The Role of Fate and Free Will in Antigone Essay Example

Fate and free will are two common themes in Sophocles’ play, Antigone. Fate is defined as the power or agency that predetermines and orders the course of events, while free will is the power of making choices without being subject to any constraint. In Antigone, Sophocles explores these two concepts to show how characters must make choices to accept or reject their fate.

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At the beginning of the play, Antigone is faced with a dilemma; to bury her brother, Polyneices, and disobey King Creon’s orders or to accept the king’s decree and let her brother’s body rot in the street. Here, Antigone has a choice, to defy the king and accept the consequences or to obey the law and live a life of obedience. She chooses to defy the king and bury her brother, a decision which the chorus calls “an act of reckless courage”. By choosing to bury her brother, Antigone is rejecting her fate, as decreed by the gods, and asserting her own free will.

The chorus, who represents the people of Thebes, is also faced with a dilemma when it comes to Antigone’s actions. They can either accept the king’s decree and condemn Antigone for her actions or they can support her and go against the king’s orders. The chorus chooses the latter, acknowledging that Antigone’s actions are necessary to restore balance to the city. Here, the chorus is not only rejecting the king’s decree, but also the predetermined fate of Thebes.

The conflict between fate and free will is also explored in the character of Creon. Creon is determined to enforce his decree, no matter what the cost, and is unwilling to accept his fate. He believes that he is in control of his destiny and that his choices will determine the fate of Thebes. He is willing to go against the gods’ will and punish Antigone for her actions. However, in the end, Creon learns that he is not in control of his own destiny and that his choices have dire consequences.

In the end, the play shows that while fate may be predetermined, it is still up to the individual to make choices and decide how to live their life. Antigone and the chorus reject the predetermined fate of Thebes and assert their own free will, while Creon learns that his choices can have far-reaching consequences. This shows that while fate may be predetermined, it is still up to the individual to make choices and determine their own destiny.