Love Inspires Fierce Devotion: A Theme from Antigone

It has been said that the ancient Greeks invented what is modernly referred to as the tragic drama. One of the most influential writers of the time was Sophocles, a fifth century Greek dramatist who penned one of the earliest surviving pieces of literature, Antigone. This play came as the third in a trilogy about a royal family of Thebes and the tragic events of the members’ lives. While Sophocles’ trilogy dabbles in discussing many …

…in love or reaffirm their love. Antigone gives her life for her brother Polyneices, Ismene attempts to share blame for a crime she didn’t commit, Haemon begs for the life of his love, Eurydice takes her life after her only son takes his, and Creon loses everything due to his own hand. Sophocles’ writing supports the idea that when one loves another, great lengths will be taken to insure that the love will remain.