Sophocles’ Antigone is a classic tragedy depicting the heartrending effects of power, pride, and deception in a family cursed by fate. With the heated conflict between Antigone and Creon at hand, it’s easy for one to view the situation as a battle between good and evil; two dissimilar and contrasting personas. I, on the other hand, believe that it is the ironically similar personalities of Antigone and Creon that is the ultimate cause of the bitter standoff between the two.
First of all and most noticeably, both Creon and Antigone have the unfortunate character flaw of obstinacy. They are so centered on their own motives that they are deaf to all reason articulated by the other characters in the story. Ismene pleads her logical argument to Antigone and warns her of the legal implications at stake and the excessive risk being taken. Likewise, Haimon
expresses to Creon his belief that what Antigone did is no crime and informs him that the public shares his belief. To no surprise, neither Antigone nor Creon pays heed to any of the countless warnings that emerge throughout their conflict. Antigone is driven by her strong emotions to give her brother a proper burial in spite of the ramifications that lie ahead. Creon, in the same way, feels that an act of mercy will undermine his image as a stern and unyielding ruler.
As you can see, the face-off between Antigone and Creon is not caused by a traditional struggle between “good” and “evil”. Sadly, it is a stalemate clouded by lost family ties and fueled by traits that they so paradoxically share.
Similar to their stubbornness is Antigone and Creon’s second shared attribute; excessive pride. This motif is ubiquitous throughout this great work of Soph
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