Human Knowledge and Self-Deception: Creon as the Central Character of Sophocles' Antigone

Sophocles' Antigone has been a play of wide and enduring popular appeal. Ironically, however, it is also one of the most controversial of ancient Greek tragedies, and its many admirers have seldom reached agreement in their interpretations of the play. Consequently an enormous body of scholarship exists, presenting a bewildering array of opinions on just about every conceivable aspect of the play. And one major area of dispute has been the identification of the central character(s). For many modern readers and viewers, Antigone has emerged as the sentimental favourite because she has been perceived as a champion of human rights which transcend political obligations and as a martyr to individualism and personal integrity, attractive qualities in these days of social regimentation. Her relentless defiance of an authority she believes wrong, her unswerving defence of a tradition she believes right, and her willingness to die for her beliefs have gained her the sympathy of modern audiences. Knox has suggested that Antigone's refusal to compromise is an indication of her ‘heroic temper’, and he, as well as other critics, has argued that she is the ‘hero’ of the play.