1. Loyalty and Family Duty: Antigone demonstrates unwavering loyalty to her family and her duty to honor the dead, even when it conflicts with the orders of the state. She chooses to bury her brother Polyneices, despite the edict of King Creon that forbids it, believing that religious and familial obligations outweigh secular laws.
2. Justice and Fairness: The play raises questions about justice and the appropriate balance between individual rights and the authority of the state. Antigone argues that the unwritten, divine laws of the gods should take precedence over the laws of men, while Creon insists that the stability and order of society must be upheld.
3. Individual Conscience: Antigone's actions are driven by her strong sense of personal conscience and her belief in what is morally right. She defies Creon's decree, even knowing that it will likely lead to her death, because she cannot compromise her principles or allow her brother to be dishonored.
4. Consequences of Pride: The play explores the consequences of hubris, or excessive pride, as exemplified by Creon's refusal to listen to advice and his stubborn insistence on carrying out his orders, regardless of the tragic consequences for Antigone and his own family.
5. Fate and Divine Intervention: The influence of fate and the role of the gods are significant themes in Antigone. The play suggests that human actions are influenced by forces beyond their control, and that the characters are subject to the will of the gods.
6. Power of Love and Grief: The play emphasizes the power of love and the depth of grief experienced by the characters. Antigone's love for her brother and her determination to honor him clash with Creon's political power, leading to a tragic conflict that highlights the emotional toll of grief and the limits of human control.