Published Writing 1- Moral Law vs. Civil Law

In the play, Antigone, one of the main characters, Ismene is a tweener. A tweener is a person who remains neutral or shift from one side to the other. Ismene is challenged with doing what is morally correct or civilly correct. Creon wants to punish Antigone for breaking the law but, Antigone wants Ismene to bury Polynieces with her. Ismene faces the struggle of remaining loyal to family or following Creon’s orders. “What life is there for me, once I have lost you” (Ismene 602)? At first, Ismene tries to stay neutral, but she realizes without family there is no point in living. “Well then, the fault is equally between us” (Ismene 612). Ismene explains she is willing to die with Antigone because is not worth living anymore.
Although Antigone is viewed as the tragic hero in the play, I believe the tragic hero is Haemon. Haemon must decide between two different paths. His first path includes following his father’s orders, while his second includes staying true to his betrothed. I believe Haemon killed himself to prove to Creon how far his actions went. For example, Haemon said, “nothing I own I value more highly, father, than your success” (Haemon 752-753). Haemon admits he once thought highly of his father, Creon because of his success of a king. “Do not bear this single habit of mind, to think that what you say and nothing else is true.” Haemon challenges his father Creon to see the wrongdoings he has caused. Haemon is saying to Creon if another person has a different point of view than yours do not dismiss them as enemies.
Teiresias was the blind prophet in the play. Teiresias is vital in the play because he is volatile in confronting Creon to change his ways. “I was full of fear; at once on the altars, as they were fully kindled, I tasted the offerings. The god of fire refused to burn from the sacrifice, and from the thighbones a dark moisture oozed from the embers, smoked and sputtered” (Teiresias 1053-1057). “This boy here is my guide, as I am others’” (Teiresias 1063). Teiresias is openly admitting he used to be prideful or egoistic like Creon was but, the boy helped Teiresias see the errors of his ways. Teiresias said, “I knew they were tearing each other murderously; the beating of their wings was a clear sign” (Teiresias 1051-1052). Teiresias is chronicling Creon’s events in front of him. Teiresias is signifying to Creon that the deaths of Oedipus and Polynieces should make Creon realize family is more important than the law. Teiresias contributes to the plot because he confronts Creon with the truth and he openly denies it, which leads to Haemon’s death. I believe Teiresias made Creon lose everything to become sane again ultimately leading to Creon’s death to end the play.