Antigone is a play written by Sophocles that tells the story of a young girl who is willing to risk everything in order to defend her family’s honour. Antigone is faced with a difficult decision – she can either betray her brother or disobey the king – and she ultimately chooses to stand by her family.
Even though Antigone knows that she could be punished for her actions, she is still willing to risk everything in order to protect her brother’s memory. Antigone believes that it is more important to honour her family than to obey the king, and she is willing to accept the consequences for her actions.
Antigone’s loyalty to her family is admirable, and it serves as a reminder of the importance of family ties. Antigone’s story is a powerful reminder that family loyalty should never be underestimated.
The playwright clearly feels that loyalty to one’s family outweighs obeying the law, as shown by his choice. Franz Kafka’s novella “Metamorphosis” focuses on Gregor Samsa, who has shown great devotion to his parents and sister. Several characters in Antigone are loyal either to the country’s legal code or their family, while others start out devoted to one and move through the play.
Antigone herself is the perfect example of a character who is loyal to her family first and foremost. Antigone is willing to risk her life and go against the law in order to bury her brother, Polyneices. She does not care about what anyone else thinks of her actions; she only wants to make sure that her brother receives a proper burial according to the customs of their family.
Antigone’s sister Ismene is also loyal to her family. After Antigone has been caught and sentenced to death, Ismene offers to take Antigone’s place in punishment, even though she knows that it will likely mean her own death. Creon, Antigone’s uncle and the ruler of Thebes, is also loyal to his family. He is willing to go against the gods and break his own law in order to save Antigone’s life.
While Antigone, Ismene, and Creon are all examples of characters who are loyal to their families, there are also characters who start off loyal to their families but eventually switch allegiances. Eurydice, Antigone’s mother, is one such character. She orders Antigone to marry Haemon, even though Antigone is in love with someone else. Antigone refuses to marry Haemon, which leads to a conflict between her and her mother.
Later in the play, after Antigone has been caught, Eurydice sides with Creon and Antigone is executed. Another character who switches allegiances is Antigone’s brother, Polyneices. He leaves Thebes to go start a war against his own city, which is a direct violation of Creon’s law. Polyneices expects his family to support him in his fight, but they all turn their backs on him. Antigone is the only one who remains loyal to her brother and helps bury him after he has been killed in battle.
The story of Antigone, which is written in Ancient Greek by Sophocles, follows a young princess who defies the city’s ruler and incurs his wrath. The law stating that Polynices could not be buried because of his crime against the king was created by King Creon of Thebes. Despite her brother being an outlaw, she wishes to bury him because of their family loyalty. Her duty to her family takes precedence over any other legal obligation. Creon demonstrates one side with his familial devotion only going as far as the law, but when the two clash, he opts for legality.
Antigone represents the ideal of family loyalty while Creon embodies the law. Antigone’s sister Ismene tries to dissuade her from going against the king, knowing the consequences Antigone will face but Antigone is not swayed. Antigone feels that it is her duty to bury her brother and nothing else matters. This loyalty to family is also seen when Antigone kills herself after being sentenced to death. She knows that she will be leaving her sister alone in the world but still chooses to die so that she can be with her brother in death. Antigone’s loyalty to her family is unquestioned and unwavering.
Creon, as previously mentioned, prioritises the law over family loyalty. When Antigone is sentenced to death, he does not try to save her because she broke the law. He sees her as a criminal and not as his niece. Creon’s loyalty lies with the law and not with his family. This difference in perspective leads to Antigone’s death.
Both Antigone and Creon display strong examples of familial loyalty but Antigone’s loyalty is unquestionable while Creon’s loyalty can be questioned. Antigone puts her family first while Creon prioritizes the law over everything else. The decisions made by Antigone and Creon have tragic consequences but they both show what it means to be loyal to one’s family.
Antigone is not the only one in her family who demonstrates loyalty; others support her through her decisions, even if they do not agree with them. Antigone’s family demonstrates the importance of sticking together in the face of difficult times and proves that family loyalty is a powerful force.
Similarly, in Anouilh’s adaptation of the play, Creon demonstrates that his actions and decisions are motivated by family loyalty. Because Antigone is a member of his family, Creon tries to prevent her death at his own hands by invoking capital punishment.
Antigone’s death, though tragic, can be viewed as an act of loyalty to her brother Polyneices. Antigone feels that it is her duty to bury her brother even though he was considered a traitor to Thebes. Antigone’s actions are in line with the traditional values of the time period which emphasize family loyalty.
While Antigone and Creon share similar motivations for their actions, they ultimately have different outcomes. Antigone is willing to die in order to uphold her family values while Creon is able to change his mind and spare Antigone’s life. Ultimately, Antigone’s dedication to her family outweighs Creon’s dedication to the state. This difference in priorities leads to Antigone’s death. Antigone’s story highlights the importance of family loyalty in Ancient Greece and how it can impact individuals’ decisions.
