The Tragedy Of Antigone By William Shakespeare - 1001 Words

In life, we tend to see things in a black and white manner; good vs. bad. However, there is often a gray area that goes unexplored. Antigone manages to venture into this gray area through a complicated conflict of values. Kreon, the ruler of Thebes, has declared the leader of a rebellion against the state must not be buried. This conflicts with the leaders’ sister, Antigone, as she feels compelled to bury him. This conflict of values was expressed by German philosopher Hegel when he said â€Å"At the center of Antigone we find not a tragic hero but a tragic collision. However, the conflict is not between good and evil but between one-sided positions each of which embodies some good.† The result of this gray area is the creation of two separate themes, government vs. family, and man vs. the gods. Antigone represents both family and the gods due to her fierce loyalty to each, while Kreon represents government and man. Neither side is necessarily wrong, but it is the stubb ornness and pride within them that leads to tragedy. On the surface, Kreon is a villain. He is unbending and kills a woman whose crime was loving her brother. However, further analysis reveals it is not so simple. Kreon is not inherently evil; it is instead his character flaws that create the perception he is a villain. Throughout the play he stresses practical judgment, unbeknownst to the irony within his own words. Kreon believes by sentencing Antigone to death he is asserting himself, and that it is importantShow MoreRelatedThe Tragedy Of Antigone By William Shakespeare2023 Words   |  9 Pages The story of Antigone begins with Polyneices and Eteocles, two brothers with two distinct ideologies which resulted in a civil war, both in opposite sides. 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