antigone

The Greek drama Antigone, written by Sophocles, has many antitheses. Among them are love versus hate, life versus death, and the state versus the individual. However, the dominant antithesis is the one of pride versus wisdom. Polyneices and Eteocles, two brothers, had killed each other in battle. Their uncle Creon, the new king, buried Eteocles with military honors, but forbad the burial of Polyneices as he considered him a traitor. Antigone, the sister of them …

…ssibly the worst punishment of all. Ultimately, King Creon learns his lesson, but it is a hard lesson and one that brings down everyone around him. Perhaps he, himself, says it best. I have been rash and foolish. I have killed my son and my wife. I look for comfort; my comfort lies here dead. Whatever my hands have touched has come to nothing. Fate has brought all my pride to a thought of dust. (340)