Antigone's Pride:
1. Flouting Creon's Decree: Antigone stubbornly defies Creon's order to leave her brother Polyneices unburied, driven by her own sense of moral duty and family honor.
2. Belief in Divine Law: Antigone believes in the higher authority of divine laws and traditional customs above man-made decrees, leading her to prioritize her duty to her brother over obedience to Creon.
3. Moral Superiority: Antigone's pride stems from her conviction in her moral righteousness. She considers her actions honorable, even if they defy societal norms or legal commands.
Creon's Pride:
1. Absolute Authority: As king, Creon values his power and authority above all else. He believes in maintaining order and stability in his kingdom, even at the cost of bending moral principles.
2. Reputation and Respect: Creon is concerned about upholding his reputation as a strong and just ruler. His pride prevents him from admitting any mistake or showing any sign of weakness.
3. Stubbornness and Refusal to Compromise: Creon is inflexible in his decisions and unwilling to compromise, which escalates the conflict with Antigone. He views any challenge to his authority as a personal affront to his pride.
The Conflict:
- The conflict between Antigone and Creon intensifies when he sentences Antigone to death for defying his decree, despite the pleas of his son Haemon and the warnings of the blind seer Tiresias.
- Creon's pride prevents him from seeing the error in his judgment, and he refuses to listen to reason.
- Conversely, Antigone's pride also contributes to the conflict's escalation. She adamantly refuses to apologize or compromise, even as she faces dire consequences, as she views her actions as righteous and honorable.
- Both characters' excessive pride leads to tragic outcomes, resulting in the deaths of Antigone, Haemon, and ultimately Creon's own downfall.