Antigone - Novel to Film Essay

By - Catherine Hudson

The play and film of Antigone are very similar but at the same time different. The theme

of the film and play is determination. For example, how Antigone is determined to bury her

brother Polyneices, Creon is determined to find out who buried Polyneices, and how Antigone is

determined to get her sister Ismene to help with the burial of Polyneices. The film and play have

very different ways of portraying the determination.

In the play, the author reveals the idea that Antigone is determined to bury her brother

and have her sister help her by saying “ Ismene, I am going to bury him. Will, you come?”.

Ismene decides not to help Antigone because she is scared for her life. In the film, the producer

reveals the same idea that Antigone is determined to get her sister to help bury her brother.

Antigone is disappointed that Ismene isn’t going to help, resulting in Antigone trying to bury

Polyneices by herself. This reveals a similarity in the film and play.

In the film, the producer reveals that Creon wants to kill Antigone not just because of the

“crime” she committed but because she is women. This moment is captured from the film when

sentry brings Antigone to Creon and Creon is furious not just because she disobeyed him but

because of her gender and Creon thinks no women should have or feel the right to disobey the

king. In the play, Creon is furious and disappointed because of the crime. This evidence relates

to the theme of determination because Creon is determined to kill Antigone because she is a

woman. This reveals the contrast between the film and the play.
 In conclusion, the film and book are very similar but are contrasting in their viewpoints

and how they communicate. The determination is the theme of the similarities and differences

between the play and film.