One of the major themes debated in Sophocles’ Antigone is whether her familial ties and obligations drive Antigone’s actions. Namely, scholars have argued whether Antigone sacrificed her life to bury her brother, Polyneices, due to her commitment to family obligation and filial love for her brother. Antigone’s conflict with her sister, Ismene, her uncle, Creon, and her willingness to die supports the argument that family ties and obligations are the driving force for Antigone’s actions.
Antigone has a dispute with her uncle, Creon, who ordered that Polyneices should not be buried since he betrayed his country in the war. Enraged by such a decision, Antigone insists that she will bury her brother. She states, “I will bury him. It’s a beautiful thing, to die in this act. With him I will rest, beloved with beloved…” (Sophocles 70). Antigone also clashes with her sister, Ismene, because the latter does not support Antigone in her decision to bury their brother. Antigone says that Ismene is just making up an “excuse” that women are weak (Sophocles 80). It is evident from Antigone’s willingness to sacrifice her life that she is driven by the familial tie, namely, her profound love for her brother. Some scholars have argued that she was caused by the divine law rather than filial love (Tutu 75). However, if she was driven merely by the divine law, it is hardly imaginable that she would sacrifice herself for a stranger (Tutu 75). Thus, Antigone’s action is driven by a deep love for her family member, namely, her brother.
One might contend that some of her words contradict the above statement that family relationships drive her. For instance, she says, “Never, I tell you, if I had been the mother of children, or if my husband died, exposed and rotting, I’d never have taken this ordeal upon myself, never defied our people’s will” (Sophocles 905). These words might imply that family loyalty is not the driving force behind her action. However, one should note that she was seconds away from dying while saying these words; hence, she knew that she would never have her children, allowing her to state such a bold yet contradictory statement. Thus, family loyalty remains the driving motive behind her action to sacrifice her life to bury her brother.
Works Cited
Sophocles. Antigone. The Center for Hellenic Studies. Harvard University, Translated by Ben Roy et al., Web.
Tutu, Iona. The Motivation of Antigone. McGill University. 2009. Web.