The power Struggle of Antigone

The play Antigone by Sophocles is written about the decisions made by the royal families after the death of Polyneices and Eteocles death. These two men were brothers and sons of the previous king Oedipus. Once the king died, the two brothers agreed to alternate as kings each year. After one year of serving as king, Eteocles refused to give up his title as ruler and Polyneices declared war. In the end, both died, and Oedipus brother-in-law Creon becomes king. In his rule he declares that Polyneices will not have a proper burial unlike Eteocles. The play begins after these incidents with Antigone and Ismene, the daughters of the past king Oedipus. The sisters discuss these incidents that have occurred and Antigone proposes that she will still bury Polyneices even against Creon’s declaration. Ismene refuses to help as anyone who commits this act will be put to death.

Once Antigone commits this crime, the Sentry (soldier) notifies Creon that someone had broken his declaration and Polyneices was buried. Angered by this news Creon threatens the sentry that if he does not find who is responsible, he will be put to death. Antigone is captured by the sentry and is made an example by Creon who declares that he will put her to death for her crimes. Haemon, Creon’s son and fiancé of Antigone warns Creon that the people he rules have rumored to be in favor of her actions. Creon becomes angry at his son and they end their argument with even more determination to punish Antigone. Secondly Teiresias, the king’s prophet advises him not to kill Antigone and to give Polyneices a proper burial. The Chorus, a group of male advisors to the king, agree with the prophet and caution Creon to follow Teiresias advice. Creon agrees but he is to late and Antigone and Haemon take their own lives. In effect Creon’s wife commits suicide in response to Haemon’s death and blames Creon for her actions.

Interpreting literature allows for application to study life itself. Accounts in literature provides documentation on specific circumstances and social issues. Looking through a certain literary lens allows for greater comprehension of ethical issues and the impact they have. According to Purdue Online Writing Lab, The literary criticism of Marxist Literary Analysis permits us to delve deeper into the expression and ramifications of power through political or social means. It also shines a light of socioeconomical impacts on the lower or working class and whether their value is ethical as human beings. While the play Antigone does not delve into the economical aspect of the working or upper (royal) class, it does infer subliminal messages of oppression through the normalization of fear in the lower class. Sophocles’ play is centered around royalty’s struggle of power and morality, with the influence it has on society and working class.

Power is shifted from Creon to Antigone and much of the general population as well as the Chorus begin to doubt the king’s decisions. This doubt begins to transpire first when Haemon approaches his father and voices the opinions of the citizens Creon rules. Haemon adds that, “The city mourns for the girl; they think she is dying most wrongly and most undeservedly of all womenkind, for the most glorious act,” (Sophocles 1568). While angered by the remarks from his son, he also has concerns of his own strength in power. When Creon became king, he only was able to attain power positionally through blood. If loyalties are swayed he could easily loose this power as king. Furthermore, Creon’s power is weakened as his dictatorship becomes a threatened by those around him. He must take, later in the story, the opinions of both the prophet Teiresias and the Chorus. Once Teiresias warns Creon, the Chorus attempts to persuade the king to change his mind using the prophets unyielding accuracy commenting, “That was a terrible prophecy, my lord. The man has gone. Since these hairs of mine grew white from the black they once were, he has never spoken a word of a lie to our city,” (Sophocles 1577-1578). Reflecting on this, Creon doubts his laws and agrees to set Antigone free. At this point the power is shifted. The Chorus while previously only taking the king’s side embody this power shift and ultimately side with what is most powerful rather than being loyal. The dictatorship that Creon had, was now threatened by others. The general population, Teiresias and the Chorus effectively persuade the establishment (Creon) into succumbing to their wishes.

The Sentry (the soldier) desires, wishes and socioeconomic oppression embody the lower class of the city of Thebes. After the Sentry informs Creon that Polyneices’ remains had been buried, the king threatens the soldier that if the culprit was not found, then he would be blamed. After being threatened the soldier replies, “… One thing is certain, you’ll never see me coming here again. I never hoped to escape, never thought I could. But now I have come off safe, I thank God heartily,” (Sophocles 1560). Sophocles voices the opinion of the lower class in the soldier. While they might follow the king’s rules, they are afraid of him as well. The soldier does arrest Antigone after tricking her into burring the body again. Once she is captured, the Sentry voices to the king, “It was most pleasant to have escaped oneself out of such troubles but painful to bring into it those we love. However, it is but natural for me to count all this less than my own escape,” (Sophocles 1562). While the lower class does not want to go against the king, they admire Antigone and what she had done. The Sentry felt oppressed by Creon because even though he did not willingly go against the kings wishes he was treated as such. The soldier did not wish to turn in Antigone, but he had no choice. Those that are oppressed must do what they must to survive against those in charge. In this case he sacrificed Antigone for himself.

Antigone’s and Haemon’s choice to commit suicide proves to Creon and the working class that power is in our choices. While the king decides not to put Ismene and Antigone to death, unbeknown to Antigone she decides to take death into her own hands and hang herself. When Haemon attempts to visit Antigone, he finds her body instead. While Haemon could have killed his father, he turns his sword on himself. A messenger who describes this to the Chorus says, “So he has won the pitiful fulfillment of his marriage within death’s house. In this human world he has shown how the wrong choice in plans is for a man his greatest evil,” (Sophocles 1581). Sophocles attempts to speak through this messenger as means to show how a Haemon won Antigone even against his father’s wishes allowing him to revolt against the king. Choices sanction the right to power when those who rule in a dictatorship decide the fate of individuals. When those in power are not able to control the choices of others, then the working class becomes the dominant influence within the society. In this case, while Antigone and Haemon are not part of the working class they symbolize the hope of the morals and ideals that the working class stands for. They stand for the rebellion against the power and the laws enacted no matter what the consequences. While death is inevitable, Antigone and Haemon chose how and when they die. This is a direct revolt against Creon.

Literary Criticism brings useful literary thinking into the minds of readers in relation to literature in the goal of bringing new and unique perspectives to light. Marxism Literary Criticism specifically provides that perspective and applies it to current and future political and social concerns. A large aspect of politics surrounds picking certain issues or representatives that a person believes is the morally correct decision. This play provides the thought process of both Antigone and Creon as they make their decisions as major components of power. While we are unable to see the intentions of politicians and those behind certain measures, the perspectives of these individuals demonstrate how complicated or simple the decision process can become. The treatment of others can bring to light social issues such as those in the working class. When aware of the social structures, more readers can become empathetic towards those who are unable to make the choices that they desire. Literary Criticism, despite its inability to answer questions regarding these issues especially if the author is no longer alive, allows readers to focus on subjects they might be unaware of presently in literature.

Works Cited

Sophocles. “Antigone.” The Norton Introduction to Literature, edited by Kelly J. Mary, W.W. Norton & Company, 2017, pp. 1551-1583.