Haimon's Covert Scheme

Haimon has a certain tendency to be overlooked in Sophocles' Antigone. At first he appears to be a minor character, an accessory to the overt conflict occurring between Kreon and Antigone. We see Haimon supporting his father, but soon thereafter in conflict with him. Haimon expresses disregard for the life of his cold bride to be, yet is defined as being driven by lust. Several questions come up: who does Haimon really support, what drives his actions, and what is his ultimate intent? Unraveling these issues is a tricky task, but what we find is Haimon is far more than an accessory.

Haimon is introduced in third-person, making his character easily overlooked and marginalized from the start. Ismene says "oh dearest Haimon, how your father dishonors you," yet he isn't even present (573). When Haimon does enter, his father assumes he knows of the situation, meaning he had time to plot his actions. Haimon begins by showing Kreon that he is really on his side, a very common technique for disagreement that can be found in such books as Dale Carnegie's. The general idea is to start by wining a person's favor so he will be more open to criticism later. It not uncommon to hold the view that Haimon isn't using such a technique but actually does support Kreon, however there are problems with such a view. Haimon says an interesting ambiguous statement: "your judgments, being good ones, guide my path aright" (636). The ambiguity is subtle, but it can imply Haimon follows only when Kreon's judgment is good.

As of yet no disagreement has surfaced, but when it does it also shows a degree of planning. Haimon maintains distance from saying his father is wrong, by mentioning that the city favors Antigone's actions and "things might also turn out well some other way" (687). Haimon then presents a parable: "on a ship, if he who holds the power strains the rigging tights and does not yield, he turns his rowing benches over and completes his voyage upside down" (715). The refinement of the parable does not imply an improvised remark but something premeditated. At this point the reader should ask what motivated this change in Haimon's views - or was it even a change at all? Within a short span of time Haimon's stated views change, but there is no clear motivator for the change. Perhaps that is the key to understanding the change, the only change was Haimon's stated view; he disagreed with Kreon's actions from the beginning and the preceding illusion of support was merely a technique to sway Kreon.

Soon thereafter the pace of conversation heats up; attacks are short, blatant, and poignant. Haimon clears the air, saying "in justice I san see that you are wrong" (743). The most revealing statement is "[Kreon] There is no way that you will marry her alive! [Haimon] Then she will die, in death destroying someone else!" (750). The third choral ode follows implying that Eros, the god of passionate desire, rules Haimon. This is commonly interpreted as passion for Antigone, but that makes little sense. Until this point, no affection has been expressed between Haimon and Antigone, just as this does not appear to be affection. Before being led to her death, Antigone says "No wedding hymn is my lot; no marriage song sung for me" (814). Its important to realize that Antigone doesn't express regret that she will not be married to Haimon, or the breaking of their betrothal, just that she will never be married in general. As Kreon stated and Haimon probably also knew, "there are other plots of land for [Haimon] to plow" (569). Antigone doesn't express loss specific to Haimon,