Haemon enters, and states that he plans to speak as Creon's son. Creon is pleased, and tells his son he shouldn't marry such a disobedient girl. Also speaks at length on the right of a political leader to rule his people with an iron fist-- in that true justice lies. Haemon quietly rebukes him, saying that as his son he begs his father to do real justice for Antigone, and that the people in the streets of Thebes are uniformly against their leader. The words between them grow heated, and nearly hysterical on Creon's part. Haemon continues to plead for the justice of heaven be done, while Creon contends that the justice of power is justice. Haemon walks out. Creon describes the punishment that Antigone will receive: isolation in cave until she expires.
The Chorus lament the effects of love on familial relations.
Antigone is brought in once more to face Creon. She is resigned to her punishment, and sees it as the culmination of the curse upon her family. Creon enters to give the final sentence, and Antigone is defiant to his face once again. She also gives a final justification for her act: her love for her dead brother cannot be made up for toward any other. She maintains the justice of her actions, and only hopes that true justice will eventually be done to those who wrong her.
The Chorus lament again, and name Antigone as the continuation of a long line of Greek women who suffered in seclusion and isolation.
------------------------
More development of the political philosophy here. Creon does possess absolute power, but the people are free to resist and eventually to abandon their leader, and will do so if they do not see him aligning with their sense of a higher justice.
No comments:
Post a Comment