Veronica's Antigone Essay

Q: To what extent is Haemon’s will/stance challenged by the fact that his father is an autocrat in a patriarchal society?

Sophocles’ Antigone, one of his three Theban Plays, vividly tells the story of Antigone’s condemnation to death by her cousin Creon the king of Thebes while carrying out the familial duty of burying her brother. Creon’s overpowering autocracy limits the degree of autonomy among citizens in his State by stretching as far as to suppress his own son in the same way. In the above pages, we see the first encounter between Creon and Haemon. Sophocles chooses to shift Haemon’s superobjecetive noticeably throughout the scene; perhaps the greatest reason why this is so is due to Sophocles’ portrayal of Creon as an absolute autocrat in a primarily male-oriented society (that of ancient Greece). Through employment of various dramatic techniques with emphasis on characterization of male protagonists, Sophocles illustrates the extent of Creon’s absolute power on Haemon’s self expression.

Creon can be classified as the stereotypical tyrant who enjoys (or rather, tries to enjoy) complete domination over his subjects. Creon if often audaciously outspoken almost to the point of blatant brazenness, even to the point of using Zeus, the almighty Greek god of all gods’ name in vain ‘I swear to Zeus as I still believe in Zeus’ (74). As it is often the case with such rulers, Creon’s ego undergoes rapid growth, which is chronicled throughout the play. Creon’s initial decree that banned anyone from burying Antigone’s brother Polynieces (70) is almost on par with the decrees of the gods themselves. Ancient Grecians considered death and the Underworld some of the most powerful religious symbols; the fact that a mere mortal ruler of a small state dares to condemn an ‘offender’ to death by giving the dead proper burial rights is directly representative of hubris. Ancient Greeks also believed that a woman’s holiest duty was arranging and carrying out the burial of her family member following their death, and that all people were rightly deserved of proper burial rights. By condemning Polynieces’ body to be eaten by savages in the wild and forbidding his sister to carry out the proper burial ceremony, Creon is treading on thin ice, as he is purposely going out of his way to defy and upset the gods. It must also be remembered that Ancient Greece was a strictly male-dominated patriarchal society where men sough their ‘rightful’ positions as heads of households and the center of governments. Because of this, it is only natural that Haemon’s willful defiance of his father’s rulings is subject to much graver circumstances than they it would be considered in a more autonomous setting.

Readers’ first reception of the character of Haemon may be negative, as he opens his conversation with Creon with the words ‘I obey you’ (73) obviously directed at his father. His first words do carry an element of surprise: Surely one would do anything to save the life of his fiancée, instead of pledging subordination to his father who also happens to hold the life of said fiancée in his hands? However we soon come to realize that Haemon’s words are carefully chosen with reason. Haemon. with the three words, quickly establishes his standing in this confrontation between his father and himself- that he wishes to avoid a heated altercation in which Creon could respond to emotionally. Even from his opening words, we can see a parallel between Haemon’s and Creon’s characters, Haemon as the more rational, level headed and Creon at the helm of his throne, abusing his powers as a monarch any time he wishes to.

Creon interprets Haemon’s ‘I obey you’ as his dedication to his father, not his bride, and quickly returns his own assent ‘That’s how you ought to feel within your heart, subordinate to your father’s will in every way.’ (93) ‘Subordinate’ insinuates that father-son relationships in ancient Greece were rarely borne of emotion, rather forced. The diction suggests sons’ almost subserving their fathers by carrying out their filial roles, and that they are forced into such a ‘job’. Creon then displays his apparent distaste for women ‘to produce good sons, a household full of them, dutiful and attentive’ (93). Creon’s characterization of women is rather primal, as if women are merely mechanized tools of breeding. Again, expectations of the average ‘dutiful and attentive’ son are highlighted; from this, we can see further how Creon perceives Antigone: ‘a worthless woman’ (93). ‘Spit her out’ (93) To Creon, Antigone is much like an unpleasant taste lingering in the mouth. Creon believes that relationships can be ended as easily as physically getting rid of the ill taste; Creon’s naïvety and myopia are in full display throughout this comment. Creon’s reasonings are quite often thin on logic; we can see that Creon wishes to play on his son’s emotions in order to detach him from his future wife.

Haemon’s next words are carefully chosen following Creon’s explosive monologue. Instead of becoming deterred and altering his argument as Creon obviously intended, Haemon seems to have strengthened his stance and in turn his feelings for Antigone’s deeds. ‘Now don’t, please, be quite so single-minded, self-involved, or assume the world is wrong and you are right’ (95) Haemon tries to approach the subject indirectly and diplomatically by implying that Thebes thinks of Antigone ‘No woman, they say, deserved death less, and such a brutal death for such a glorious action’ (95). This sentiment contrasts deeply with the way Creon views Antigone; Haemon subtly begins to view Antigone’s prior action as heroic and ‘glorious’. Haemon also tries to justify Antigone’s actions instead of taking her side ‘She, with her own dear brother lying in his blood -- she couldn’t bear to leave him dead, unburied, food for the wild dogs or wheeling vultures.’ (95) Instead of letting his emotions get the better of him like they do Creon by linking Antigone’s ‘offense’ to his misogynistic traits, Haemon stays level headed and approaches Creon with logic and justifies her actions. Through Haemon’s monologue readers are provided a glimpse into the mindsets of the ordinary and how, unlike that of their ruler, Creon’s subjects feel that Antigone’s burial of Polynieces is more than justified ‘She deserves a glowing crown of gold!’ (95). ‘... such men, I tell you, spread them open -- you will find them empty!’ (95) Toward the latter half of his monologue, Haemon begins to show glimmers of contesting against Creon; Haemon goes as far as to leave a foreboding message for his father, hinting that the more egotistical Creon becomes, the worse the consequences will be. Somehow Haemon’s ‘warning’ holds more weight than that of the chorus’, as once again the roles of a parent and his son are subverted.

Haemon continues on his argument in a temperate, poised and more controlled manner. This may be so as he realizes the futility of his warnings as Creon is not very likely to heed them, and because of this, Haemon is trying to reason as much as possible with his father; his superobjective becomes a touch more aggressive. Haemon is not afraid to forebode his benighted father of the devastating consequences to his hubris ‘Haul you sheets too taut, never give an inch, you’ll capsize, and go the rest of the voyage keep up and the rowing-benches under’ (96). His emotions are noticeably unaffected even through Creon’s forcible coercions; his objective in the scene, best summarized by ‘Oh give way. Relax you anger -- change!’ (96) remains steadfast despite them. Haemon speaks the pragmatic words of the citizens ‘It’s no city at all, owned by one man alone’ (97) which most directly challenges Creon’s position.

From the above, it can be concluded that Haemon’ will and stance in presenting his argument is challenged by the fact that he is addressing his own father, an autocrat, in a strictly patriarchal environment. This conflicting tension is plainly showcased from the heated arguments taken place between Haemon and Creon, Sophocles’ depiction of Creon as an autocratic character, and Sophocles’ portrayal of Thebes as a male-oriented society. Creon’s challenges prove futile towards Haemon’s achieving his superobjective; Haemon proves ever resolute, determined on vouching for justice, even if it means sacrificing his life for it.