Theme Of Conformity In Antigone

In the article, “You Are a Conformist (That Is, You Are Human)” written by Noam Shpancer, he claims that “Individually, we are designed to pick up social cues, coordinate and align our behavior with those around us… Conformity soothes.” Conformity is a major part in people's life whether it is to decide plans or to agree or disagree on a particular subject. In the play Antigone, written by Sophocles, many of the characters have the option to conform or not to their king, Creon. Antigone, however, tried to bury Polyneices, and Creon was trying to punish Antigone for violating his law. Antigone was being stubborn throughout the played causing the conflicted between the protagonist, Antigone, and the antagonist, Creon. The people who changed from

Creon gave his speech to the chorus and stated that whoever buries Polyneices, will be sentenced to death. Then Antigone was captured by the sentry and came to Creon’s palace. Creon was insulted by Antigone's boasting of her doing, and stated that, “This girl is guilty of a double insolence; breaking the law and boasting of it. Who is the man here, she or I, if this crime goes unpunished?” (Sophocles 784). In the Greek times, women did not usually stood up for what they believed in, especially to a man. So when Antigone burried Polyneices, Creon did not expect a woman to do anything of this type of situation. Creon is too uncompromising to change his decision of the burial of Polyneices, and he was not going to allow a woman to owing to the fact violate a rule he made and not discipline her. When Creon was arguing with Haimon, he would not budge and says, “You consider right for a man of my years and experience to go to school to a boy?” (Sophocles 794). Creon would not tolerate Haimon’s arguments and its justification to them. Creon displays his flaw throughout the play, stubbornness. Creon display the flaw when he does not insist to reason with anybody until it was too late. Teiresias tries to reason with Creon and he would not budge. In spite of that, Creon did eventually listen to Teiresias idea. The Choragus and the chorus attempted to convince him to free Antigone and Creon spoke to them about the situation, “I will go… Come with me to the tomb. I buried her, I will set her free” (Sophocles 802). The blind prophet's words seem to have an affect on Creon and he finally realized that he made a horrible decision. Creon wants to reverse his decision and set Antigone free owing to the fact that she make the smart decision. Creon tried to save Antigone, yet he was to late to free