Antigone -Novel to Film Essay   

In Antigone, the theme of Fate and Free Will is shown in the play and the film. In the 

play, the theme is shown more, but in the film, it is shown less, but when comparing and 

contrasting each of the two, you can conclude Fate and Free Will as a theme for the play. For 

example, Oedipus unknowingly marries his mother, meaning that was his fate; Antigone chooses 

to bury Polyneices, that being her free will, and Ismene’s attempts to take some individual credit 

from Antigone’s action is another example of Free will.  

Firstly, in both the play and film, Antigone and Haimon both perish around the same time, and 

both by suicide. Antigone hangs herself and Haimon stabs himself after Antigone dies. Haimon 

could have stopped her but he did not, and this could be an example of fate. In the play, it states 

“and she hanged herself, Haimon lays beside her” in Scene IV. Haimon could have stopped her 

but again, did not, he “drove half [the sword’s] length into his side” (scene IV). Haimon wanted 

to die with his bride. In the film, this is not as obvious, all that is said is Haimon stating that 

Creon had just lost a niece and a son, when Haimon storms away and is never seen again, 

showing the theme of fate and free will in Antigone.  

Secondly, in both the play and the film, Antigone decides to go against Creon’s edict and bury 

Polyneices. This is an act of free will, meaning Antigone decided herself to do that, and she 

stood up for herself and proudly took the punishment, and did not deny doing it. In the play, she 

stands up for herself, but not much to Creon as the audience. In the film, she talks to Creon, The 

Chorus, and the Audience. For example, in the film, Antigone mentions Greek Goddesses and 
argues to the Chorus, but in the play, she just makes statements like “Look upon me, friends, pity 

me!” to the Chorus and never really fights her punishment as much as film Antigone does. 

Antigone knew what she was doing and what was happening to her, but now it was too late to go 

back. 

Finally, Antigone’s argument with Ismene about the laws is another act of free will. Antigone 

knows what she wants and the Gods support her, but Ismene wants to listen to the law. The 

argument in the play and film are nearly identical, down to Antigone’s statement: “Do the laws 

of the Gods mean nothing to you?” which is mentioned in Scene I of both the film and play. 

Antigone knows what she wants and Ismene knows she does not want her sister to go against the 

law and be punished. Later on, after Antigone is caught, in both the play and film Ismene 

attempts to stand with her sister, but Antigone refuses, saying that Ismene was never involved, 

and she does not want Ismene to steal credit for Antigone’s actions.  

In conclusion, Antigone presents the theme of fate and free will in both the play and film, 

whether it be through death or life’s decisions. Antigone’s action and her disobeying action 

against Creon had a domino effect for the whole play after Antigone decides to bury her brother 

to stand up for him, even though he is deceased. The differences between the play and the film 

are evident, but the true, graphics, tragic, feel to the story is the same.