CREON: - I have no use for him, either. I call god to witness that if I saw .
my country headed for ruin, I should not afraid to speak out .
plainly; and I need hardly remind you that I would never have .
any dealings with an enemy of people. No one values .
friendship more highly than I (926).
Antigone defends her brother Polynices because he was a part of her family. But it is this loyalty that makes her disloyal to her king, Creon. The guard is frightened for his life. Creon gets angry with him. According to Kirkwood, we see "Creon's impatience his futile anger at his report, and his immediate suspicion of bribery and self-confidence- (123). It seems that Creon is a man of smaller stature than at first he appears. However, Creon's respect for the law is not deliberately mean. He thinks that Polynices should not be buried because he was a traitor to king Creon of Thebes. Loyalty to the state should be held above family loyalty.
In Scene III, we see a contrast between Creon and his son Haimon. Their words illustrate the lack of true affection between them. They are farther apart in feeling than family ties would dictate. Haimon's words may be motivated by anger over Creon's edict about Antigone, but Haimon's first words are conciliatory. "I am your son, father. You are my guide. You make things clear for me, and I obey you. No marriage means more to the than your continuing wisdom- (936). Creon begins on the same tack and praises his son's wisdom, but as this scene continues, we see Creon show contempt for those who disobey the law, including his own son Haimon.
Before Antigone leaves with the guard, we see another contrast. Antigone begins to experience the isolation of one without emotional support, such as from a fiancé, or even divine beliefs. She knows she is right and that she is doing the moral things, but she wonders if it is worth the loneliness and isolation she has imposed on herself.
In Antigone, by Sophcles, Antigone's pride her life that much more badly. ... Antigone's pride is a great thing that leads her to death. ... Antigone knew she was going to die and never cried over this fate because of her pride. ... In Antigone, Antigone shows tragic heroism by her tragic flaw, pride. ... All of these elements meet in the middle and make Antigone a great hero and an even better tragic hero. ...