Role Of Love In Antigone
Love strikes in a manner that either allies one with the gods, or against them. In this manner, it also divides people between those that are aligned with the gods’ position and those that are not. In the above cases, Antigone’s love for Polynices is in favor of the gods’ rule of law over Creon’s rule of law. This separates Antigone from Creon, Ismene, and temporarily Haemon, who support Creon’s rule of law over the gods. Many of these characters are well aware of how their shifting allegiance to one person, is in effect giving support to others by association. Haemon’s support for Antigone in turn supports Polynices’ cause and the gods. In this manner, love not only causes death but also serves to shift allegiances, in so doing acting as a vehicle for fate. The “Ode to Love” gives more clues to the power of love beyond those already mentioned. The line “mortal man, in his one day’s dusk, trembles before your glory” (647) both alludes to love’s ability to conquer man by
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Aphrodite, as the goddess of love, is a notable example. The last line of the “Ode to Love” references Antigone’s call to Aphrodite, “A girl’s glance working the will of heaven: pleasure to her alone who mock us, merciless Aphrodite” (655). Antigone’s grand gesture of love thus far, to bury her brother, had not yet brought Aphrodite to the cave. The question up until this Ode was whether Creon would change his mind, or Haemon would save Antigone from her doom. As a tragedy, and with the many hints of foreshadowing the audience already expects Antigone will die. This line however further reinforces the gods’, and especially love’s, presence in working their fate, while also foreshadowing Antigone’s death. Love of course is so unconquerable, that no one can save themselves from fate, not Antigone’s “glance working the will of heaven” nor Creon’s realization and futile attempt to reverse his
Aphrodite, as the goddess of love, is a notable example. The last line of the “Ode to Love” references Antigone’s call to Aphrodite, “A girl’s glance working the will of heaven: pleasure to her alone who mock us, merciless Aphrodite” (655). Antigone’s grand gesture of love thus far, to bury her brother, had not yet brought Aphrodite to the cave. The question up until this Ode was whether Creon would change his mind, or Haemon would save Antigone from her doom. As a tragedy, and with the many hints of foreshadowing the audience already expects Antigone will die. This line however further reinforces the gods’, and especially love’s, presence in working their fate, while also foreshadowing Antigone’s death. Love of course is so unconquerable, that no one can save themselves from fate, not Antigone’s “glance working the will of heaven” nor Creon’s realization and futile attempt to reverse his