Despite so passionately espousing her views on love, Antigone’s actions are extremely honorable. Even though after Antigone’s condemnation, she believed there was “[n]o one to weep for [her]...[n]o tears for the destiny that’s [hers], [and] no loved one [to mourn] [her] death,” she felt fulfilled with “[her] reward” for “[honoring] [Polynices]...well and wisely too” (963, 968-969, 993-995). In one sense of honor, Antigone didn’t receive recognition from the elders of the community, Tiresias, nor the gods, but instead received only condemnation from Creon and discouragement from Ismene. However, in the other sense of honor, Sophocles uses the fact that Antigone didn’t get public honor to emphasize the personal honor that Antigone must have
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Besides Antigone’s obvious love for Polynices, another driving force behind her undertaking was to “honor the laws the gods hold in honor,” specifically, the burial of Polynices, “[b]rother [of Eteocles]...by the same mother, the same father,” citing that “Death [sic] longs for the same rites for all” (91-92, 575, 584). Fairness, a main virtue which Antigone leverages in her assertions, is a key component of honor. Sophocles thus set up a conflict between two honorable ideals: justice and fairness. Ultimately, Sophocles manipulates the audience into supporting Antigone’s viewpoint; the irony introduced through the triumph of Antigone’s honor, who wasn’t even the personification of honor, further bolsters the legitimacy of Antigone’s unwavering honor. Even after Antigone’s condemnation to death, she had dignity—even though “no wedding-song...has crowned [Antigone’s] marriage—[she] [goes] to wed the lord of the dark waters;” she likened herself to “Niobe...Tantalus’ daughter...queen from the east...think of what a living death she died...growing stone...slowly walled her round...under her brows she tears...wasting away...a rocky death like hers puts [Antigone] to sleep” (907-908, 915-919, 922, 924). Antigone based her motives on the will of the gods, and in her funeral speech, associated herself with the gods as well; her legitimacy and dignity are derived from the power of
Besides Antigone’s obvious love for Polynices, another driving force behind her undertaking was to “honor the laws the gods hold in honor,” specifically, the burial of Polynices, “[b]rother [of Eteocles]...by the same mother, the same father,” citing that “Death [sic] longs for the same rites for all” (91-92, 575, 584). Fairness, a main virtue which Antigone leverages in her assertions, is a key component of honor. Sophocles thus set up a conflict between two honorable ideals: justice and fairness. Ultimately, Sophocles manipulates the audience into supporting Antigone’s viewpoint; the irony introduced through the triumph of Antigone’s honor, who wasn’t even the personification of honor, further bolsters the legitimacy of Antigone’s unwavering honor. Even after Antigone’s condemnation to death, she had dignity—even though “no wedding-song...has crowned [Antigone’s] marriage—[she] [goes] to wed the lord of the dark waters;” she likened herself to “Niobe...Tantalus’ daughter...queen from the east...think of what a living death she died...growing stone...slowly walled her round...under her brows she tears...wasting away...a rocky death like hers puts [Antigone] to sleep” (907-908, 915-919, 922, 924). Antigone based her motives on the will of the gods, and in her funeral speech, associated herself with the gods as well; her legitimacy and dignity are derived from the power of