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George Sampson
English 2
Gust 5
April 19, 2012
Antigone Value Essay
In Antigone, the title characters breaks her ties with her family members and subjects
herself to death just to keep her values. Analyzing the story further it becomes clear that
Sophocles, the author of the play, drives home the fact that Antigone will sacrifice anything for
those values of hers.
Scene 1 already shows one of Antigone’s values and what she is willing to sacrifice for it.
Antigone confronts her sister, Ismene, about burying their dead brother, whose burial has been
recently outlawed by King Creon. However, when Ismene says no to helping her out with the
burial Antigone tells her, “Go away Ismene I shall be hating you soon, and the dead will too, for
your words are hateful.” That line shows that Antigone values her brother’s honor in death
more than her relationship with her sister in life.
Although Antigone does not make it to the end of the play, she provides even more
example of her values in Scene 2. Scene 2 has a confrontation between Antigone and Creon in
which Creon hopefully asks if whether or not Antigone had heard his proclamation outlawing
the burial of Polynieces. Antigone answers truthfully telling him that she had heard it and she
still buried him. Creon shocked by this asks her did she really dared to break the law, Antigone
replies with, “I dared. It was not the gods’ proclamation.” That symbolizes Antigone’s value in
her own actions because she tells Creon as long as it doesn’t go against the gods, she is in the
right.
Antigone’s sacrifices add depth because it shows her actions mean the most to her
despite the consequences, which speaks volumes for her character. This translates to the world
because Antigone does what she wanted to do without trying to have Creon undo the
proclamation he made, giving the message ‘let your actions speak louder than words’.
English 2
Gust 5
April 19, 2012
Antigone Value Essay
In Antigone, the title characters breaks her ties with her family members and subjects
herself to death just to keep her values. Analyzing the story further it becomes clear that
Sophocles, the author of the play, drives home the fact that Antigone will sacrifice anything for
those values of hers.
Scene 1 already shows one of Antigone’s values and what she is willing to sacrifice for it.
Antigone confronts her sister, Ismene, about burying their dead brother, whose burial has been
recently outlawed by King Creon. However, when Ismene says no to helping her out with the
burial Antigone tells her, “Go away Ismene I shall be hating you soon, and the dead will too, for
your words are hateful.” That line shows that Antigone values her brother’s honor in death
more than her relationship with her sister in life.
Although Antigone does not make it to the end of the play, she provides even more
example of her values in Scene 2. Scene 2 has a confrontation between Antigone and Creon in
which Creon hopefully asks if whether or not Antigone had heard his proclamation outlawing
the burial of Polynieces. Antigone answers truthfully telling him that she had heard it and she
still buried him. Creon shocked by this asks her did she really dared to break the law, Antigone
replies with, “I dared. It was not the gods’ proclamation.” That symbolizes Antigone’s value in
her own actions because she tells Creon as long as it doesn’t go against the gods, she is in the
right.
Antigone’s sacrifices add depth because it shows her actions mean the most to her
despite the consequences, which speaks volumes for her character. This translates to the world
because Antigone does what she wanted to do without trying to have Creon undo the
proclamation he made, giving the message ‘let your actions speak louder than words’.