William Turner

October 31, 2010

Mr. Derrick- 4

Rolling Thunder with Conflicts

Have you ever had a bad day? First you fall out of bed smash your toe on the dresser and

then the toothpaste hits you in the eye. Then your rushing because you’re running late you put

the wrong belt on then your wife comes into the kitchen and starts nagging about the neighbors

and you just snap. After leaving home you speed to work and get a ticket on PA-309. You finally

arrive at work and your boss yells at you then you yell at your best friend inadvertently. This

entire scenario is a string of compounding conflicts. According to thefreedictionary.com,

conflict means a state of open, often prolonged fighting; a battle or war. There are many

examples of conflicts in the story of Antigone by Sophocles. The following conflict sparks off

three other conflicts that cause much anarchy throughout the story. The Civil War of Thebes is

the main conflict in the book that triggers off the other conflicts, some internal and some

external.

The Civil War of Thebes was a war fought between the two sons of Oedipus, Polyneices

and Eteocles. The war cease to an end with the death of the two brothers at the hands of each

other. Creon the King only decided to bury Eteocles as he was on the side that he agreed with.

Polyneices was left out for the maggots, dogs and vultures as Creon said was a disgrace.

“However, his brother, Polyneices, a returned exile, who sought to burn with fire from top to

bottom his native city, and the gods of his own people; who sought to taste the blood he shared

with us; and lead the rest of us to slavery- I here proclaim to the city that this man shall no one

honor with a grave and none shall mourn. You shall leave him without burial; you shall watch
him chewed up by birds and dogs and violated (ll.217- 225).” This shows how Creon has a

strong displeasure for Polyneices after he quote on quote turned his back against him and his

native city. Creon not burying Polyneices sparked another conflict within the play of Antigone.

Antigone versus Ismene!

Antigone and Ismene are the two sisters of Polyneices and Eteocles. Antigone is a rabble

rouser, very boisterous and she stands up for herself as she looks at it no else would as she is just

a woman. “There you have it; soon you will show yourself as noble both in your nature and your

birth, or yourself as base, although of noble parents (ll. 42-45).” This quote comes from the

meeting between Antigone and Ismene on the outskirts of the city, discussing how they should

bury their other brother. The quote shows that Antigone is very proud and has hubristic qualities

within herself and she is the foil to her sister Ismene. Ismene on the other hand is a very bland

character, she falls in line like most women did in her day and she tries to show how she cared

deeply for her family, but most times her fear of being punished overcame her will to help

Antigone. “You ought to realize we are only women, not meant in nature to fight against men,

and that we are ruled, by those who are stronger, to obedience in this and even more painful

matters. I do indeed beg those beneath the earth to give me their forgiveness, since force

constrains me that I shall yield in this to the authorities’ extravagant action is not sensible (ll.70-

79).” This quote which is from Ismene just shows how she used her nature of being a woman to

not help her sister. The personality of Ismene is somewhat conflicting because at the end of the

play when they capture Antigone she wants to take blame as an accomplice but Antigone

wouldn’t let her. Antigone actions in burying her brother spark another conflict which is very

high octane, as a son and father are on the brinks of blows.

 Creon and Haemon meet to discuss Antigone. Creon has recently sent off Sentry to

capture Antigone. Haemon has come to his father to help him see the evils in what he is doing.

He isn’t just warning him because it is his fiancée but because he doesn’t have the backing of

public opinion as seen in this quote. “The entire people of Thebes says no to that (ll. 792).”

Haemon tries to tell his father that his overly hubris attitude will do nothing but end badly. “Here

is one who would not leave her brother unburied, a brother who had fallen in bloody conflict, to

meet his end by greedy dogs by the bird that chanced that way. Surely what she merits is golden

honor, isn’t it? That’s the dark rumor that spreads in secret. Nothing I own I value more highly,

father than your success. What greater distinction can a son have than the glory of a successful

children? Do not bear this single habit of mind, to think that what you say and nothing else is

true (ll. 750-761).” Haemon basically butters his father up for the great blow to the jaw. He tells

him there is nothing more honorable than having the good will and graces and honor of a father

but then tells him that your word isn’t end all be all. Even though that is his tragic flaw Creon

tries to brush it to the back of his mind. The two proceed to transpire in a string of insults back

and forth between the two. “Should the city tell me how I am to rule them? Do you see what a

young man’s words these are of yours? Must I rule the land by someone else’s judgment rather

than my own? There is no city possessed by one man only is not the city thought to be the rulers?

You would be a fine dictator of a desert. It seems this boy is on the woman’s side/ IF are a

woman, my care is all for you. You villain, to bandy words with your own father! I see your acts

as mistaken and unjust. Am I mistaken, reverencing my own office? There is no reverence in

trampling on God’s honor. Your nature is vile, in yielding to a woman. You will not find me

yield to what is shameful (ll.793-809).”

 After Creon and Haemon have their spat there is a revelation between Antigone and the

Chorus and then an argument between Creon and Antigone after she is brought in by Sentry.

Following that Teiresias comes and tries to warn Creon that he is not above any god. Then all

hell breaks loose. Antigone dies, which causes Haemon to kill himself thus causing his mother to

kill herself. All of these events leave Creon all alone with nothing but his conscience and his

kingdom. He comes to this realization. “Yes, I have learned it to my bitterness. At this moment

God has sprung on my head with a vast weight and struck me down. He shook me in my savage

ways; he has overturned my joy, has trampled it, underfoot. The pains men suffer are pains

indeed (ll.1348-1353).” He comes to the recognition of his flaws thus making Creon a tragic

hero. Even though Creon doesn’t die just having the deaths of his wife, son and daughter in law

to be is nothing no man with a heart can handle.

In conclusion, a conflict is a skirmish between two things. The main conflict in the story

of Antigone was the Civil War was Thebes which then set off the conflict between, Ismene and

Antigone, Creon and Antigone and Creon and Haemon.