Who is given the strongest case, Antigone or Creon? based on 'The Burial at Thebes'

Who is given the stronger case, Antigone or Creon? Answer with specific references to the text of the play. Seamus Heaney's play The Burial at Thebes is based on ancient tragedy Antigone, which was created by Sophocles. Both Heaney's and Sophocles' plays are set in ancient Thebes. The outline of the story is drawn from Greek myth and the action starts very early in the morning. The Burial at Thebes tells a story of an encounter of two strong characters: Antigone and her uncle Creon, who defend their own rights. Creon as well as Antigone will not bend their believes against others or surrender. Each of them has a strong case, but who is given stronger? Antigone a loving sister, ready to sacrifice her own life for her religious believes, represents gods immortal laws . Her love towards her brother gave her strength to follow gods precepts as ''religion dictates the burial of the dead''. Antigone knew well that there would be consequences when Creon's law would be broken. When cough by guards and brought to face Creon Antigone confirms that she knew that proclamation forbade the burial. Antigone's arrest leads to her agon (opposing speeches by two main characters) with Creon about correct conduct and the conflicting demands of loyalty and honour. Antigone explains Creon why she disobeyed ''the law was not/ The law of Zeus nor the law ordained/ By Justice, Justice dwelling deep/ Among the gods of the dead. What they decree/ Is immemorial and binding for us all ''. She is observant only by gods laws not by ''mortal force ''. In her speech to Creon she says: '' I abide/ By statutes utter and immutable-/ Unwritten, original, gods- given laws''. For Antigone the pain of leaving her brother, Polyneices, ''lying above ground/ Insulted and defiled'' would be worst then suffering Creon's punishment. She says: '' I never did a nobler thing than bury/ My brother Polyneices''. It is clear that Antigone have chosen to do the right thing over obeying mortal laws. On the other hand her behaviour is reckless. Not even once she tried to reason with Creon and attempt to change his mind. Antigone did not put much thought into what kind of consequences her act will have. She knew that the punishment for disobeying Creon's law was death, but not for one minute she thought about others: her sister, Ismene, or her future husband, Haemon. Antigone is not afraid of death, albeit she bids her goodbyes begrudgingly, which is visible in the last encounter between Chorus and Antigone. Chorus name Antigone as '' glorious/ In life and in death (…) immortal''. That is to much for Antigone and she admits that she is afraid '' I dread/ To leave our groves and springs''. Right to the end, Antigone stands by her believes. Her final exit is marked by her assertion in gods will. She links duty to gods and brother with religious observance: '' Condemned (...)/ For practising devotion,/ For a reverence that was right''. Creon, ruler of the ancient Thebes, represents human written laws, the state. He knew that by issuing the proclamation forbidding the burial of state enemy- Polyneices, he will be breaking gods given laws. However Creon believes that he and his laws are much more important as gods would never support the burial of Polyneices body because he was the one that burned their temples and attacked the city under their protection. By punishing Antigone for her disloyal act, Creon was hoping to gain approbation of people of Thebes. More than anything he wants to keep strong rule over his people to prevent another tragedy. In his speech to Chorus he says: '' My nerve's is not going to fail, and there's no threats/ That's going to stop me acting, ever,/ In the interests of all citizens''. Just like Antigone he does not take into account others, like his son Haemon. Creon seems to be deprived of all human feelings. When his own son tries to speak with him and convince him to spare Antigone's life Creon final answer is a threat: '' By all the gods (...)/ I'm telling you you'll pay a heavy price/ For this disrespect''. Creon's behaviour proves him to be ruthless, impetuous, uncompromising. He can not tolerate any form of resistance, he is not capable to admit to his own mistake. Creon is a king, however he fails to listen to the voice of his people and wise advisers. The blind seer Tiresias brings words of warning for Creon: ''where you are standing now/ Is a cliff edge, and there's cold wind blowing''. Creon's change of mind about Antigone's entombments comes to late: ''My recklessness and pride/ I paid for in the end. The blow came quick''. Creon wife and son commit suicide as they can not bear loosing loved ones. Creon alone is left to take responsibility for the events that he set in motion. To understand Creon's actions and decisions it is important to look at him from the perspective of ordinary human being. His role as a king gave him the right to punish those who did not abide the law. Creon puts welfare of his country above his own gains or his family, which he confirms in his speech to Chorus: '' For the patriot,/ Personal loyalty always must give way/ To patriotic duty''. Creon believes that those who put '' the personal/ Above the overall thing, puts friend / Or family first'' are to blame for the nearly wrecked ''ship of state''. As the king of Thebes he can not favour his own family, specially when Antigone brakes the law. Antigone and Creon are involved in unsolved, tragic conflict in which two equivalent rights oppose eachother. Right form the beginning their efforts are doomed. Antigone is guided in her life by feelings. Her proceedings are submitted to gods given laws that command the burial of the dead. Antigone had to choose between two rights: love for her brother and obedience to her king. According to Antigone gods laws are more important. On the other hand Creon, the king of Thebes, is guided by reason, rationality, mortals law. As a ruler of riven by civil war country he wants to institute law and order. He does not take into account gods laws as welfare of the country is more important then the feelings of the individual. This tragic conflict is disastrous in results. Antigone dies, just as she was meant to and Creon is left alone tormented by his conscience and the lost of the loved ones. It is challenging to support only one of the cases. Both Antigone and Creon make choices between positive values that they profess. They defended their own rights and that is what should be remembered- to always stand for your believes and what is important to you. Antigone and Creon were tragic figures and their choices, behaviour can be discussed for many years with different results, which proofs that their story is timeless.