Haimon And Antigone example essay topic

Love it supposedly conquers all, or so they say. Love is a major issue in Sophocles Greek Tragedy, Antigone. Antigone's family is full of incest and betrayal. People say that Antigone, and her sister Is mene have been cursed because of their family's bad decisions and horrible luck. Love in Antigone's case did conquer all, but do the tragedy of deaths. Antigone's love for her deceased brother eventually caused her own death.

Antigone's death went on to cause Haimon's death, which ultimately caused the death of Haimon's mother, Eurydice in due time. Antigone's two brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices, have both died in a battle with each other. "Polyneices led an attack on the city, which was defended by force this under Antigone's other brother Eteocles". Polyneices is considered to be a complete traitor, for he was fighting against the state, instead of for the state. Creon, now firmly in power, has ordered that the body of Eteocles be given honorable burial, as befits the protector of Thebes. "But Polyneices who fought as bravely and died as miserably... must lie in the fields, a sweet treasure for carrion birds to find as they search for food".

Antigone's great love for both of her brothers caused her to attempt a burial for Polyneices. In her second attempt she was caught, trailed, and eventually put to death. The fianc'e of Antigone, Haimon, who is the son of Creon, is still deeply in love with Antigone and has to fight for her life. Haimon gets into a heated argument with his father, and leaves with the rage in his eyes. A member of the chorus warns Creon, "a young man in a rage is dangerous!" Creon ignores his warning and sentences Antigone to death. Antigone is then lead to her deathbed and Haimon follows.

Seeing her dead, out of both love and grief, he dies by his own sword. Haimon's love and both his and Creon's pride would eventually lead to yet another death. Before Creon could reach home and tell his wife Eurydice the news, a messenger came and told the chorus that Haimon and Antigone were both dead. Eurydice, overhearing some of the conversation came out of her room and inquired what it was that had happened.

The messenger told her that both Antigone and Haimon were dead, because of her own husband's arrogance. In shock and grief, Eurydice, retreats to her quarters and kills herself. Love in this case has conquered all through the tragedy of death. Antigone's love for her brother, Polyneices, caused her own death. Out of love and grief for Antigone, Haimon kills himself. Haimon's death then causes his grievous mother's death.

All the deaths of play make it a tragedy. In a way love did conquer all, but a certain amount of pride and stubbornness stood in the way of that love..