Antigone Questions

Though Antigone and Creon and the values each represents are obviously in conflict in the play, are the two alike in any way?

Antigone and Creon are very much alike in the sense that they both are very passionate about their reasoning and feelings. These are two people who are set in their ways, although their difference in opinion causes death and brings conflict into their lives it unites them together as two very determined individuals who are confident and wrapped up in their own beliefs. Antigone refuses to acknowledge that she broke the law and would rather die than apologize for her wrong doing, that’s where her ego gets in the way. Creon is the same way, he would rather kill his own family member just to stay true to his word and have authority over people before he would admit his failures and mistakes. Their pride is revealed in different ways, this is something that plays a negative role in both their lives, and makes them alike in a lot of ways. Sometimes the people that frustrate us the most actually share the same characteristics.

What do you make of Creon’s “Ship of State” speech?

Creon’s speech was used as a way to describe his ideas as well as his leadership. He compares the country to a ship, and the king to a captain. To him the state is more important than any individual, he thinks that as a leader his most important role is to maintain the safety of the state, similar to how a president runs a country. Any action taken against the state he sees as an “obscenity” that must be punished and destroyed.