Sophocles Antigone: Polynices Character Analysis

Creonʻs punishment for Antigone did not only affect her, but also everyone who was involved in the situation, including Creon. Creonʻs punishment for Antigone was not justified for three reasons: Antigoneʻs love for her family being put first, Creon is trying to prove himself, and Antigoneʻs beliefs.

She made a big impact on her society and family. She was the strongest one out of her family but she still had to die. It was for a reason but the community needed her. Her sister was willing to die with her, Haimon died by fighting for her, and she died by letting Creon know what he did to his own family. He did not want to bury his own nephew, he wanted to kill Antigone for burying Polyneices, and tried to kill his own brother because the kingdom had a curse on it.

In questioning, Antigone uncovers that she knew her actions went against Creon’s orders, but she could not disobey the Gods “because [she] feared a man” (459-460). To maintain his power in reign, Creon determines Ismene guilty by association (488-489) and demands the sisters be sentenced to death promptly. Ismene, who refused to participate in the burial, attempted to persuade Creon to let Antigone and herself free. She pulls on Creon’s heart by speaking of his beloved son, Haemon, “‘but she is Haemon’s bride--and can you kill her?’ . . . ‘[she is] the only one so joined in love with him’” (568-570).

Antigone had two brothers who were killed. One of her brothers, Polynices, was ordered by Creon to not be buried and anyone who attempted to bury him would be sentenced to death. Knowing this, Antigone still risks her life and buries her brother. In ancient greek times the burial of someone was considered very sacred, so as one may guess this caused a great problem.

Justice is a concept that is based on moral values and ethics; so it’s different for everyone. In the play, Antigone, the connection between justice and controversy presents itself in numerous situations, as the debated hero Antigone makes decisions that isn’t exactly agreed with. The story begins with Antigone and her sister, Ismene returning to the city of Thebes in hope to help their brothers, Eteocles and Polynices avoid the prophecy that they will kill each other. They discover that they have arrived too late, and both brothers are dead and Antigone’s uncle, Kreon, has taken the throne to Thebes. The first problem starts when Antigone discovers that Eteocles has received a proper burial, but Polyneices has been denied of such and left to the vultures; all under the order of Kreon.

Antigone shows this when she makes the decision to bury her brothers body, and Juliet when she decides to fake her death. These girls have beliefs contrary to those that they are surrounded with and taught in everyday society. Love clouds the judgement of Juliet when she considers how life could be if she stayed with her family, and she decides it would make the most sense to fake her death to live happily with him. Antigone buries the body of her brother Polynices, and her safety is compromised by this act of love and respect for the Gods and her family. Their male partners have a critical role in these stories and character’s lives as well.

In lines 599 to 601, Creon’s states that, due to his selfishness and stubbornness, he will not allow a woman, that woman being Antigone, to change his mind and defy his judgement. He declares that, if Antigone chooses to not change her ways, she will be killed, as to not waver from his own decree. Antigone therefore dies as a result of Creon’s insufferable and ignorant ruling, causing her to suffer at Creon’s hand. Creon’s ruling for the murder of Antigone also causes Haemon to suffer. Creon finds Haemon, in his last moments, mourning the loss of Antigone, “now among the dead, his father’s work,” as described by the messenger in line 1364.

In the play, Antigone, Sophocles reveals a story of a character who responds significantly to an injustice. After a war between brothers’ Eteocles and Polyneices, both brothers are slain, but Creon, Antigone’s uncle, refused to bury Polyneices due to him fighting against the city. Antigone, the main character, decides to bury her brother against Creon’s orders, resulting in a conflict between the already cursed family. With the unjust refusal from Creon to not bury Polyneices, Antigone decides to stand up against this injustice, even if it means losing her life. Sophocles writes about a stubborn Antigone who believes she is following God’s law, in order to create justice between the cursed family and solve the unjust created by Creon, to

During this time, the belief that Antigone had was that if one was not awarded a proper burial, they are never truly laid to rest. Since she went against Creon and buried her brother, she was executed. If she hadn’t

Lady Macbeth was feeble and let her guilt drive her to the point of insanity and suicide, unlike her husband, who was determined to die fighting. As Macbeth fights Macduff in the final battle, he cowardly says he does not want to fight him because he already killed his family, “But get thee back; my soul is too much charged/With blood of thine already.”

Throughout Sophocles’ tragic play, Antigone, main characters King Kreon and Antigone dramatically argue without compromise over the burial of recently deceased brother of Antigone, Polyneices. Antigone, while attempting to mourn for her family, symbolically buries Polyneices, going against the King’s decree (93-100). Out of anger, and an effort to establish his power, Kreon sentences her to an undeserving death just because she decided to respect her kin (441-496). In this case, I sympathize with Antigone more than Kreon because she peacefully acts on her beliefs knowing the consequences at stake. It takes a lot to stand up for what you believe in, especially knowing that the outcome will not bode well for you.

" It has come to our notice that the war between Polyneices and Eteocles has angered the people of Thebes and has led Antigone to go against her uncle Creon the King. The new law states that Polyneices is to not have a burial, that no man is to touch him or say the least prayer for him." As soon as the law was established Antigone was infuriated. Antigone decided to tell Ismene her plan, she was not going to be stopped even if she died in the process of honoring her brother. Ismene was starting to think that her sister was going mad and wished to not be a part of her actions.

The leader, Adam Susan was a prominent figure in the society and killing him proved that she was not just the damsel in distress that everyone thought her to be. She never let go of her marriage, which was seen on page 227, book three when she looked at the picture of Mr. Almond and her which proved that she did not move on from his death. Most of her actions that she did were because her husband and she did them in her his name because he risked everything for the leader when he joined them after the war. Before the war he loved her and cared about other people, but after the war he changed. Rosemary was angry at Adam Susan because she believed he was responsible for her husband’s death.

In the play, Antigone, by Sophocles, Polyneices and Eteocles, have killed each other and Creon orders Eteocles to have an honored burial while Polyneices is to be left without a burial. Antigone tells Ismene, who are both sisters of Polyneices and Eteocles, that they must bury Polyneices, Ismene tells her she can not so Antigone buries Polyneices alone in defiance to the state laws. Creon and Antigone have conflicting values. Creon holds the laws of the city higher even when other beliefs state otherwise.

In Antigone by Sophocles, the main character, whom the play is named for, is faced with a difficult situation. Both Antigone's brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices, have died. Eteocles died defending Thebes and Polyneices died attacking it. King Creon, Antigone's uncle, forbade the burial of Polyneices because of his attack on Thebes. The King poclaimed an edict to refuse the burial of Polyneices on pain of death.