Conflicts in Antigone*

1. Male vs. female

a. Ismene 63 “we are women…”
b. Antigone 470 talks back; Chorus says she’s wild
c. Creon-Haemon 740 fighting for a woman’s cause (family values?)
745 submit to a woman
d. See also 175, 485, 648, 680
2. City vs. family values (or public vs. private BUT confused in that one type of private value, filial
obedience of son to father is discussed as a value to the city, whereas Antigone’s family loyalties
are viewed as undermining the city) Ismene vs. Antigone: 75-80; Creon keeping family in line:
660; 680
3. private vs. public 660, showing grief 1247
4. Divine/Religious (or natural) law vs. civic law: see 450; 519
5. Impartiality vs. Values of Care that prioritize family and friends over anonymous city
6. fate vs. human action (free will) see 542
heaven vs. earth; see mortal vs. god
heaven vs. Hades; see mortal vs. god
7. mortal vs. god Zeus hates an arrogant boast: 127; 1339
8. individual vs. state Antigone alone: 876
good vs. bad; see justice vs. injustice
9. reason vs. emotion see 875
10. word vs. action 543; 729
11. listening vs. talking
a. Antigone—Ismene failure to listen 95
b. 756
12. old vs. young
a. listening to elders 45
b. Creon vs. Haemon, 725-256
13. tradition vs. new custom Creon 1111
14. pride/hubris vs. wisdom
15. friend/foe 87 (Antigone vs. Ismene); Haemon 725
16. wealth v. wisdom 298; 1046-7
17. good v. bad judgements Watchman 324; Haemon to Creon: 743; Creon: 1269
18. father vs. son 634-640
19. Royalty vs. common man/ruler vs. ruled ruled must obey laws of the ruler: 665; 690
20. Democracy vs. tyranny 505; 690
21. Closed vs. open mind Creon to Antigone: 473; Haemon to Creon: 710-711; 1111 Creon changes
his mind
22. Reason vs. emotion 98 “Losing your mind”
23. Impartiality vs. favoring family or friends 181-83

*you may find more conflicts or think about some of them differently; lines are just examples/samples
for support but it is not a comprehensive index of all examples