Hegel described a tragedy as being a conflict between two sides, people or groups where there is no clear right or wrong, and both sides refuse to compromise. In Antigone, Sophocles illustrates Hegel’s principle. He beautifully conveys both Creon’s and Antigone’s characters and arguments. At the end of the play, Sophocles offers no true explanation to which stance was correct, but merely eludes to the fact that the only way the problem could have been solved was through compromise.
To better understand the play and the Hegelian tragedy it becomes, one must first understand the arguments of both Creon and Antigone. Antigone’s argument is based on religious, unwritten law, family ties and conscience. On the very first page of text, while talking to Ismene she asks, “Have you heard how our dearest are being treated like enemies?” (126). Antigone is infuriated that Creon has denied her brother, Polynices, proper burial rights. She has strong family ties and comments on how she would rather please the dead than the living because she has, “All eternity to love the dead,” (128). On the same page she associates living while doing nothing about the situation with, “[Defying] the holiest laws of Heaven,” (128). In her mind there is no other course of action except burying her brother. Antigone respects the Gods and the natural, deserved laws and rights they represent. Defying the laws of Heaven simply goes against her conscience, feelings and instincts; she could not just sit idly by. In a society such as that of Ancient Greece, where religion is vital to their lifestyle, this is Antigone’s strongest argument.
Creon expects every citizen including Antigone to obey him out of duty and respect. However, Antigone says to Creon that she knows, “Where true duty lies,” (129). Antigone would simply rather obey and trust the Gods than a ruler stepping beyond his powers. She calls Creon out on the fact that his, “Order did not come from God,” continuing later with, “Justice…knows no such law,” (138). She strongly believes that Creon’s word can not overwrite the word of God; the word of religion. She feels, “No shame in honouring [her] brother,” (140) and feels that the only thing she did was, “[Honouring] those things to which honour truly belongs,” (151). It is important to her that Polynices does not get disrespected but rather gets the honor he deserves in death. Antigone makes a strong case for her religious beliefs. While arguing with Creon he states that it isn’t right to honor good and bad equally. Antigone pulls him off of his self placed pedestal by asking how he would know, “[What] may be the law,” in the country of the dead (141). She points out that nobody in their society’s existence has ever questioned or tried to change the laws of the Gods. Creon may be a king but could not possibly know the truth behind altering death rights. Antigone makes a stronger and more valid case than Creon does. Her argument relies strongly on the unwritten laws of the Gods and her conscience not allowing her to disobey and disrespect those laws.
Creon however, does make several valid points. All of which show his viewpoint as a ruler trying to gain respect and power, as well as attempting to protect the country. Early in the play he states, “Our country is our life,” (131). Above all else Creon says he cares about the state; or polis. However, when referring to the state he usually implies himself and his own power. He contends that since Polynices was a traitor going against the state that, “He is to have no grave,” (131). This is his most solid argument, pointing out that an enemy, especially a traitor, should not be honored in death. He contends that by not giving Polynices his death rights and a proper burial he is actually protecting the state and warning others not to act as he did.
Talking to Antigone he proposes the question, “Was not his enemy…your brother?” (140). He feels that by honoring Polynices he is actually taking away honor from her other brother. While continuing this heated argument with Antigone he states his intention as, “Not to give equal honour to good and bad,” (140). Creon would rather honor and praise defenders of the city than giving an equal honor to somebody who lost his life fighting against the city.
Both characters make legitimate arguments for their case. These arguments are reinforced by certain merits and discredited by certain flaws that the characters are portrayed as having. Two of Antigone’s great traits are her honor and fearlessness. From the beginning of the play she knows the risks involved in burying Polynices and exclaims, “If I die for it, what happiness!” (128). It would make Antigone more happy to have died while serving an honorable cause. Ismene states that she is scared about what may happen to her sister if she continues with her plans. Antigone’s only response is to tell her bluntly not to, “Fear for me. Fear for yourself,” (129). Another merit of Antigone is her honest and up-front attitude. When Creon confronts her about the crime she calmly, reassures him that, “I knew that I should have to die,” (138). She never denies what she did, but rather boldly and openly admits to it; as well as plainly accepting the acknowledged punishments. Later, Ismene wants to share the blame for the crime. However, Antigone won’t allow her to, plainly pointing out that, “Life was your choice, when mine was death,” (141). Despite all these great merits, a flaw that Antigone has and Creon shares is an inability to the other’s viewpoint. This flaw is truly what makes the play into a Hegelian tragedy, and is what makes both of them unable to compromise. Antigone tells Creon that he is, “Foolish to judge me so,” (139). Unfortunately, she does not see any foolishness in her own actions.
The text shows that Antigone has many admirable traits, including honor, respect for religious laws and honesty. Creon has several notable merits, including wanting a powerful state, wanting to defend the state’s citizens and being a strong fisted ruler. However, he is shown to have many more flaws than Antigone. Most importantly, Creon is blind to his own flaws and is very narrowminded. In the beginning of the play he states that any king, “Unwilling to seek advice, is damned,” (131). However, Creon does not heed anyone’s advice, including the venerable Teiresias. He remains blind to his own actions and continues to preach one thing and practice another. That is proven again, later in the play when he tells his son Haemon that he will be, “Sorry for [his] impudence,” (147). All Haemon did was offer an opposing viewpoint that both he and the public believed in. Creon is too stubborn to listen to anyone but himself and too hardheaded to see that he is doing exactly what he warned against. Creon says that, “[Twisting] the law to one’s own pleasure…is sinful,” (144). Yet, that is exactly what caused the entire predicament to begin with- Creon instating a law to suit himself, although it goes against important religious law.
He also shows himself to be very arrogant and egotistical. He angrily bellows out, “I am a king, and responsible only to myself,” (146). However, he claims that his actions are in the best interests of the state. If a state is to be successful and stabilized the ruler has to respect and realize the wants and needs of the citizens. He is responsible to them; not to himself. There would not even be a state without the citizens; his purpose is to serve them as best as possible. After being told by his son that he made a mistake and should take it back he becomes even more infuriated. Creon questions him, “Wrong? To respect my own authority?” (146). All he cares about is being an all knowing, all powerful dictator. He refuses to admit to his own wrong doings, and desires nothing more than absolute, unquestioned power. Creon is also shown to be a coward. He is the one that made the law, he is the one that sends Antigone to her death, however in an attempt to clear his own conscience he states, “Her blood will not be on our hands,” (150).
Only when it is too late, Creon admits his flaws. He exclaims in agony, “The curse of my stubborn will!” (160). Creon also a strong anagnorisis, although it also comes too late. He states that, “By the laws of Heaven…man must live,” (156). Unfortunately, his realizations are too few and too late; his actions could not be reversed. Both characters have flaws and merits, however Antigone the protagonist is portrayed with many more merits while Creon the antagonist is illustrated as having many more flaws.
Antigone and Creon both refuse to back down or compromise. Their inability to see each other’s side and a shared stubbornness plays a tremendous role in this. However, both also have separate reasons for not backing down. Antigone, showing strong family union states, “I shall never desert him,” (128). Although she did not seem to be close with him, she believes family must always come first. She also desires honor, stating that there is no punishment that could, “Rob me of my honourable death,” (129). Antigone also refuses to compromise because she feels as if her, “Heart was long since dead,” (141). In her own eyes there was nothing left to live for and therefore she feels that there is no reason not to bury her brother and admit to it plainly. She makes a stronger case for not backing down by stating that she did not view, “[Creon’s] edicts strong enough to overrule the unwritten, unalterable laws of God….[Creon] being only a man,” (138). She is pointing out that Creon has overstepped his bounds and she is merely obeying the Gods. Antigone firmly believes in what she did, it was no mistake to her, and she would never give in to Creon’s tyrannical rule.
Creon has his own reasons for not proposing compromise. For one, he refers to Antigone has nothing but a, “Subordinate,” who shouldn’t harbor, “Proud thoughts,” (139). Again, Creon feels that he is the all knowing dictator and everyone else is nothing but a disrespectful subordinate. He refuses to relent on the fact that he believes enemies shouldn’t be given burial rights. He states, “An enemy can’t be a friend, even when dead,” (140). Finally, he is unwilling to compromise stating the importance of power and control in the state. He says, “Authority cannot afford to connive at disobedience,” telling Antigone that she is, “The victim of her own will,” (149). Rather than looking at Antigone’s viewpoint, Creon only sees her disobedience to him.
Although the two main characters refuse to give in, nearly all supporting characters try to convince them to do so. Creon’s own son Haemon, tells him that there is, “No weakness for the wisest man to learn when he is wrong,” (145). Clearly, Creon is not the wisest man and therefore should not have any difficulty admitting his mistake. He also alerts Creon to the fact that the city feels, “Pity for this poor girl,” (145). The ruler should respect the collective whims of his citizens, and learn when he has gone too far. The chorus is the voice of reason who sees flaws in both Antigone and Creon. Of Antigone, the chorus says that she is, “Foolish not to give way when everything’s against her,” (139). The chorus also realizes that in order to have a happy coexistence of state and ruler that the most important step is, “Wisdom and to hold the Gods in awe,” (162). Unfortunately, Creon showed neither of these two attributes. Early in the play, while discussing the wonders of man, the chorus states, “Power to him who upholdeth his country’s law and the justice of Heaven,” (136). However, in this instance that is impossible, and is actually the nature of the entire conflict. While Creon upholds the laws of the country, Antigone believes in the justice of unwritten religious beliefs. Teiresias, the legendary prophet also warns Creon of his ill fated ways. He tells Creon that, “Only a fool is governed by self will,” (153). However, this statement can also be reflective of Antigone. He also alerts Creon to one of his flaws, while speaking of the importance of being prudent. Creon agrees with the old prophet’s words only to be told that, “You speak of your own symptom,” (154). Teiresias obviously sees Creon’s largest flaw, his inability to recognize his own flaws. The supporting characters all seem to be aware that a compromise is needed and that both Creon and Antigone are being foolish.
Sophocles proposes new ideas and also teaches a lot throughout Antigone. Sophocles teaches the importance of compromising and thinking out one’s actions. He gives the reader no clear solution to the moral issue of the play but rather shows that both sides made mistakes. Antigone is a perfect example of the Hegelian tragedy. Antigone and Creon both have valid points but tragedy ensues due to the characters failure to see the merits of the other’s arguments and actions. However, Hegel most likely looked at the play through a larger lens; that Sophocles most likely also intended. Sophocles illustrates more than a simple conflict between Antigone and Creon. He infers the conflict of large scale dichotomies such as nature and civilization, family and state, private and public, as well as man and woman. Sophocles also presents the very nature of the ancient Athens binary gender structure in the play. Creon states, “We’ll have no woman’s law here,” (140). On the opposite side of the spectrum, Ismene tells Antigone, “We are women, it is not for us to fight against men; our rulers are stronger than we, and we must obey,” (128). In his time, this is the way that women were taught to feel.
Plays, especially tragic plays were often a place to present a new idea or moral view to the audience. It was a place where new ideas could be shown without fear of consequence. Therefore, at the same time that Sophocles shows the binary gender structure he also presents the radical view of an independent, strong woman character. Antigone is the first major woman hero to be shown to the world. It took thousands of years afterwards for the idea to catch on, and for women to get equal rights.
It is no coincidence that at the same time that Greek tragedies were at the height of their prominence, Socrates was proposing his own radical philosophical ideas. Socrates definitely would have been a regular at the theater and would have been able to see Sophocles’s works. Sophocles may have sparked several thoughts and ideas in Socrates’s head. Socrates promoted moral values, while Sophocles also warned against disobeying those values. Similarly, Socrates also felt that power and respect were not important in life, but rather honesty and righteousness were important.Antigone is the perfect example of a Hegelian tragedy. Sophocles incorporates the vast complexities of the argument, showing how both sides could be proven right. He also goes in depth on all aspects of the characters, and the reasons for their actions. Although he does this, he leaves much open to the reader for interpretation. He lets the audience make their own decisions about the situation, while he goes on to teach life lessons and propose new ideas. The work of Sophocles may have been a jump off point for some of Socrates’s views. Antigone is a masterfully done work of art; thousands of years later it is still studied and has become the perfect example of a Hegelian tragedy.
