigone or Creon?

Naturally, most people's sympathy would be with Antigone. She was the one who ultimately did the right thing by honoring her brother and, by extension, the gods. She is the play's tragic heroine, after all. And like all tragic heroes or heroines, she's brought to grief by forces beyond her control.


For much of the play, it's hard to have any kind of sympathy for Creon. He's stubborn, arrogant, pig-headed, and heartless. He's so full...

Naturally, most people's sympathy would be with Antigone. She was the one who ultimately did the right thing by honoring her brother and, by extension, the gods. She is the play's tragic heroine, after all. And like all tragic heroes or heroines, she's brought to grief by forces beyond her control.


For much of the play, it's hard to have any kind of sympathy for Creon. He's stubborn, arrogant, pig-headed, and heartless. He's so full of overweening pride that he can't see the damage he's doing to his city, his family, and his relationship with the gods. Yet by the end of the play his whole life is in ruins. His son and wife have both killed themselves because of him, and his belated decision to relent and allow Polynices's body to be finally buried is too little, too late and shows a complete lack of judgement.


On a personal level, it's difficult not to feel a slight twinge of sympathy for Creon as he cradles the bleeding corpse of Haemon in his arms. Yet at the same time, we must also bear in mind that Creon, unlike Antigone, is entirely the architect of his own downfall. From the perspective of both the gods and the audience, Creon got what was coming to him.

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