In the play "Antigone" by Sophocles, Creon and Antigone have distinct conflicting values. Antigone first demonstrates feminist logic when she chooses to challenge a powerful male establishment. This establishment is personified by her uncle Creon, who is newly crowned as the King of Thebes. Creon poses to be a major authority figure in a patriarchal society. Creon's regard for the laws of the city causes him to abandon all other beliefs. He feels that all should obey the laws set forth by him, even if other beliefs, moral or religious, state otherwise. Antigone, on the other hand, holds the beliefs of the gods in high reverence. She feels that the laws of the gods should be obeyed above all others, especially when in respect to the family. The bold, tradition-braking character of Antigone clearly clashed with the overpowering patriarchal dominance of Creon. This collision between characters gives rise to the conflict between the sexes in Sophocles' "Antigone." The denial of burial to Polynices strikes directly at her family loyalty. This enormous sense of loyalty leads to her simultaneous violation and observance to the duty of women of the time. It is precisely this loyalty that makes her an active rather than a static figure.
             Antigone represents the highest ideals of human life -- courage and respect for the gods. She believed that the law of the gods, which dictates that a body be given proper burial rights, was more important than the law of the King. Throughout the play, Antigone amazingly retains the traditional role of women, while at the same time boldly challenges this depiction. The challenge occurs as both a defiance of Creon's laws in Antigone's burying Polynices and as a direct verbal assault on Creon himself. Creon becomes angry that a woman questions his sovereignty and condemns her to death even though she was the daughter of his sister, Jocasta. Creon believes that if he does not follow through on his word the peo...