Irony of Antigone's Regret
Antigone is characterized by her stubborn nature throughout the play. She is determined to die and repeatedly taunts Creon to go against his will and kill her. She tells Creon, "Only this can you do: have me put to death", indicating that Creon has no power over her and the only power he has is to fulfill Antigone's wish.
The irony exists in the play-long attempt that Creon makes to save Antigone from her death. He uses his pragmatism in order to talk Antigone out of dying. Yet every time that Creon makes a plea, Antigone turns down Creon's offer and insists on choosing death.
However, at the end of the play, Antigone admits to the guards, undergoing anagnorosis. She admits, "Creon was right. It is terrible to die." she then continues to state how she is "afraid" and does not know what she is dying for. The irony is, Antigone should have been happy that her goal was reached, but instead she discovers how futile death really was.
Irony of Haemon's Choice
Haemon was said to have danced with Ismene all night long. He was also described as the type who likes beautiful women. The Chorus uses descriptive language to describe how "radiant" Ismene looked. It is made clear that Ismene is the prettier of the two sisters while Antigone was "thin...scrawny" and was not described as a woman that would catch the attention of men.
However, the irony exists that Haemon chose Antigone to be his bride rather than Ismene, highlighting that the play is a tragedy which follows a predisposed course. Haemon is fated to love Antigone, and they are both fated to die. This can not be changed.
Irony of the Guard's Loyalty
The guards did their job and followed their orders. They obeyed state laws by bringing Antigone to Creon. Thus, they began discussing amongst themselves of the reward that they would obtain.
However, the irony is that Creon was not to reward their loyalty to him, but rather he was to have them killed. Creon tells Antigone, "I'll get rid of those three men", referencing the three guards that have been obedient to Creon.
This was Anouilh's way of emphasizing the carefree attitude that the leader, Creon, has for his people. Parallel to how Anouilh felt about the leader of France at the time.
Irony of Antigone's Motive
The conflict of the play revolves around Antigone's stubborn attempt to bury her brother against her uncle's will and orders. She claims that giving her brother a proper burial is the least that "a person can do, a person ought to do". However, anyone that is to go against Creon's word will be killed. Antigone, knowing the consequences still wishes to bring her brother justice.
However, her brothers were never nice to Antigone. It is ironic that Antigone was willing to die for someone that tormented her, her mother, and her father. She was willing to die for a brother that she barely remembered, and was not close with.
Yet, this indicated that bringing justice to her brother's was not Antigone's true motive of dying. Her true motive was to do what she wanted to do. She is dying because she is unable to be happy with being constrained, she can not go on living obeying others' orders.
Irony of Creon's Selfless Nature
Creon's act of ruling over Thebes is seen as selfless. He is taking a job that he does not wish to do. Creon pleads for Antigone to understand. He says that "somebody had to agree to captain the ship", there "had to be one man who said yes". He was the one who stepped up, although he would have much preferred to live the life he had prior to becoming king.
This generates sympathy within the audience for Creon. However, it is ironic that although he takes up the job so selflessly, one could argue that in a way he was so caught up in keeping the power that he became selfish.
He is selfishly able to "shoot straight into the mob" and kill any citizen he governs if there are threats of disobedience. He selfishly lets Antigone die even though he knew that his son Haemon would have been devastated. He does so to remain order and power. The irony is that his selfless act to step up as the leader has resulted in a cascade of selfish acts.
