Antigone Key Themes 2

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Key Theme

Information
  • Power
  • Creon is King of Thebes, therefore he is allowed to make the laws even if they hurt the people around him- it is arguable that this is the most important downfall in the play
  • Creon, similarly to Oedipus, is blinded by his power metaphorically. He is mean and patronising to the people around him as he thinks he is entitled to say everything because he is the most important
  • His power causes him to be less loyal to his family and more loyal to his city. This may be admirable in some ways but due to circumstances it was extremely damaging to Antigone and Ismene. He doesn't care about his family much including his son because the city is more important. This results in Haemon and Antigone's deaths
  • Mortality
  • Self injury and suicide are continuously present throughout this play shown through suicide of Haemon and Eurydice
  • Antigone's two brothers both willingly acted in a way that ended in the others death
  • Antigone's looming death is the entire basis of the play as the fairness of the law Creon put in place is explored
  • Suicide seems to be the only characters are able to influence their own fate which comes from frustration about the lack of control they have over their life. Even Antigone is essentially entering a death wish by burying her brother
  • Antigone is obsessed with death as Creon points out she seems to worship the dead more than she does the living
  • The tragedy of so many deaths in one play is felt by Ismene and Creon, although it is all his fault but arguably Antigone caused problems too
  • The threat of death isn't off putting to Antigone, she invites it until the end when she is being led to her death and she becomes scared and alone

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