Antigone Compare and Contrast Essay

Antigone, a play written by Sophocles, the characters Antigone and Creon both get in a conflict because they both have their own beliefs. They share a blame for a tragic outcome in the play and both have to face the consequences.

Loyalty is very important to Antigone and Creon. In the beginning of the Prologue, Antigone talks to her sister Ismene to inform her about her brother’s deaths. Antigone says, "...Creon buried our brother Eteocles/With military honors, gave him a soldier's funeral/And it was right he should; but Polyneices, /Who fought as bravely and died as miserably"(Prologue. 15-18). Antigone is trying to convince her sister Ismene to help her give their brother, Polyneices, a honorable burial. Ismene refuses to help Antigone because she fears what Creon will do. Antigone says she's willing to so it alone and wouldn't mind dying in order to give Polyneices a proper burial. Antigone is not only loyal to her family, but also the gods. In scene 2, Antigone tells Creon she follows the God's law and not his. Antigone says, “It was not God's proclamation. That final Justice/That rules the world below makes no such laws"(2. 66-67). Antigone believes that God's law should come before anything and everything. Creon in the other hand, believes that everyone should listen to the law of man. Creon is very loyal to his state. Creon says,"He made war on his country. Eteocles defended it"(2. 128). Creon believed that Polyneices was a traitor and that only Eteocles should be honored for fighting as bravely as he did to protect his city. They both have different beliefs and are willing to do whatever it takes to prove there's are right. 

 Another characteristic that both Antigone and Creon share is being prideful. In scene 2, Antigone does not deny that she has committed the crime. Antigone says, “Then I beg you: kill me/I should praise and honor for what I have done"(2. 109&113). This explains how Antigone is not ashamed for burying her brother Polyneices. Antigone believed that Polyneices fought just as bravely and that he and Eteocles should both be honored with a proper burial. She is happy she buried her brother and does not deny it. Antigone believes God's law should be held above man's law. Antigone is owning up to her actions and she's proud of what she's done. In scene 5, Creon says, “Whatever you say, you will not change me will"(5. 73-74). Creon thinks highly of himself and feels like he us better then the rest. Since Antigone and Creon were both very prideful, it lead them to consequences they both had to face.

In conclusion, Antigone and Creon both share the blame for the tragedy. They both had their own beliefs and had to face the consequences behind them. They both fought for what they most cared about and were willing to do whatever it took to prove that their belief was right.