Sophocles’ Antigone

Too Much Love

Sophocles’ Antigone, an Ancient Greek play, contains many examples of tragic characters. For a character to be tragic, they must suffer some sort of downfall due to a tragic flaw that they have. Even though an argument could be made for all of the characters in Antigone, by looking at Haimon’s respect and compassion for his father, his endearment for Antigone, and how these feelings, his flaws, led to his downfall, it is clear that Haimon is truly the most tragic character in the play.

Love comes in many forms: compassion, endearment, tenderness, adoration. All forms of this feeling can present themselves in various ways, and sometimes it can be hard to distinguish the feeling of caring from annoyance or hatred, especially during disagreements. It may seem at first that Haimon loathes his father, Creon, but when looking at it carefully, it is clear that what seems like dislike is really compassion and respect. When Haimon first learns that Antigone is to die for what she has done, he confronts his father. When Creon asks how Haimon feels about this, Haimon does not say that he is mad at his father. In fact, he says that “No marriage means more” (Scene 3. 9) to him than Creon’s continuing wisdom. This in itself proves that Haimon does not have feelings of hatred towards Creon. His first thought is not to go and rescue Antigone, it is to try and reason with his father. This shows that, above all, he respects his father and Creon’s ability to reason. When approaching his father, Haimon is very respectful, saying,

Haimon. [Boyishly Earnest] Father:

Reason is God’s crowning gift to man, and

you are right

To warn me against losing mine. I cannot

say-

I hope I shall never want to

say!- that you

Have reasoned badly. (Scene 3. 55-59)

Haimon pleads with his father and tells him that he will never say that Creon has ever reasoned badly or come to a wrong conclusion. He does all that he can to ensure that his father knows that he will always respect him. Even in the end of the argument, when Haimon is mad, he does not strike out at his father because, although they disagree, he respects and cares about Creon.

Haimon adores Antigone. Antigone has a tragic past, to say the least. Her father, Oedipus, had a horrible fate and was cast out from his throne. She even claims that wherever she has gone, the blasphemy of her “birth has followed” (Scene 4. 47). However, none of this deters Haimon in his adoration of her. When she is in danger, he does everything that he can to try and save her from the cruel fate of death that he believes that she does not deserve. He earnestly pleads with his father, even though