Odysseus and Antigone have many qualities, characteristics, and display emotion quite similarly in their own spheres. Antigone uses herself as a typification of honor in her own right as she goes back to bury her dead sibling. This, in turn, puts her at risk in giving her life for this honor and pure reverence to her brother, even to the point of her own death. She goes above and beyond, in my eyes, the normal human capacity of self preservation and uses self sacrifice to override it. On this very premise does Odysseus display courage in the same manner. He indeed risked his life to honor, respect, and save others' lives by going back for the people that were trapped. Comparatively, each displayed a kind of knowledge they possessed that allowed them to see above and beyond their own lives and personal needs/desires. These individuals portrayed a sense of honor and courage that directly reflect the virtues that the Greeks payed homage to. Also, viewing that loved ones, close friends, and relatives alike were worth fighting, and if necessary, dying for. The honor is spoken of by Pericles, which is evidence of such virtues being present in that very societal structure. Though Creon could be looked upon as an antagonist, he displays very similar courage in his own way. Yet, his goals and purposes along with his inner motives might be drastically different, how he arrives to those things is very similar(through courage) to the aforementioned two individuals.
The belief arising from these epics and plays is, to me, that tyranny, betrayal, and wrongdoing do prevail more than they don't, but through all of it, these characters displayed and evidence of being true to self, no matter what that true might mean to them. Regardless of the chaos in the world surrounding them and within themselves, they held on to the attributes that were most important to them, and it showed a refining theme throughout.
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