Contempt of Death and creons downfall
...th, and informs her of what she has resolved to do; “I myself will bury him. I will be good to die, so doing” (82-83). Showing her condescension of death, she welcomes it. Antigone believes that she must “please those that are dead” instead of “those of this world” for in death she “shall lie forever” (86-87). When unafraid of death one can do anything as there is nothing more powerful than the fear of death and once that is subsided, one can do anything, even defy the king. Antigone believes it would be immoral not to bury her brother “I shall be a criminal-but a religious one” (84-85). Antigone says “No suffering of mine will be enough to make me die ignobly,” Antigone states her desire to die for family and honor and nothing will stand in the way, even death (113-114) She burry’s her brother without fear of death. Creon reacts with little sympathy because of Antigone’s contempt, even though she is his niece and his son’s soon to be wife. Antigone confesses, “Yes I confess; I will not deny my deed,” showing that she is not afraid of death and its consequences (487). She could have easily said that she no part in the burial and might have been saved from death. Antigone continues to tell Creon that she is happy for what she did and that the burial was honorable. She knows that she will die, but is unafraid of it. Because of this contempt and her defiance, Creon sends her to the dungeon to starve to death. The defeat of Creon starts with the fall of his family. Upon hearing the news of his fathers sentence of Antigone, Haemon, son of Creon and fiancé of Antigone, rushes to the dungeon to see her. Antigone, with the welcome of death, had taken her own life, which in turn took the life of Creon’s son. When Haemon arrives he sees that she had hung herself, he “leaned on his sword and drove it halfway in, into his ribs” (1303-1304). In turn Haemon takes his own life because of Antigone’s death and resentment for his father’s de...