Tragedy Journal #12

Yes vs. No


In the recent section of the play, Anouilh implements many combinations of ideas that are conflicting. For example, the distinction between yes and no is shown to be important. The culmination of the conflict and tension is mounted in the following quote by Creon.


"It is easy to say no. To say yes, you have to sweat and roll up your sleeves and plunge both hands into life up to the elbows. It is easy to say no, even if saying no means death. All you have to do is to sit still and wait. Wait to go on living; wait to be killed. that is the coward's part. No is one of your man-made words. Can you imagine a world in which trees say no to the sap? Animals are good, simple, tough. They move in droves, nudging one another onwards, all traveling the same road" (Anouilh 37).


Creon sides more with saying yes than saying no. This improves his side that he has a duty to fulfill. He only became king because he felt obligated. There is a metaphor that he uses, as if a ship is in chaos due to a storm. The ship is representative of the city of Thebes, and Creon grabbed the wheel in order to save the ship. He would have felt cowardly had he said no. Since Creon is connected with yes, therefore Antigone must be connected with no. Indeed, Antigone is against yes. Because Creon said yes to the offer of becoming king, she feels Creon is trapped into killing her. The effect of having the conflicting ideas of yes in the play is twofold. Firstly, it characterizes both Antigone and Creon. Creon's motivation is first and foremost the progress of the city. He wants to provide order if at all possible. Antigone's motivation is unclear, but it could possibly be to challenge authority or to act on her own desires. Secondly, the tension caused by the conflict contributes to the plot. Due to their argument, Antigone is taken off by Creon's guards, supposedly to be killed. This is followed by Haemon entering, providing a rising action as there is another argument, this time between father and son.