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Antigone suggests that Creon has defied the divine law even though he claims to promote lawful behavior, suggesting that he violate ritual and that it is her duty to change that, "Hate and scorn and shame have followed us, we two, living with hell's own curse... now Creon makes an enemy of our own flesh and blood" (Braun 22). Antigone argues that her actions are done out of love, desperately pleading to her sister Ismene "You coward! Stop turning my love into hate... you know what I must do.. how can you deny it" (Bethune 1; Braun 24). Antigone also proclaims that she "wasn't born to hate one with the other, but to love both together" referring to her brothers (Braun 42). "I am different. I love my brother" (Braun 24).
The chorus however suggests that law superceded love, stating "The mind is full of cunning, for evil and for good. We honor human law, we honor the law of god, but the sinner is cast out." Antigone rises above the law however, suggesting that love can overcome and overpower it. This is evidenced by Creon's assault on Antigone during their confrontation, where, enraged by Antigone's defiance Creon grabs her wrist and twists it. This causes immediate pain but then as the squeezing increasing, Antigone feels nothing suggesting that she is beyond the reach of the law and state of power that Creon...
Creon however may also be viewed as unlovable, someone who has surrendered himself to suffering and the "burdens of rule" (Tan 1). He distances himself from personal love and instead concerns himself only with affirming political order. Yet despite this Creon finds the act of sentencing Antigone loathsome, and her death leaves him robbed of his dignity, mourning and alone (Tan 1).
Conclusions
The idea that love opposes law and wins in the end changes the entire scope of the play Antigone. It encourages the reader to view love as central toward determining right from wrong. The play remains a tragedy for Antigone is still lost and Creon must suffer terrible guilt and loneliness as a result of Antigone's death. He is forced however to reconsider his position on the law. The examination of love and law suggests that mankind is foolish for relying so heavily on the law, but does so more out of habit in many cases than practicality. One can't argue that Antigone's cause isn't just, and the fact that she must die for it makes this play even more tragic but meaningful for the skilled reader.
References
Bethune, R.W. "The Antigone of Sophocles." Creative Theatre Group, 25, October 2005: http://www.freshwaterseas.com/plays/antigone/default.htm
Braun, Richard Emil. Sophocles Antigone. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989.
Burrell, D. (1991). "A Historian Looks At Hegel Philosophically." 25, October 2005: http://dave.burrell.net//hegel.html
Gonzales, Francisco Jay. "The Burial At Thebes: Hegel on Antigone." 26, October 2005: http://www.skidmore.edu/fye/bat/hegel.html
Tan, Michael. SparkNote on Antigone. 27 Oct. 2005 http://www.sparknotes.com/drama/antigone/.
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