How would you compare and contrast the characters of Antigone and Creon?

Answer 1

In the comparison between Antigone and Creon, her uncle and her king, both characters have strong wills. As an example, Antigone is as determined to respect the god-given laws regarding the dead as Theban King Creon is determined to enact and enforce his own manmade laws. Both chance losing a great deal if what they do boomerangs on them. For example, Antigone risks losing her life for violating the law, and the King risks losing his kingdom for enacting and enforcing an inhumane, unfair, unjust, unpopular law. And both are descended from Cadmus, the founder of Thebes. Antigone descends from Cadmus through her father King Oedipus. The King and Jocasta, the mother of Antigone and the wife of Oedipus, descend from Cadmus through their father, Menoeceus. In contrast, Antigone believes that manmade laws must harmonize with the higher god-given justice, morality, rites, rituals and traditions. But the King believes that he can issue his own manmade laws that directly contradict the god-given. Additionally, Antigone considers the hatreds of a lifetime as ending with death. She therefore believes that both the disloyal and the loyal Theban dead need to be given proper burial. But the King considers a dead enemy as much an enemy as a live enemy, and therefore not deserving of the same funerary treatment as living and dead friends. And finally, Antigone thinks of the consequences of her actions, in terms of the passage through life into death. But the King considers only his own needs and wants, as he consolidates his power over his family and his people. He doesn't think in advance of the repercussions of what he does. And he certainly doesn't think of the pain and suffering of the loved ones that the dead leave behind. In fact, he doesn't think of anything regarding the living and the dead until his deeds and misdeeds catch him up in the end.