Emotions In Sophocles Antigone

In the world we live in today, in this day in age, acting on emotions is a common thing that a lot of people do. From feelings of sadness and anxiety, to happiness and contentment, and everything in between, emotions can run wild at any given moment, and we can do literally anything, just by acting on these emotions. In the tragedy Antigone by Sophocles, many of the leading characters act on what they are feeling, what emotions they feel, at different times, all throughout the play. While there were a lot of these negative actions and emotions, which lead to negative effects for these characters, there were also instances where positive emotions and actions lead to positive effects on the characters. Antigone, the leading female role in the

This is an issue for the king because he believes that Polyneices did not deserve to be buried, for he did nothing good for the city, while Eteocles on the other hand “died protecting his city”. So Creon sets an ultimatum, telling the city that someone needs to find the man, or woman in this case, that buried Polyneices, so that said person can then be stoned to death, for disobeying the him, because Creon had previously stated that Polyneices shall not be buried under any circumstances.

It is revealed that Antigone acts as a result of emotion, a feeling of sadness, despair, even guilt; the play saying, “Look— what’s Creon doing with our two brothers? He’s honoring one with a full funeral and treating the other disgracefully!” (Lines 25 & 26). Antigone then goes on to talk to her sister Ismene, and when she does not want to help Antigone, but tells her NOT to bury their brother, Antigone snaps back saying, “Yes, I’ll do duty to my brother— and yours as well, if you’re not prepared to. I won’t be caught betraying him,” (Lines 56-58). While acting on these emotions ultimately lead to negative effects for Antigone, at that moment she was doing what was right to honor her brother. As previously mentioned, Creon had set an ultimatum threatening death upon whoever buried Polyneices, and Antigone did eventually face Creon. In the end, after words being exchanged, arguments, pleading and prodding, Antigone faced her consequence, which she had expected and accepted; death. In the beginning, Creon had stated the consequence / punishment would be that the suspect / burier would be stoned to death. Though, this had changed by the very end