Antigone at her brother's grave, from the Louvre
In the confrontation of Creon and Antigone we see the clash of two absolute principles: the claims of the individual conscience in opposition to the interests of the state. Both of them are absolutely determined to do what they deem right, no matter what the consequences will be. Both of them can be considered as stubborn and perverse. Do you sympathize with Antigone? Or do you think she is stupid and ridiculous? Why is Antigone so obsessed with glory? Should she be? When Creon talks about the gods and the law, is he talking about the same kinds of gods as Antigone does? At the end of the play, do you sympathize with Creaon, or do you think that he is a misogynist dictator who gets what he deserves? How do you choose a side, Creon or Antigone?
37 comments:
Maybe I do not look so deeply inside the play's meaning;however,from my point of view I will choose the side of Antigone.I think Creon consider his country or honor too much,even more then a dead man's dignity.In the past,a man whose body was not buried is a humiliation to him and his family.Antigone insists to against the law to bury Polyneices as Eteocles can be so that both of them can be honored.I think Antigone is not stupid although she knows that she will against the law Creon makes and dies.
I will choose Creon. He wanted to be a standard of their people and, all he did, was follow the law. He shouldn’t be the one to be blame although he was a little bit too strict. I really sympathize with Creon because he lost his wife and son for insistence of the law. I think the glory is hard to be follow and a king can’t take it as the way he rules a country. If a country’s law were all depends on religious, it would be hard to control. I think Creon was a misogynist dictator but it was not what he deserves.
Personally,I think I would side myself with Antigone.Not only is her act glorious,but also compassionate and tolerant.Above all,it is the right thing to do,to pay respect to the dead,regardless of the relationship between you and the deceased.She may seem stubborn and foolish to put her life at risk,but what she did was a demonstration of forgiveness,which is a hard thing to do when it comes to rivalry or conflict.In addition,she represents individualism and the resistance towards patriarchal society.Naturally,what Antigone did becomes a threat to Creon's throne.As a ruler,it's rational for him to think what's best for the people.As a man,his ego is determined never to submit to a woman.In other words,he was blinded by power,that he neglects the "true sound" of the people,the warning of the gods.Eventually,he caused his own doom.Generally,the play taught me the importance of flexibility.Sometimes it may be necessary to stand your ground,in some cases it isn't,it depends on the situation.
I agree with Andy. Creon, a ruler of a kingdom, has no choice but to abide by the law. If even himself didn't obey the law, who else would? Although the author bulit an image of cruelity of Creon, I still think he is not the one to blame. As a ruler of the country, he must play a strict role, or people won't listen to him. Nonetheless, due to his cruelity, he got punishment in the end. I think the author wanted to give us a lesson.
I would like to choose the side of Antigone. Not for the glory but for the blood is thicker than water. I feel uncomfortable if my brother was treated in this way. I also want to try any way to bury him; this is the last thing I can do for him. On the other hand, I sympathize with Creaon too. As Andy said that he was a misogynist dictator but it was not what he deserves. His strictness just want to keep the standard of his country.
After teacher led us to read Hegel’s thesis (Introduction to The Three Theben PlaysP.1457), we knew that there was a duality in the world. First of all, the article showed that some people would choose as Antigone; however, the others would choose as Creon. Second, it showed what kind of mistakes Creon made. For example, he refused Tiresias’, Haemon’s, and Antigone’s suggestions. He looked the national law as the best bible in his mind. Finally, this article showed what’s wrong with Creon, and how did him accept this tragedy. For me, I will choose Antigone, for she refers to a justice girl in that age though she was oppressed in that big society. Nowadays, most of people are afraid of loosing their lives, privilege, or fame. They pursue to do something wrong, and ignore that where their genuine thoughts are.
In my opinion, Antigone merely attempts to secure a respectable burial for her brother Polyneices, even though he was a traitor to Thebes. I think she is a brave woman who loves her family so much that she even not afraid of getting herself killed by doing this－against Creon. The law is a rule that everyone must obey; however, when it has something to do with the moral issue, the standard should be different. Creon insists too much on the only principle, he ignores his son’s and other people’s suggestions. If could changed before Antigone died, maybe the tragedy won’t happened. I won’t say Creon is a misogynist dictator; nevertheless, he deserves it.
In my opinion, Antigone merely attempts to secure a respectable burial for her brother Polyneices, even though he was a traitor to Thebes. I think she is a brave woman who loves her family so much that she was even not afraid of getting herself killed by doing this－against Creon. The law is a rule that everyone must obey; however, when it has something to do with the moral issue, the standard should be different. Creon insists too much on the only principle, he ignores his son’s and other people’s suggestions. If he could changed before Antigone died, maybe the tragedy won’t happened. I won’t say Creon is a misogynist dictator; nevertheless, he deserves it.
I think I will choose the side of Antigone. No matter what the people is before he dead, he had already been punished, and being buried in respect is not an excessive demand. I know that Creon has his own situation and thought, but I think that if he couldn’t forgive others, he would never be happy forever.
I agree Antigone's deed-bury her brother. Thought her brother Polyneices was a traitor to Thebes, he should bury,too. The death is a punishment for him, it's not a good way to pour salt in wound. Creon had his own situation and rule, but I don't think people have to be so cruel to the enemies. Respect of the dead body is human beings' nature and dignity. If we don't forgive others and let the past go, the war and revengeance will still erode our world and spirits.
on’s gods are the city’s patrons and defenders.
I am on Antigone’s side. I think she is very courageous to do what she believe is right. She defends the right of Polynices to proper burial. No matter what he did, to her, he was always her brother. She buried every dead family member on her own hands, so she would do it again for her brother; even though, she would be put to death because of her doing. “I shall be a criminal- but a religious one,” Antigone said. She assures that what she is going to do is right and approved by god below. However, Creon’s belief is different from her belief. They stand for not only individuals but two irreconcilably social and religious positions. While Antigone’s chief loyalty is to her family, Creon’s loyalty is to the state. He views loyalty to the state as the only valid criterion. Furthermore, they both act in the name of gods, but they are different gods. Antigone worships the god below- Hades. However, Creon’s gods are the city’s patrons and defenders.
I think I would choose Antigone, for Ceron ignore one's dignity. In the history of that time, it is very improtant to buried corpse properly or it just like a humiliation. And I think Ceron put too much emphasis on his country, he forgot the basic principle of human beings. It is not so important sometimes that country is everything. I consider Antigone is so courageous that she persist on buring Polyneices, and try her best to protect one's dignity no matter she could dead.
I think I'm on the side of Antigone. Indeed, that's a very dangerous action. The law says clearly that her brother can not be buried. Her sister doesn't want to help because she's scared, and she also tries to stop Antigone from doing this. I think Antigone is a symbol of not afraid of those who are powerful and have great influnce on big things. When one wants to do something, he or she will be effected by the environment or the trend of the era, especially the thing he or she wants to do is not acceptable or no one has ever done that.
Although I agree with the bravery and justice of Antigone's deeds, I sympathize with Creon. He was not like Antigone; he was totally not aware of (or he was so stubborn that he don't want to believe in) his tragedy that he was going to have after the decision of strictly following the law. It is kind of a satire that the reason why Antigone fought against Creon was for her unburied brother-her family member; however, Creon was doomed to lose his son and wife due to the denial of Antigone's quest.
I would choose the side of Antigone. I don’t think that she do this is for gory; she just do thing that she should do. Dead people should be buried is an unalterable principle; what’s more, the dead people is her dear brother. If I am her, I think that I would also try my best to let my dear brother sleep peacefully underground. I also think that Creaon is really a stubborn and cruel person but not a misogynist dictator. If he is a misogynist dictator, he would not feel painful for his wife’s suicide. He just hates the people who violate the national laws, no matter that people is a man or a woman.
Both of Antigone and Creon stick to their ideas, but I think I am more on Antigone's side. Although Polyneices was unwise to join enemy country, the punishment for him is too severe. The law was not such a proper one. It's sorrowful and insulting for the death's family. After Antigone and other people's persuasion, Creon still act his own way. It's a pity that Antigone didn't stay alive.
In the drama of Antigone, it offers a big dilemma between Creon and Antigone. Creon is the person who just follows his rule, and he has to do it if he wants to govern his country. However, Antigone is the woman who wants to let her brothers have the safe and good burial, which is concerned about the relationship of family. Who do I have to choose? This is very difficult because they have their own situation, and they are right when standing in each other’s shoes. Eventually, I will choose to approve Antigone because I have to fight for my family member’s power. There is no reason for me to watch one of my family members to be insulted by others, and I have to protect everyone’s dignity. Besides it, the king of the country should listen to his people’s voices. If he can not listen to them, people will not have the confidence to him, and they maybe do not want to listen to him. So, combing those reasons, I will approve Antigone to do.
In this story, I felt Creon is a little bit insane and was blinded by power. He didn't want his power being exploit, especially by a woman. I can understand the will of him to be fair, didn't want ot be changed and influenced, and wanted to maintain the balance; however, it was kind of strict and over thus made me little bit angry. It was like paranoid to me. Maybe Creon should have put himself in Antigone's shoe and think whether he would do the same thing and have same reaction if he faces the same problem. Sometimes people have no choice but to make mistake especially problems about family. I would choose to be Antigone's side.
I think I will stand on Antigone's side. Like teacher mentiond, she and Creon are all stubborn and can do anything to complete what thry think right. For Antigone, she know that she will be killed if she bury her relatives. But she still do it,and do it so hard. I think her spirit is good.
I think the reason why Antigone is obsessed with glory is because she actually has the similiar common point with Creaon. Both of them consider that their own belief are the most rightful one, but they are standing in opposition to each other. The result that two people have conflict in concepts cause the tragedy. Creaon insists that the trailor should not be buried
while Antiogone want to bury her brother because of love. However, I will side myself with Antigone for I can't ignore that the people I love are humiliated. Her courage to against the whole city and Creaon for her brother is something i really admire.
As far as I’m concerned, I don’t think that Antigone is stupid and ridiculous. She is so brave to persist to bury his brother- Polyneices’s corpse even though it would violate Creon’s decree. She buried Polynecies is due to the act that not just he is her brother , but she also want to obey the rituals of burying people which have existed for a long time; that is, she is loyalty to Hades, the great god of underworld. Nevertheless, Creon is loyalty to the states that make him insist to the law which he decrees, no one can’t break it . At first, I think that Creon is a tyrant because he is so violent to put Antigone to death, but when I see his son and wife both all died in the end, I sympathize with him. He loses his all families inasmuch as he executes Antigone and ignore the power of “Hades”. If I can choose a side, I would take a option to stand by Antigone ,for I think that the dead should bury in the ground , it is to express the respect the dead.
In fact, I have no exact answers to these questions. Of course, I sympathize with Antigone because she just wants to hold a decent funeral for her brother, who is her family, and I think it shows her admirable persistence of love. On the other hand, even though the writer of this play tends to depict Creon as an evil king, but I think he is also worth sympathy. As the king of the state, it is his duty for himself to stick to the law of the state. However, he is so stubborn that he has been refusing to give up his principle, which makes his son and wife suicide successively. At last, although he eventually starts to regret, everything is too late. Besides, Antigone and Creon don’t refer to the same gods. Antigone refers to the god, below-Hades, while the gods referred to by Creon are the patrons and the defenders of the state.
From my own point of view, i will choose Antigone for she respected the dead and had a compassionate heart. In contrast, Creon take his glory and nation for the to the first place, and he did humiliated the dead and his family. We need to know that the dead had its own dinity, and it is the most ignoble thing to humuliate the dead. He should got his own respection no matter how bad he is.
In my opinion, I will choose the side of Antigone, because I think she is brave and dare to insist her principle no matter what kind of consequence will be in the end. I don’t think she is stupid or ridiculous, in fact, I think she does the right thing. If I were Antigone, I also hope my brother can be buried, which is the last right of the dead people. Although he is the traitor of Thebes, he also can have the right to be buried instead of exposing in the wild. I will sympathize Creaon, because I think he is the very unfortunate man in the end of the story. His wife and his son all die and cuesing him when they commit suicide. How miserable of that kind of situation.
I think it is really hard to choose what side I am on, for both sides show theier reasons for the action they made. Thoguh Antigone might be stubborn in certain ways, I still admire her persistence and braveness when encountering authority. For Creon, I felt sorry for him at the end. At least, what he had done is just to fulfill a king's responsibility. He also paid a lot by losing those he love.
There are many dramas we have heard before . The play “Antigone” seems to have the qualification being one of the classical quintessence in the Greek myths .When I finished the reading , a big despair enveloped me for few minutes . In my thoughts , Antigone is brave and Creon is autocratic . But after reading it , I also feel sad about what happened to Creon and have some questions of Antigone’s deeds . Everyone has the rights to choose which principle to follow . Whether it is correct or wrong , we will fight for what we believe . Somehow on the road of chasing we always get hurt , to others also to ourselves . In my situation I am in Antigone’s side , I just can’t agree with Creon’s behavior . It is too ruthless to treat a dead person . No matter what rule he depends on , it is too miserable to think twice .
I am on Antigone's side and I am really appreciate her braveness, and I think Creon is really an unresonable king. I really can not understand why he insist on forbiding Antigone to bury her brother. I think he should learn to stand in others' shoes instead of being so stubborn. He can not blame anyone bot himself for his fate because it is he who cause the tragedy.
I think I would choose Creon’s side because everyone should obey the law. Laws are the representative of the king the early time and should not be broken easily. If no one obeys the basic rule of a nation, then that nation may not exist for a long time because people may not listen to king while the law is not convinced by the people. As a leader of a country, this is the only thing I can do.
Antigone might seems more on the right track, but Creon, as a king that all his people look upon, has no choice but to just those who rebel against the law. This is a true tragic as both sides took the wrong turn, which create a tragic flow among the characters. Creon could use a little more mercy, and Antigone could be a little softer on her attitude. The problem is generated from both side, but I will still give Antigone credits as she is powerless in compare to Creon.
I think I will choose the side of Antigone because the man she wants to bury is her brother and most important of all, he's dead, there is no need that Creon has to be tough on his body. Perhaps Creon could be sort of kind to let his sister, Antigone, bury the body. Since by doing so, he can win the respect from Antigone, and his people may appreciate what a merciful king that they have even though how their king treat the trayer and they would be much loyal to the king.
I think I will choose the side of Antigone because she is a brave and strong-minded woman. She insist on her opinion and she doesn’t afraid of Creon. I also think Creon is stubborn and he doesn’t have kindness at all. If he can stand on Antigone’s shoes to think her situation, maybe the result will change.
As a king of the country, Creon forbid people to bury Polyneices; on the other hand, Antigone is Polyneices’s sister, she couldn’t treat her brother like someone she didn’t know. However, Creon acted like a stubborn old man, he considered himself as a symbol of endless power. Even his son tried to persuade to him, Creon didn’t give Haemon a chance to talk like father and son. He didn’t afraid of death until he saw the dead body of his son, he was too concentrate on being a ruler of a country. In the end, Creon became a sad lonely king without the company of his son and wife, because he wanted to set up his absolute power.
This is my first time to comprehend this story. From my point of view, I think that I don’t choose any side of Creon or Antigone. On the other hand, I consider that maybe I would be both of them if I was in this situation. I admire Antigone’s courage. No matter she knows that she will be executed as long as she buries his brother, she still insists on her will. It’s not stupid or ridiculous; however, I taste the gallantry deeply. Provided that I was her, I wonder that I can confront the mighty power and death. I agree with her that she’s under the impression about her attitude toward family. Because she deems that parents and brother are more important than husband and son, it is the reason why she holds fast on the rite of her brother’s burial even though she has to exchange the glory to death. It is worth, so I won’t think about the layer of sympathy. And about Creon, I don’t think he is wrong, either. Because he just does what he have to do as a king. His job is to maintain the law of the land. Even if Antigone is her daughter-in-law, I believe that it is necessary to punish her. The way of putting death on Antigone is right; however, we can’t decide other people’s thoughts and reactions about this decree. Finally, Creon loses his wife and son, but I think the only thing he can do is to bear and accept. He is a liege lord, so he should put his emotions and family behind the people. That is always the king ought to do and the responsibility he takes upon. Just like teacher said, although it is a tragedy, we can be affected by the function of catharsis. Not choosing which side I agree with, but to stride across the time and space to touch the blood running in their pulse and introspect myself. This is the reason I love this class so much. I really benefit a lot from your class. Thank you very much, professor. = )
Ned says...
howdily doodily,
I must side with Creon as whilst Antigone's plight is a valid one, the body of her brother was being used as a message to prevent treason with other citizens within the city. Creon was doing what he must to prevent further treason in the city, and whilst overzealous in his nature he acted upon his duties as a king. But he should have been a better nieghbourino and let him be buried after the message was received.
Homer says
Stupid flanders is wrong.
Antigone was the better person
In Antigone, it is often questioned whose interpretation of the law is the most valid. The answer to this all depends on how a reader looks at it. In the sense of positivism, Creon’s interpretation would be correct because positivism is the law of the ruler. The natural law proves Antigone’s interpretation to be correct. The natural law is a law that follows the morals and beliefs of a person or culture. Each of the characters believe that their interpretation of the law is correct leading to conflict.
Creon is the king of an ancient Greek society. He must decide what is right and wrong for both him and his people. He decides to leave the nephew who was cast out by the previous king, King Eteocles, to remain unburied and “left for the dogs and birds” (11-12). He does this to show what happens to those who betray the throne. His decision to do this upholds the law under the ruler. Creon believes that the know that he is fit to rule unless he upholds the laws that were set in place prior to him no matter his relation to the dead (9). By following this law, Creon upholds the law of positivism which is the law of the ruler (document 1).
Antigone’s view of the law is different from Creon’s. She believes in the natural law which is the law of nature/ God (document 1). This means that the law is to be moral and just. Antigone decides to go against the new rule. Antigone states that she commits a crime in doing what is right, and she is lead to bury her brother through her moral justification (4). Antigone believed strongly in the natural law that was created by the the gods in which they were not written but should remain forever (21-22). She also believes that her brother should be shown the same respect as any man, because that was the law the gods created (1, 3). Respect was to be shown to all people who were created equally.
Through reading Antigone, the conflict can clearly be seen. It is the written law verse that which is unwritten and ancient. The characters, Antigone and Creon, do not see eye to eye on which to follow. Those who go against the written law will punished for their crimes. However, those who go against the natural law are not doing what is morally and ethically right.
If Creon ever wrote a letter (hypothetical) asking Antigone for forgiveness, on what basis (reasons) would Creon propose an argument to gain forgives
Please I need this for an assignment
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