Antigone and Creon

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According to Hegel, the relationship between Antigone and Creon in Sophocles' play, Antigone, presents us with "a dialectical clash between two ideals of justice". On the one hand, Antigone can be seen as wise and noble or self-indulgent and arrogant. For his part, Creon can be seen as a tyrant or a politician and uncle whom Antigone places in an impossible position. However, Antigone and Creon are also similar in many ways:

• Both Antigone and Creon are stubborn and unwilling to change
• Both Antigone and Creon let others choose their fate
• Both Antigone and Creon are passionate
• Both Antigone and Creon are independent yet loyal

The Relationship Between Antigone and Creon

In the story, the relationship between Antigone and Creon is paramount. Had they found a way to resolve their differences and compromise or even empathize with the other person's position, the story might have ended differently. The dramatic tension between the two characters is based on Creon's actions in regard to Antigone's brothers, who were sons of Oedipus. Because they were both heir to the throne, the brothers were supposed to alternate as the ruler each year. But when Eteocles completed his year, he refused to turn over his power to his brother. As a result, Polyneices attacked the city. There was no victor. The brothers killed each other. But instead of acknowledging the tragedy of the situation and burying them both, their uncle, Creon, King of Thebes, honored Eteocles as a defender of the city. This act seemed to ignore the fact that it was Eteocles that had broken his bargain and wrongly held on to his throne. To make matters worse, Creon left Polyneices to rot outside the gates of the city. He decreed that, if anyone buried Polyneices, they would be put to death.