Love, particularly familial love, is a very strong theme in Antigone.
Antigone, the sister of Polyneikes, wants to give Polyneikes a just burial. Kreon, King of Thebes and the uncle of Antigone, does not allow Polyneikes to be buried due to the nature of his death. Antigone buries him, but not after a quarrel with her sister, Ismene, who advises her not to do so. Kreon catches Antigone, and Ismene makes a strong effort to share the blame with Antigone.
To Kreon, Ismene says “I confess it – If she’ll let me. I accept my full share of the blame.” Antigone counters with “Justice won’t let you make that claim, sister! You refused to help me. You took no part.” (Antigone. 581-584) This excerpt from the conversation between Ismene and Antigone demonstrates a quote from the Elders, on love: “You wrench even good men’s minds/ so far off course that they crash in ruins.” (Antigone.872-873) Ismene makes an effort to share in the blame for an action that her sister committed, an action that she adamantly disagreed with, that was done out of love for her brother. Knowing full well the repercussions of her actions, Ismene tries to share in the blame of Antigone’s actions. Ismene does so out love for her sister, even though it could result in her downfall.
The overarching theme of the speech about Love from the chorus, was ‘Love wins in the end’. They say “Love, you win all your battles!” (Antigone.945-946) and “No god can outlast you/ No mortal outrun you/ And those you seize go mad” (Antigone. 869-871). Antigone buries her brother, out love and respect for him. She does so betraying, Kreon, her uncle, and father of the man that she was engaged to marry, Haimon. She had a glorious life planned out with Haimon, one where she could have achieved happiness and lived out her romantic fantasies, but she sacrificed it all for love and loyalty to her brother. In the end, she is jailed by Kreon, and kills herself in isolation. Although it is not the loving ending that she envisioned for herself, her demise is full of love and loyalty – to her brother.
Interesting take on the driving force in the text. I chose godly law, but I used a passage I think may have applied here as well. In the end Haemon dies along side Antigone arguably for two reasons. One, because he loved Antigone so much he wouldn’t go on without her. Or, two, Kreon loved Haemon so much that his rigid parenting in at an attempt to steer Haemon in the direction he considered best, he drove his son to suicide.
Very interesting the on the topic of love in Antigone, although I would add that this family love could in some ways be seen as law. Zeus is the defender of bonds between family members and thus is the authority for this set of laws. I don’t think Antigone ever actually mentions still loving her brother after his betrayal, yet she repeats that it is law to defend the bond between family and thus give him a proper burial.