Final answer:
The central conflict in 'Antigone' involves Antigone's defiance of Creon's edict against burying her brother, illustrating the clash between human and divine laws. This conflict and her resistance to the gender roles of her time contribute to her development as a tragic heroine, adhering to Aristotle's principles of tragedy and demonstrating her hamartia.
Step-by-step explanation:
The central conflict in Sophocles' Antigone revolves around the tension between the laws decreed by men, specifically Creon's edict, and the unwritten laws of the gods, which Antigone feels compelled to obey. Antigone's determination to bury her brother Polyneices, despite Creon's prohibition, illustrates her resistance to the gender roles of ancient Greece and creates the dramatic tension in the play.
Creon, as king, represents the state and its power, enforcing his laws without regard to the divine laws that Antigone believes are more authoritative. His decree that Polyneices should not be buried as punishment for his attack on Thebes infringes on religious customs and family loyalty. Antigone's defiance is a powerful statement against Creon's authority, reflecting her personal courage and moral conviction.
In terms of Aristotle's concept of tragedy, Antigone's actions embody the tragic hero’s characteristics: she is noble-born and her undoing results from her fatal flaw or hamartia, which in her case is her unwavering commitment to divine law, leading to her death.