Antigone LRJ #2

1- An important image in the tale of Antigone is the act of being stubborn, or not open to other thoughts or ideas.  An example, Creon always feels like if he is right no matter what. he feels that because he is the king that he will always be the superior intellectual.  He encases himself in his own ideas, and goes by his own instinct.  In the quote, "Everything else, my son, to your father's will"(Fitzgerald, 829).  Haimon being Creon's son is agreeing with his father, and Creon believes that he is right,  Haimon is trying to tell his father that he is wrong and that his idea or outlook is not correct but Creon doesn't listen.  Another important image is pride.  Creon doesn't want to look weak in front of his people, and he wants to show others that he is tough and a good leader, he expresses this thought when he says, "Do you want me to show myself weak before the people?"(Fitzgerald, 829).  Creon is stating that he is not going to look weak, and soft, but a strong and smart man.

2- "My own blind heart has brought me from darkness to final darkness"(Fitzgerald, 840).  Creon here realizes that he was to stubborn to see the truth.  That he brought the death of his family upon himself, and that he was the cause of all this sadness.  Others tried to tell him, but he wouldn't listen.  Ismene in this story also realizes he wrong doing by denying he brother a proper burial.  She says, "But now I Know what you meant: and I am here To join you, to take my share of punishment"(Fitzgerald, 825).  Ismene realizes that she was wrong for not mourning for both of her brothers, and that her life meant nothing if she did not realize that and take the blame with her sister Antigone.

3- Creon has his Anagorisis when he hears that his family are all dead.  That his wife has killed herself which was led by the death of their son Haimon.  He exclaims, "I alone am guilty"(841).  Creon realizes that all along he was wrong, and that by his own hand he has killed what was dearest to his heart.  

4- Creon goes through a lot at the end of the story.  Antigone hangs herself, which leads to Haimon killing himself, then his wife blaming Creon and also killing herself.  Creon doesn't change his way of thinking until the end when all he cares for have died by his own hand.  

5- I believe the audience has a Catharasis at the end of the story when Creon's family dies because he thought he was almighty, but in reality he was always wrong.  The pity comes from the fact that his loved ones have died and he is left alone to live through his own wrong doing.  

6- Creon tells Haimon, "No marriage means more to me than your continuing wisdom"(Fitzgerald, 829).  This means that women were seen of as lesser value, or something to be owned, that love was not as important then that of power.  That women were seen and objects that could be tossed away if the husband was unhappy.  The father would seek his son's love before letting him love his own wife.