"My nails are broken, my fingers are bleeding, my arms are covered with the welts left by the paws of your guards "but I am a queen!-(Anouilh 14). Creon became angry that a woman questioned his sovereignty and condemned her to death even though she was the daughter of his sister, Jocasta. Creon believed that if he did not follow through on his word, the people of Thebes would not respect his authority as king. Thus, Creon's nationalistic values clash with Antigone's ethical values to make conflicting roles. .
Creon, being a new king, wanted to prove his abilities as a firm, strong administrator. He wanted to be respected and feared as a king because this would prove him to be the ultimate authorative figure in Thebes, standing for obedience to the State. This extreme dominance directly conflicts with Antigone's bold unwomanly challenge to Creon's authority. Creon made many statements insulting womankind. He used Antigone to set an example for the entire city of Thebes, because Antigone was the first person to ever deliberately disobey Creon's orders (not to bury her late brother, who has been declared a traitor of the city). "Imagine it: I caught her naked rebellion, the traitor, the only one in the whole city. I'm not about to prove myself a liar, not to my people, no, I'm going to kill her!-(lines 731-734). Creon refuses to compromise or humble himself before others especially a woman. He states, "Better to fall from power, if fall we must, at the hands of a man-never to be rated inferior to a woman, never- (759-761). Antigone does not give Creon respect for the fact that he is a man in a patriarchal society or because he is king. In fact, Antigone argues an equality of the sexes, as well as their equality under God.
In the prologue, Antigone tells Ismene that she will take action pertaining to their brother, whether or not Ismene agrees to partake in the activity. Antigone, persuades her to help bury their brother, "He is my brother and-deny it as you will- your brother too- (Theban, lines 55-56; pt.