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Burial, the Grave, and the Underworld

Burial and burial rites were an important part of ancient Greek culture, and the completion of these rites through burial was considered integral to the safe passage of the dead to the underworld. A good Greek citizen must respect death. As Teiresias says, one must “give way to the dead” in order to please the gods (1,090). 

In this play, several characters die because of the disrespect of the burial necessities of one character, Polyneikes. In this sense, Polyneikes’ lack of burial essentially digs the grave of several subsequent characters: Antigone, Haimon , and Eurydike. Duty to the dead compels Antigone to seal her own fate. She declares the common Greek ideology that the underworld, though shady and unknown, is a deeper reality than the life lived here on Earth, since the underworld is the domain of both the ancestors and the gods: “I / Must please those down below for a longer time / Than those up here, since there I’ll lie forever (91-93). In burying her brother, Antigone also figuratively buries herself. In refusing this burial, Kreon figuratively buries his wife and son.

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Home › Drama Criticism › Analysis of Sophocles’ Antigone

Analysis of Sophocles’ Antigone

By NASRULLAH MAMBROL on July 29, 2020 • ( 0 )

Within this single drama—in great part, a harsh critique of Athenian society and the Greek city-state in general—Sophocles tells of the eternal struggle between the state and the individual, human and natural law, and the enormous gulf between what we attempt here on earth and what fate has in store for us all. In this magnificent dramatic work, almost incidentally so, we find nearly every reason why we are now what we are.

—Victor D. Hanson and John Heath, Who Killed Homer? The Demise of Classical Education and the Recovery of Greek Wisdom

With Antigone Sophocles forcibly demonstrates that the power of tragedy derives not from the conflict between right and wrong but from the confrontation between right and right. As the play opens the succession battle between the sons of Oedipus—Polynices and Eteocles—over control of Thebes has resulted in both of their deaths. Their uncle Creon, who has now assumed the throne, asserts his authority to end a destructive civil war and decrees that only Eteocles, the city’s defender, should receive honorable burial. Polynices, who has led a foreign army against Thebes, is branded a traitor. His corpse is to be left on the battlefield “to be chewed up by birds and dogs and violated,” with death the penalty for anyone who attempts to bury him and supply the rites necessary for the dead to reach the underworld. Antigone, Polynices’ sister, is determined to defy Creon’s order, setting in motion a tragic collision between opposed laws and duties: between natural and divine commands that dictate the burial of the dead and the secular edicts of a ruler determined to restore civic order, between family allegiance and private conscience and public duty and the rule of law that restricts personal liberty for the common good. Like the proverbial immovable object meeting an irresistible force, Antigone arranges the impact of seemingly irreconcilable conceptions of rights and responsibilities, producing one of drama’s enduring illuminations of human nature and the human condition.

Antigone is one of Sophocles’ greatest achievements and one of the most influential dramas ever staged. “Between 1790 and 1905,” critic George Steiner reports, “it was widely held by European poets, philosophers, [and] scholars that Sophocles’ Antigone was not only the fi nest of Greek tragedies, but a work of art nearer to perfection than any other produced by the human spirit.” Its theme of the opposition between the individual and authority has resonated through the centuries, with numerous playwrights, most notably Jean Anouilh, Bertolt Brecht, and Athol Fugard grafting contemporary concerns and values onto the moral and political dramatic framework that Sophocles established. The play has elicited paradoxical responses reflecting changing cultural and moral imperatives. Antigone, who has been described as “the first heroine of Western drama,” has been interpreted both as a heroic martyr to conscience and as a willfully stubborn fanatic who causes her own death and that of two other innocent people, forsaking her duty to the living on behalf of the dead. Creon has similarly divided critics between censure and sympathy. Despite the play’s title, some have suggested that the tragedy is Creon’s, not Antigone’s, and it is his abuse of authority and his violations of personal, family, and divine obligations that center the drama’s tragedy. The brilliance of Sophocles’ play rests in the complexity of motive and the competing absolute claims that the drama displays. As novelist George Eliot observed,

It is a very superficial criticism which interprets the character of Creon as that of hypocritical tyrant, and regards Antigone as a blameless victim. Coarse contrasts like this are not the materials handled by great dramatists. The exquisite art of Sophocles is shown in the touches by which he makes us feel that Creon, as well as Antigone, is contending for what he believes to be the right, while both are also conscious that, in following out one principle, they are laying themselves open to just blame for transgressing another.

Eliot would call the play’s focus the “antagonism of valid principles,” demonstrating a point of universal significance that “Wherever the strength of a man’s intellect, or moral sense, or affection brings him into opposition with the rules which society has sanctioned, there is renewed conflict between Antigone and Creon; such a man must not only dare to be right, he must also dare to be wrong—to shake faith, to wound friendship, perhaps, to hem in his own powers.” Sophocles’ Antigone is less a play about the pathetic end of a victim of tyranny or the corruption of authority than about the inevitable cost and con-sequence between competing imperatives that define the human condition. From opposite and opposed positions, both Antigone and Creon ultimately meet at the shared suffering each has caused. They have destroyed each other and themselves by who they are and what they believe. They are both right and wrong in a world that lacks moral certainty and simple choices. The Chorus summarizes what Antigone will vividly enact: “The powerful words of the proud are paid in full with mighty blows of fate, and at long last those blows will teach us wisdom.”

As the play opens Antigone declares her intention to her sister Ismene to defy Creon’s impious and inhumane order and enlists her sister’s aid to bury their brother. Ismene responds that as women they must not oppose the will of men or the authority of the city and invite death. Ismene’s timidity and deference underscores Antigone’s courage and defiance. Antigone asserts a greater allegiance to blood kinship and divine law declaring that the burial is a “holy crime,” justified even by death. Ismene responds by calling her sister “a lover of the impossible,” an accurate description of the tragic hero, who, according to scholar Bernard Knox, is Sophocles’ most important contribution to drama: “Sophocles presents us for the first time with what we recognize as a ‘tragic hero’: one who, unsupported by the gods and in the face of human opposition, makes a decision which springs from the deepest layer of his individual nature, his physis , and then blindly, ferociously, heroically maintains that decision even to the point of self-destruction.” Antigone exactly conforms to Knox’s description, choosing her conception of duty over sensible self-preservation and gender-prescribed submission to male authority, turning on her sister and all who oppose her. Certain in her decision and self-sufficient, Antigone rejects both her sister’s practical advice and kinship. Ironically Antigone denies to her sister, when Ismene resists her will, the same blood kinship that claims Antigone’s supreme allegiance in burying her brother. For Antigone the demands of the dead overpower duty to the living, and she does not hesitate in claiming both to know and act for the divine will. As critic Gilbert Norwood observes, “It is Antigone’s splendid though perverse valor which creates the drama.”

Before the apprehended Antigone, who has been taken in the act of scattering dust on her brother’s corpse, lamenting, and pouring libations, is brought before Creon and the dramatic crux of the play, the Chorus of The-ban elders delivers what has been called the fi nest song in all Greek tragedy, the so-called Ode to Man, that begins “Wonders are many, and none is more wonderful than man.” This magnificent celebration of human power over nature and resourcefulness in reason and invention ends with a stark recognition of humanity’s ultimate helplessness—“Only against Death shall he call for aid in vain.” Death will test the resolve and principles of both Antigone and Creon, while, as critic Edouard Schuré asserts, “It brings before us the most extraordinary psychological evolution that has ever been represented on stage.”

When Antigone is brought in judgment before Creon, obstinacy meets its match. Both stand on principle, but both reveal the human source of their actions. Creon betrays himself as a paranoid autocrat; Antigone as an individual whose powerful hatred outstrips her capacity for love. She defiantly and proudly admits that she is guilty of disobeying Creon’s decree and that he has no power to override divine law. Nor does Antigone concede any mitigation of her personal obligation in the competing claims of a niece, a sister, or a citizen. Creon is maddened by what he perceives to be Antigone’s insolence in justifying her crime by diminishing his authority, provoking him to ignore all moderating claims of family, natural, or divine extenuation. When Ismene is brought in as a co-conspirator, she accepts her share of guilt in solidarity with her sister, but again Antigone spurns her, calling her “a friend who loves in words,” denying Ismene’s selfless act of loyalty and sympathy with a cold dismissal and self-sufficiency, stating, “Never share my dying, / don’t lay claim to what you never touched.” However, Ismene raises the ante for both Antigone and Creon by asking her uncle whether by condemning Antigone he will kill his own son’s betrothed. Creon remains adamant, and his judgment on Antigone and Ismene, along with his subsequent argument with his son, Haemon, reveals that Creon’s principles are self-centered, contradictory, and compromised by his own pride, fears, and anxieties. Antigone’s challenge to his authority, coming from a woman, is demeaning. If she goes free in defiance of his authority, Creon declares, “I am not the man, she is.” To the urging of Haemon that Creon should show mercy, tempering his judgment to the will of Theban opinion that sympathizes with Antigone, Creon asserts that he cares nothing for the will of the town, whose welfare Creon’s original edict against Polynices was meant to serve. Creon, moreover, resents being schooled in expediency by his son. Inflamed by his son’s advocacy on behalf of Antigone, Creon brands Haemon a “woman’s slave,” and after vacillating between stoning Antigone and executing her and her sister in front of Haemon, Creon rules that Antigone alone is to perish by being buried alive. Having begun the drama with a decree that a dead man should remain unburied, Creon reverses himself, ironically, by ordering the premature burial of a living woman.

Antigone, being led to her entombment, is shown stripped of her former confidence and defiance, searching for the justification that can steel her acceptance of the fate that her actions have caused. Contemplating her living descent into the underworld and the death that awaits her, Antigone regrets dying without marriage and children. Gone is her reliance on divine and natural law to justify her act as she equivocates to find the emotional source to sustain her. A husband and children could be replaced, she rationalizes, but since her mother and father are dead, no brother can ever replace Polynices. Antigone’s tortured logic here, so different from the former woman of principle, has been rejected by some editors as spurious. Others have judged this emotionally wrought speech essential for humanizing Antigone, revealing her capacity to suffer and her painful search for some consolation.

The drama concludes with the emphasis shifted back to Creon and the consequences of his judgment. The blind prophet Teiresias comes to warn Creon that Polynices’ unburied body has offended the gods and that Creon is responsible for the sickness that has descended on Thebes. Creon has kept from Hades one who belongs there and is sending to Hades another who does not. The gods confirm the rightness of Antigone’s action, but justice evades the working out of the drama’s climax. The release of Antigone comes too late; she has hung herself. Haemon commits suicide, and Eurydice, Creon’s wife, kills herself after cursing Creon for the death of their son. Having denied the obligation of family, Creon loses his own. Creon’s rule, marked by ignoring or transgressing cosmic and family law, is shown as ultimately inadequate and destructive. Creon is made to realize that he has been rash and foolish, that “Whatever I have touched has come to nothing.” Both Creon and Antigone have been pushed to terrifying ends in which what truly matters to both are made starkly clear. Antigone’s moral imperatives have been affirmed but also their immense cost in suffering has been exposed. Antigone explores a fundamental rift between public and private worlds. The central opposition in the play between Antigone and Creon, between duty to self and duty to state, dramatizes critical antimonies in the human condition. Sophocles’ genius is his resistance of easy and consoling simplifications to resolve the oppositions. Both sides are ultimately tested; both reveal the potential for greatness and destruction.

24 lectures on Greek Tragedy by Dr. Elizabeth Vandiver.

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Antigone (Anouilh) Symbols, Allegory and Motifs

By jean anouilh.

These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own.

Written by Shirley Marina

Eurydice's Knitting

Eurydice's knitting is a symbol of her life. She uses the tool of her pastime, a knitting needle, to stab herself in the heart and commit suicide, therefore when she stops knitting she stops life itself. This is symbolic of the "thread of life" in the Greek myth that shows life spun, measure and cut by the Fates.

Creon's Attack Symbol

Creon is angry that Antigone seems to be getting more power. When he grabs hold of her and twists her to his side. his actions symbolize her becoming "one of the men" as this behavior is something that a man would do to another man but never to a woman.

The Chorus Motif

In all Greek tragedy the Chorus consists of ten people who are "death messengers" and commentators rolled into one. In "Antigone" Anouilh alters this dynamic and has one person representing the Chorus. His function is the same, however, and the motif of the Chorus is present throughout as a kind of narrator as the action unfolds before him. He also aligns himself with the audience rather than the characters in the play, for example saying that "we are here tonight" rather than addressing the audience he is stating that he is one of them. His role throughout the play is to commentate on the actions that unfold and to voice what the audience are actually thinking.

The Nature of Femininity Motif

This is a constant motif because the key to the rivalry between Ismene and Antigone is their oppositional appearances and views on what it means to be feminine. Thus, femininity is discussed and presented throughout the play. Femininity is portrayed in Ismene's image and Antigone is therefore portrayed as the very opposite of feminine, which in turn is the key to understanding her character and her actions correctly.

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Antigone (Anouilh) Questions and Answers

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What is the plot of Antigone?

GradeSaver has a short-summary (plot summary) readily available for your use. Simply navigate to the study guide.

Explain the conflict of conscience versus law? Who is it between?

The conflict of conscience versus law is internally fought by Antigone. Her conscience wins the battle.

Explain the conflict of divine law and human law? Who is it between?

Antigone is in the middle of the conflict. For her, she must follow what is decreed by the gods, even if it means ignoring and breaking her uncle's law and put her in danger.

Study Guide for Antigone (Anouilh)

Antigone (Anouilh) study guide contains a biography of Jean Anouilh, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

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Antigone (Anouilh) essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Antigone (Anouilh) by Jean Anouilh.

• Creon in Jean Anouilh's Antigone
• Historical and social contexts have an influence on they way in which Antigone is constructed
• Antingone Answering Back to Antigone: The Island as an Atypical Countertext

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The ancient Greeks believed that their gods could see the future, and that certain people could access this information. Independent prophets called "seers" saw visions of things to come. Oracles, priests who resided at the temples of gods—such as the oracle to Apollo at Delphi—were also believed to be able to interpret the gods' visions and give prophecies to people who sought to know the future. Oracles were an accepted part of Greek life—famous leaders and common people alike consulted them for help with making all kinds of decisions. Long before the beginning of Antigone , Oedipus , Antigone's father, fulfilled one of the most famous prophecies in world literature—that he would kill his father and marry his mother (these events are covered in detail in Sophocles's Oedipus Rex ). Despite his efforts to avoid this terrible fate, it came to pass. When Oedipus learned what he had inadvertently done, he gouged out his own eyes and was banished from Thebes. Before dying, he prophesied that his two sons, Polynices and Eteocles, would kill each other in the battle for Thebes (see Oedipus at Colonus ). This, too, comes to pass.

Yet when the prophet Tiresias visits Creon in Antigone , he comes to deliver a warning, not an unavoidable prophecy. He says that Creon has made a bad decision, but that he can redeem himself. "Once the wrong is done," Tiresias says, "a man can turn his back on folly, misfortune, too, if he tries to make amends, however low he's fallen, and stops his bullnecked ways." While Oedipus never has a choice—his fate was sealed—in this case Creon seems to have more free will. He chooses to remain stubborn, however, until it's too late and he is caught in the grip of a terrible fate that he can't escape.

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Antigone — An Analysis of Power, Authority and Truth in Antigone, a Play by Sophocles

An Analysis of Power, Authority and Truth in Antigone, a Play by Sophocles

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Published: Oct 22, 2018

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109 Antigone Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best antigone topic ideas & essay examples.

• ⭐ Good Research Topics about Antigone
• 👍 Simple & Easy Antigone Essay Titles

❓ Antigone Essay Questions

• The Role of Women in Antigone Their role in the play, and hence the role of women, stand out as the two act in conjunction with another woman character, Eurydice.
• Civil Disobedience and Pride in “Antigone” by Sophocles The play effectively depicts the theme of civil disobedience through the personality of Antigone, who is willing to break the rules to satisfy her morals standards and conscience. Therefore, the author uses the characters of […]
• Antigone’s Courage in “Antigone” by Sophocles The current research paper was written in order to analyze Antigone’s courage in the context of the philosophy of Aristotle and overall ideals of the Ancient Greece.
• The Ancient Greek Play Antigone by Sophocle In the play, it is evident that pride is used by people to create laws that challenge the divine law from gods.
• Antigone Reading Response On the other hand, Antigone looked at things in a totally different perspective from Creon; she believed it was her duty as a woman to bury the body of a family member and proceeded to […]
• Background of Shakespeare’s “Othello” and Sophocles’s “Antigone” Even though Othello is a Moor, he fights for Venice in this war and wins, thus proving his loyalty to the Christian Venice.
• “The Antigone” by Sophocles: Characters and Plot Characters and the plot of The Antigone are highlighted in the play for resolving the problem of morale and pride in human beings and the counter-reaction of gods in response.
• Sophocles’ “Antigone”: The Synopsis of the Play The controversy between the adherence to the state law and the moral norms maintains the conflict between Antigone and Creon in Sophocles’ play.
• Justice and Inequality in Oedipus Rex and Antigone For instance, in the case of Oedipus Rex, the origin behind the tragedy can be traced to the belief of King Laius in the words of an oracle.
• The “Antigone” by Sophocles and Its Historical Context Creon is the antagonist in of the story. She is even willing to die in the name of honor.
• Antigone Analysis: Antigone vs. Creon In the tragedy, one can consider the collision of equally just principles: the interest of the state and the interest of the family, expressed through the feminine principle.
• Antigone and Cordelia’s Stories Cordelia and Antigone are faithful to their ideals to the last, a life in which their faith in justice and the sincerity of their intentions is violated is meaningless.
• Civility, Democracy, Memory in Sophocles’ Antigone In Sophocles’ Antigone, the narrative flow makes the audience empathize with the tragic fate of the characters, deepening the emotional involvement of the readers and viewers.
• The Moral Conflict in Antigone: The Familial Values Against the Law The dilemmatic nature of the argument and the contrast which is created by the personas of Creon and Antigone, characters of the famous Greek myth about Oedipus, are particularly interesting for their potential for interpretation.
• Family Ties and Obligations as the Driver of Antigone’s Actions in Sophocles’ Play It is evident from Antigone’s willingness to sacrifice her life that she is driven by the familial tie, namely, her profound love for her brother.
• The Ancient Greek Tragedy “Antigone” The theme raised by Sophocles in the play is the theme of duty and family, which is still relevant to this day.
• “Antigone”: Evaluation and Synthesis The Greek tragedy “Antigone” explores the themes of the conflict between the law and the internal sense of right and wrong.
• Does Antigone Have an Obligation to Obey or Disobey Creon’s Law? The focal point of this paper is to analyze and evaluate the characteristics of Creon and Antigone and compare and contrast their personalities in the image of the two famous comments by each of the […]
• “Antigone” by Sophocles and “Blood Wedding” by F. Garcia Lorca The main difference between the two plays is the lack of concrete stage directions in Sophocles’ Antigone. By the means of music and singing, the director expresses all the events and shows the interaction between […]
• Antigone Reflection and Analysis This shows she was courageous and determined to bury her brother irrespective of the consequences. Antigone’s mistake was disobeying the law and Creon’s mistake was being arrogant even to his son.
• Tragedy in Sophocles’ “Antigone” Reverting to the issue of who between the 2 is a tragic hero, it is important to note that the reason for the duo’s demise has some moral and practical backing.
• “Antigone” by Sophocles Is a Play Without a Hero It tells the story of the king Oedipus’ daughter and her uncle Creon, the new king of the city of Thebes. The current essay represents the discussion of the characters of the famous play Antigone […]
• Mythology: The Tragic Hero in Antigone In the Greek tradition, the women were the ones that were concerned with the issues of burial and she wants Ismene to help her to ensure that their brother is properly buried despite the objection […]
• Higher Law in The Antigone Play Antigone strongly believes that the laws of Gods are higher than the laws of the state and that she does right by following the laws of the Gods.
• The Tragic Hero of the Sophocles’ “Antigone” He is viewed as the rescuer of Thebes through his efforts to protect the people and his success in fighting the Argive Army.
• The Play “Antigone“ by Sophocles: Summary This contradiction is revealed in the play by confronting the principles of two characters, Creon who felt his powers and used them to the fullest possible extent and Antigone with her actions which were not […]
• Creon and Antigone’s Debate in Sophocles’ Tragedy Exploring the apparent conflict pertaining to the burial of Polyneices I am of the opinion that Antigone had a right to bury her brother.
• The Theme of Divine Law in “Antigone” by Sophocles In this particular case, it can be stated that Creon has learned not to go against the ancient traditions that are valued by the ancient Greek society that he is in since they are part […]
• Medea and Antigone: Literature Comparison However, in spite of the fact that the motivations of Medea and Antigone are considered to be the same, they choose different actions.
• Basic Conflict in Antigone by Sophocle In setting the central characters against each other, Sophocles’ play Antigone embodies a conflict between one’s duty to the state and laws and the responsibility to family and morality.
• The Play Antigone: Characterization and Symbolism Antigone’s conviction is that the dead deserve a decent burial in spite of the circumstances that led to their death while Creon’s preoccupation is to enforce the laws of the land that disallow burial of […]
• Comparison of Antigone With Griselda Additionally their roles in the society including the chores assumed in this context depicted various similarities in the entire contexts. Nonetheless, the depiction of women is still ideal in this context.
• The Main Actor Creon in “Antigone“ by Sophocles Throughout the play, there are hints that Creon who defends his actions as doing them in line with the interests of the people and the gods that he is doing the exact opposed and in […]
• Theories of Desire: “Antigone” by Sophocles This paper takes the modern approach in referring to the relevancy of the play by critically giving an insight on the perspectives of the theories of desire.
• Queen’s Voice: Antigone & Ismene The events that follow clearly indicate how abuse of power by a reckless ruler can lead to oppression of women who often suffer in silence unable to act and the resulting consequence to a society […]
• Faith or Free Will Used in the Movie – Minority Report and the Drama – Antigone In life, people have the freewill to choose what they want; however, in some cases, faith and fate takes the center stage despite the choices made through freewill.
• The Villain Comparison: Creon in Antigone and Medea in Medea From such a position the audience is allowed to examine the position of a woman in the society. What this signifies is that the woman is painted as a social misfit and this resulted in […]

⭐ Good Research Topics about “Antigone”

• Family Ties and Law in “Antigone” by Sophocles
• “Antigone”: Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely
• Julius and “Antigone”: Dynamic Characters in Greek Mythology
• Antigone and Creon: Philosophical War
• The Fight for the Throne in “Antigone” by Sophocles
• “Antigone”: Moral Law vs. Political Law
• The Distinction Between Brave and Coward in “Antigone”, a Tragedy by Sophocles
• Sophocles’ Great Tragedies: “Oedipus” and “Antigone”
• Antigone and Oedipus Rex by Sophocles
• The Modern World and the Legacy of “Antigone”
• “Antigone”: Conformity and Nonconformity
• Differences and Similarities Between “Antigone” and Creon
• Fate vs. Free Will “Antigone”
• Actions, Characters, and Hubris in Sophocles “Antigone”
• Ancient Greek Values: The Case of Antigone
• Creon in a Different Context: In “Antigone” and in “Oedipus King”
• Greek Mythology “Antigone” Moral Obligation and Civil Disobedience
• Agamemnon and “Antigone”’s Tragic Hero Characterization
• Love, Loyalty, and Irony: The Three Major Themes in “Antigone” by Sophocles
• Historical and Social Contexts Influence the Way in Which “Antigone” Is Constructed

👍 Simple & Easy “Antigone” Essay Titles

• Creon: Antigone’s True Tragic Hero
• Dealing With the Devil in “Antigone”
• Reasons for Antigone’s Disobedience in “Antigone”, a Tragedy by Sophocles
• Antigone and Haemon: Love, Religion, and Politics
• The Debates and Controversies Related to the Greek Tragedy “Antigone” by Sophocles
• Antigone’s Morals and Tragic Fate
• The Conflict Between Men and Women in “Antigone”, a Tragedy by Sophocles
• Antigone Challenges the Human Law and Holds the Divine Law as a Greater Authority in “Antigone” by Sophocles
• Sympathy for the Main Character in Sophocles’ “Antigone”
• Greek Religion and the Democratic Government of Athens in the Play “Antigone” by Sophocles
• Sophocles’ “Antigone”, Plato’s “Protagoras”, and Socrates’ “Principles”
• Moral and Political Law in Sophocles’ “Antigone”
• Relationship Between Antigone and Creon
• Light and Darkness Found Within the Gospel of John and in Sophocles’ Drama “Antigone”
• Male and Female Power in Sophocles’ Tragic Play, “Antigone”
• Creon and His Downfall in Sophocles’ “Antigone”
• Antigone Fights for Her Family
• Making Choices and Suffering Consequences in Krapp’s Last Tape by Samuel Beckett and “Antigone” by Sophocles
• Antigone and Creon, Antagonist, Hero and Anti Hero
• Sophocles “Antigone”: Steadfast Love and Sexuality
• What Does the Play Antigone Say About Human Laws and Religious Laws?
• How Do Human Beings Judge Each Other in the Play Antigone?
• Was Sophocles’ Antigone Justified in Crossing the Line of Human Law to Honor the Divine Law?
• How Does Love Conquer All as Described in Sophocles’s Antigone?
• Why Did Mandela Choose Antigone as a Play in Jail?
• How Do Protagonist Females Use Masculine Characteristics to Overpower Men in Antigone?
• What Personal Characteristics Lead Antigone to Defy Creon in Burying Her Brother?
• How Does the Character’s Strength of Spirit Create the Climax in Death and the Maiden and Antigone?
• In What Significant Ways Are Creon and Antigone Similar?
• What Is Creon’s Fatal Flaw?
• How Could the Tragic Events in Sophocles’ Antigone Have Been Prevented?
• In What Ways Is Ismene Important to the Play?
• How Would You Characterize Creon as a Ruler in Antigone?
• In What Ways Is Haemon Important to the Play Antigone?
• How Might We Interpret Creon’s Character Psychologically? What Personal Characteristics Lead to the Decisions That He Makes?
• What Does Antigone Say About the Place of Women in Society?
• How Should We Regard the Character Antigone? As Prideful and Reckless? As Heroic?
• What Does the Play Antigone Say About Absolute Power?
• How Are Women Portrayed in the Play Antigone?
• What Does the Play Antigone Say About Obligations to Family and Obligations to Authority?
• How Does Antigone Demonstrate Pre-feminist Ethics?
• Why Does Ismene Object to Antigone’s Plan to Bury Polyneices?
• When Does Creon Become Apologetic for His Actions in the Play Antigone?
• What Is the Seeming Reason for Haemon’s Suicide? Does He Kill Himself Only Out of Desperate Love for the Dead Antigone?
• Why Isn’t Creon Killed by the Plague That Befalls Him at the Play’s End?
• What Is Creon’s Tragic Flaw in Antigone?
• Is Antigone Ever Apologetic for Burying Polyneices?
• Why Does Antigone Not Allow Ismene to Join Her in Her Death Sentence?
• What Is the Role of the Chorus in Antigone?
• What Is Unusual About the Watchman’s Speech in Antigone?
• Ancient Greece Paper Topics
• Death of a Salesman Ideas
• Homer Titles
• Oedipus the King Essay Topics
• Women’s Role Essay Topics
• Symbolism Titles
• Iliad Research Topics
• Achilles Topics
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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IvyPanda . (2024) '109 Antigone Essay Topic Ideas & Examples'. 2 March.

IvyPanda . 2024. "109 Antigone Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." March 2, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/antigone-essay-topics/.

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IvyPanda . "109 Antigone Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." March 2, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/antigone-essay-topics/.