Antigone Literary Analysis

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In Antigone, Sophocles shows that love is a destructive force by making Haimon have a strong bond to both the protagonist (Antigone), and the antagonist (Kreon), but having to choose between the two drove him to his death. He couldn’t handle loving one but having to hate the other and the choice was too difficult and ultimately killed him. Haimon did realize that he had a difficult choice to make, but because he had such strong bonds with Antigone and Kreon and this later caused him to be overwhelmed. Haimon was engaged to Antigone and he was deeply in love with her, however, Kreon was Haimon’s father and he felt that Haimon had a duty to obey his father. He shows this especially when he says, “Everything is second to a father’s will,” (778) to Haimon when he is begging for the right to still marry Antigone. It was by unfortunate events that Antigone and Kreon began their hate for each other, but it was even more unfortunate that Haimon became engaged to Antigone and…show more content…
In one of his most pleading moments, he says to his father, “Father, the gods implant intelligence in humans. Of all our properties, that is the supreme one. I lack the power and the training to tell you you’re wrong, but that’s just as well. But perhaps a second opinion will be valuable.” (828-832) But, Kreon ignored his opinions and sent Antigone to be locked in a tomb until she died from starvation or from suicide. When Haimon learned about this, he went to go find Antigone and save her. Just when Kreon leaves, Teiresias, the prophet, comes to Kreon and tells him that Haimon will die if he doesn’t free Antigone. Kreon is distraught by this news and goes to release Antigone so he will change his fate, however, Haimon doesn’t know that this has happened and when Kreon arrives, Haimon tries to kill his father. But when he doesn’t succeed, stabs himself to be with the already dead
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