Antigone
by Sophocles
Desire to find love
In the play, Antigone, by Sophocles, Antigone's forced exile results in a severe lack of companionship and desire for love in her final days. As she is leaving the city, Antigone reflects, "No tears for me, no friends, no marriage. Brokenhearted / I am led along the road ready before me. / I shall never again be suffered / to look on the holy eye of the day. / But my fate claims no tears- / no friend cries for me" (Lines 922-927). In the beginning of Antigone's journey, she is dedicated to the path she journeys on, but her perspective changes when she reaches the point of her exile. Her melancholy mood is exemplified through words such as "brokenhearted", "tears", and "suffered". Her need for love is revealed when she uses adjectives such as "lonely", for it proves that she does in fact have a wish for companionship in her endeavors. The repetition of "no" confirms that she recognizes the absence of love and companionship in her life and gives her exile a negative connotation. The disconnection between Antigone and her family illustrates the absence of love and companionship in her life. Her despondency when she speaks of her abandonment emphasizes the yearning for fellowship existing throughout the play.
Disrespect
Haemon and Antigone's disrespect for authority and family indicate that teenage disagreements are part of their journey. When Haemon argues with his father over Antigone's criminal sentence, they fight, "Is not the city thought to be the ruler's? / You would be a fine dictator of the desert. / It seems the boy is on the woman's side. / If you are a woman- my care is all for you. / You villain, to bandy words with your own father! / I see your acts as mistaken and unjust" (Lines 795-780). Haemon stands up for himself and for Antigone against his father, signifying his willingness to bear examination in opposition to the city's ruler. Haemon is clever and uses his wit to put down his father, displayed in lines such as, "You would be a fine dictator of the desert". His word choice is significant as well when he refers to his father as a "dictator", for he is revealing his true feelings about his father's way of rule. Haemon stays cool and calm, while his father is getting more upset. Creon says things such as, "villian" and "bandy words", exhibiting his distress and weak arguing skills. Creon immediately begins to insult his son, while Haemon stays strong ans concise in his disrespect. When Ismene is unsure of helping bury Polyneices, Antigone deduces, "Would you bury him, when it is forbidden the city? / At least he is my brother- and yours, too, / though you deny him. I will not prove false to him" (Lines 50-52). Antigone is enforcing her belief that Polyneicecs burial should be sacred and whole. Antigone and Ismene are symbols of order versus chaos; Antigone represents chaos because she desires justice even though it is illegal, and Ismene portrays order because she wants to stay true to laws, even if they are not morally right. The two sisters are on opposite ends of the spectrum, which highlights the law-abiding part of Ismene and the disrespectful parts of Antigone. Antigone acts as the ego in the play, staying cool headed and making decisions after thinking them over, and Ismene is the superego, remaining attached to her family's wishes. Antigone and Haemon's disregard for the laws set forth by the city depict their disregard to authority.
Rebellion
Antigone acts as the complete portrayal of teenage rebellion against authority. When she first resolves to bury her brother, she imparts to Ismene, "Let that be your excuse. But I will go / to heap the earth on the grave of my loved brother" (Lines 93-94). After Ismene is reluctant to help her, Antigone concludes, "I will go" . her resolution is significant because she is deciding that she will be on her own, and she doesn't need the help of others in her rebellion. This also provides to the theme of independence that Antigone's character demonstrates. Antigone's unrestrained conviction is fully manifested in her refusal to let her brother go un-buried. She confirms her rebellion of the city when she states, "to heap the earth". Her disregard of laws symbolizes her disgust with her uncle's way of rule. She gives Ismene a short dismissal, "Let that be your excuse", expressing her acceptance that she needs to follow through with her plan without the assistance of Ismene. After she is caught in her rebellion, Antigone counters Creon, "Now, Antigone, tell me shortly and to the point, / did you know the proclamation against your action? / I knew it; of course I did. For it was public" (Lines 490-492). Antigone's compliance to admit her guilt indicates that she does not regret her actions. She is cool in her responses, verging on disrespectful toward Creon, verified in the matter of fact way she states her answers, for example, "of course I did" . She holds complete ownership of her rebellion, proved through her first person use of pronouns. Resistance of and rebellion against authority are essential parts of Antigone's journey.