Waad M. A.

Alhayek

U18105418

Prof. Andrew Power

(Drama Midterm Essay)

Love and Marriage in Antigone

Love can play a significant role in one's life, and it can sometimes penetrate the mind so

deeply that one is willing to sacrifice oneself for their loved ones. In Sophocles’

Antigone, there are multiple instances of love and marriage and each character in the play

interpret it differently. Antigone, the protagonist, portrays love in the form of familial

love. Ismene's love for her sister Antigone takes on another form. As does Haemon’s love

for Antigone and his father. Also, Eurydice's love for her son. Lastly, Kreon's love for

power, authority, and his family. This essay will focus on the bond of marriage and the

different forms of love within the characters of the play and how each character portrays

it.

One way of illustrating love is through familial love, as shown at the beginning of the

play, when Antigone addresses her sister Ismene as her beloved sister and reminds her of

their bond, and how they’re close even in their sorrows. “Ismene, my own true sister, O

dear one, sharing our common bond of birth.” (1-2) conveys her great love for her sister.

There is an interplay between love and marriage because one is the outcome of the other.

“Do you know one evil left to us by Oidipous, our father.” (2-3) suggests that Antigone’s

tragedy is the result of Oedipus and Jocasta's incestuous marriage, which plays a

significant role in the development of Antigone’s character and how the play takes turns.
All of the characters may be related to and with the significance of marriage, which is

indisputable. In Antigone, some of the characters consider marriage as a necessary evil.

However, marriage must exist in order for the characters to engage with one another. In

Antigone, marriage is shown to be either a blessing or a curse, depending on the acts of

the characters; the connection between marriage and value is made plain via their actions.

Antigone's weddings may be beneficial for a variety of reasons. If Antigone is not

allowed to go, Haimon says, "Then she must die, but her death will trigger another." It is

mentioned in (111, 119) Haimon, the epitome of love, is willing to give up his life to

rescue the one to whom he is engaged. It is possible that Haimon's love for Antigone is

because he realizes that she violated Kreon's ultimatum; she is his opposite but equal; she

is feisty and headstrong, whereas Haimon is more restrained and deliberate in his speech.

It's as he said it: "And as he died/ He held Antigone close in his arms again," "choking,

his blood blazing scarlet on her white face. / He now rests among the dead, and she is his/

Finally, his bride in a home of dead people (Exodus 72-76).

Antigone was so dear to Haimon's heart that, if Kreon continued to obey the legislation

he imposed, even if the townspeople were sympathetic to Antigone's case, and ordered

the murder of Antigone, he would die with her.." In fact, he accomplished it. In Antigone,

this was one of the most successful ways to defeat Kreon. Kreon had been functioning

under the assumption that he was in complete command of everything, including the

behaviour and thoughts of everyone else. That all changed suddenly, of course. Even in

Kreon's own realm, "Fate has humbled all my pride to a notion of dust." (Exodus, 137

and 138) Unfortunately, Kreon will have to learn about control the hard way: when he
loses everyone he cares about. However, like with any good tragedy, the lesson isn't

learnt until the very end.

Marriage, on the other hand, may be considered as both beneficial and detrimental. The

majority of Antigone's problems stem from marriage, and many people die as a result.

Haimon attempts to persuade his father Kreon to release Antigone, but all this argument

does is enrage Kreon: "Every word you say is for her!" It is (III, 116) Trying to persuade

Kreon that letting Antigone go would not be a sign of weakness, but rather a sign of

kindness, Haimon argues. As a result of this, Kreon starts to question about his son, and

he degrades him for falling in love with Antigone and following the road of his heart

rather than the path of his reason. To highlight just how self-centered he really was,

Kreon scolds his son for having an affair and for being open about it, while being openly

and publicly distraught over the death of his wife: "I have been reckless and stupid. / I

have slain my son and my wife." 134 and 135 of Exodus Eurydice commits suicide after

hearing about Haimon's death. It's only now that Kreon realizes how much of an impact

his contentious actions have had on his family.

Whether or if he is going to change for good because some people find it difficult to

make changes, the future is unpredictable. Reiteration of the point a person's inability to

let go of control at all times and in all facets of their life is a difficult problem to

overcome alter in a significant way A step back from the day-to-day management of

Thebes would allow Kreon to focus on the big picture. Self-reflection would let him

recognize what he is doing to others, his family, and even himself by looking in the

mirror. While the majority of his live relatives die in a manner that he is not, his family

suffers the most directly liable for the outcome.

It's evident that marriage is a bad rather than a good component of Antigone's story, and

it's regrettable that way. It was as though everyone who was married had to bear the pain

of everyone else. Her death sentence was handed down by a married man, which is why

she never married. Rather than marry, Haimon chose to commit suicide to spare his wife

from the wrath of a married man who felt the need to demonstrate his authority and

dominance. As a result of her suicide, Eurydice has married the same married guy who

was her loving spouse. Despite the fact that she has a minor part in the discourse, her

actions are what bring the sad drama to a close. Although this narrative is a tragedy, it

can be linked back to the mistake of most tragic Greek heroes: pride, and until we

humans can detach ourselves from pride, we will never have the tranquil and harmonious

existence we want.