Who is more honorable, Antigone or Creon?

The question of whether Creon or Antigone acts with greater honor is a central issue in Sophocles' tragedy. The area of disagreement between the two characters is whether Polyneices, Antigone's brother, deserves a proper burial, as Antigone maintains, or whether he should be denied burial, as Creon decrees. 

We can use the responses of the Chorus to sort through this conflict. First Creon states that Polyneices, for his treachery against Thebes, must not receive an...

The question of whether Creon or Antigone acts with greater honor is a central issue in Sophocles' tragedy. The area of disagreement between the two characters is whether Polyneices, Antigone's brother, deserves a proper burial, as Antigone maintains, or whether he should be denied burial, as Creon decrees. 

We can use the responses of the Chorus to sort through this conflict. First Creon states that Polyneices, for his treachery against Thebes, must not receive an honorable burial. Creon asserts that if he valued his family more than the state, he would dishonor his fatherland. The Chorus acknowledges that Creon has the power to make such laws and therefore acknowledges that he acts honorably. 

After Antigone is brought in and explains that she cannot submit to a law from a mere mortal when the pre-existing laws of the gods requires otherwise, the Chorus does not agree with her. After Haemon's attempt at intercession, the Chorus attributes his arguments to his love for Antigone.

As Antigone is led forth to the tomb, the Chorus tells her that she can be praised for her reverence toward the gods, but that Creon can't be blamed for not allowing his laws to be violated. So the Chorus seems to be attributing more honor to Antigone than at first, but still gives more honor to Creon.

Then, after Teiresias comes and warns that Creon is dishonoring the gods by refusing to bury Polyneices, the Chorus changes its tune. The Leader advises Creon to bury Polyneices as quickly as possible and release Antigone to avoid the prophesied judgments. The Chorus has now swung over fully to Antigone's side. When Creon reaps the judgment of his son's death, the Chorus exclaims, "Ah me, how all too late thou seemest to see the right!" They blame Creon for not seeing "the right" earlier. The ending line from the Chorus Leader states: "Reverence towards the gods must be inviolate." This was Antigone's position from the beginning.

The Chorus in this tragedy performs the role of interpreting the action for the audience. Since the Chorus moves from first believing Creon to be in the right or more honorable, to respecting Antigone's position, to advocating for her side, we must conclude that Antigone actually displayed more honor in her beliefs and actions than did Creon.