Antigone Essay Reading into the play “Antigone” written by Sophocles, it is clear that many people have various motivating principles. These people include the characters Creon, ruler of Thebes, whom is motivated by self pride, and Haemon, Creon’s son, whom is motivated by pathos. “Antigone” is a story about Antigone, a mortal daughter of Oedipus and Queen Jocasta, the fiancee of Haemon, following religious laws over civil law; which developed ruckus between Creon and herself. Creon had stated that no one was to bury her brother, Polyneices, because he was a traitor to Thebes by trying to take over whilst Eteocles, Antigone’s other brother, was still in power. Creon’s and Haemon’s motivating principles are soon challenged and their reactions
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While Haemon and Creon were discussing Antigone’s actions, Haemon stated “I have heard them muttering and whispering in the dark about this girl. They say no woman has ever, so unreasonably, died so shameful a death for a generous act: “She covered her brother’s body. Is this indecent? She kept him from dogs and vultures. Is this a crime? Death? -She should have all the honor that we can give her!” “ (Sophocles 3. 61-67). People of Thebes claimed that she wrongfully died for a generous act, and that she should have all the honor that they can give her; Haemon uses these words of the people to get his point across to his father. The community feels that what Antigone had done, was heroic and just and to be rewarded with death was absurd. Haemon’s use of the people’s opinions plays a huge factor in the way Creon rules, as he puts the civil law and the “protection of the community” before his family. Though Antigone did break a civil law, death would be unreasonable as a punishment if most people felt she had done the right deed. Not only does Haemon use pathos by referring to the community’s statements, he also uses pathos by bringing up his and Creon’s relationship as father and son. After Haemon spilled the tea of the town’s views, he proclaimed to his father, “Nothing is closer to me than your happiness. What could be closer? Must not any son value his father’s fortune as his father does his?
While Haemon and Creon were discussing Antigone’s actions, Haemon stated “I have heard them muttering and whispering in the dark about this girl. They say no woman has ever, so unreasonably, died so shameful a death for a generous act: “She covered her brother’s body. Is this indecent? She kept him from dogs and vultures. Is this a crime? Death? -She should have all the honor that we can give her!” “ (Sophocles 3. 61-67). People of Thebes claimed that she wrongfully died for a generous act, and that she should have all the honor that they can give her; Haemon uses these words of the people to get his point across to his father. The community feels that what Antigone had done, was heroic and just and to be rewarded with death was absurd. Haemon’s use of the people’s opinions plays a huge factor in the way Creon rules, as he puts the civil law and the “protection of the community” before his family. Though Antigone did break a civil law, death would be unreasonable as a punishment if most people felt she had done the right deed. Not only does Haemon use pathos by referring to the community’s statements, he also uses pathos by bringing up his and Creon’s relationship as father and son. After Haemon spilled the tea of the town’s views, he proclaimed to his father, “Nothing is closer to me than your happiness. What could be closer? Must not any son value his father’s fortune as his father does his?