Nomos vs. Physis in Sophocles’Antigone and the Modern World

832 Words2 Pages

Nomos vs. Physis in Sophocles’Antigone and the Modern World The Greek play, Antigone, written by Sophocles in the year 441 BCE, honors the Greek god of wine, Dionysus. It is hard to imagine that a play, written century ago for an imaginary god, would still be widely popular and have great significance in today's world. Using two main characters, Antigone and Creon, Sophocles creates a dialogue that examines two very different views of nomos (law) and physis (nature), the focal point of all Greek beliefs. These two terms were often the key in deciding what was considered right and wrong among the Greeks, and people still use nomos and physis in today's society centuries later. Throughout Antigone, Creon and Antigone use nomos and physis to defend their actions taken when Antigone breaks a law made by Creon, because she feels it impedes upon the unwritten laws of the gods, much like anti gay advocates defend their stance on protecting the sanctity of marriage, while gay activists oppose it because it violates their fundamental constitutional rights. Using Creon and Antigone, Sophocles illustrates the way that nomos and physis support their opposing viewpoints. When Antigone's two brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices, kill each other in battle, Creon, her uncle, succeeds to the throne. Once in power, he makes a law that no one can bury Polyneices because he was un-loyal to his native land. If anyone defied his new law by burying him, then the perpetrator would be killed and left unburied. However, Antigone felt that both of her brothers should have a proper burial, and disobeyed Creon's law by burying Polynneices knowing she would have to suffer the consequences. When brought before Creon, she defended her actions through phys... ... middle of paper ... ... constitution. They believe that the law should not decide who people can love, and that it is a persons right to marry whomever they want. Therefore, the terms nomos and physis are still used in today's society in similar ways to that of Creon and Antigone centuries ago. Even though Antigone was written centuries ago, the basic principles of nomos and physis can still be applied in today's world. The way that the two terms are interpreted will vary from person to person, and there is no right or wrong answer. As long as there are controversial issues in the world, peoples opinions of nomos and physis will continue to evolve and change through time. Works Cited Sophocles. Antigone. Exploring Literature: Writing and thinking About Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and the Essay. Ed. Joseph Terry. New York: Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers Inc, 2001. 123-154.

Show More
Related

  • Compare Antigone And The Bible

    762 Words  | 2 Pages

    Antigone, as a character, is extremely strong-willed and loyal to her faith. Creon is similarly loyal, but rather to his homeland, the city of Thebes, instead of the gods. Both characters are dedicated to a fault, a certain stubbornness that effectively blinds them from the repercussions of their actions. Preceding the story, Antigone has been left to deal with the burden of her parents’ and both her brothers’ deaths. Merely a young child, intense grief is to be expected; however, Antigone’s emotional state is portrayed as frivolous when it leads her to directly disobey Creon’s orders. She buries her brother Polynices because of her obedience to family and to the gods, claiming to follow “the gods’ unfailing, unwritten laws” (Sophocles 456-457). CONTINUE

    Read More

  • confant Pride and Conflict of Law in Sophocles' Antigone

    981 Words  | 2 Pages

    Conflict of law, presents the initial disturbance within Thebes. Creon, King of Thebes, refuses to bury the body of Polynices, for in his eyes Polynices is 'his country's enemy' Antigone pg.131. Thus, despite breaking the laws of the gods, Creon holds his power higher than that of God and heavens and enforces his law. As the story follows, Sophocles expands on the ignorance presented by Creon and Antigone, and it is also found that it is impossible to defeat an ignorant man, or woman in argument. It is this ignorance, that establishes the notion of the sin and punishment that both Creon and Antigone face due to their stubbornness and self will.

    Read More

  • The Characters Of Antigone And King Creon

    1511 Words  | 4 Pages

    Antigone’s strength allows her to defend her brother’s honor against Creon, who wants to make a statement about traitors. However, both Antigone and King Creon commit faults while trying to protect the things they love. Antigone should not have died for her beliefs as it puts her loved ones and community in danger, and Creon should not have forbidden the burial of Polyneices as it angers the Gods and causes him great suffering in the end.

    Read More

  • Kreon: The True Tragic Figure in Sophokles' Antigone

    1082 Words  | 3 Pages

    Before Aristotle’s tragic hero model, tragic figures were open to interpretation. The play Antigone by Sophokles, written in 441 BC, existed during this period of ambiguity of what a tragic figure exactly meant. Antigone involves two principal characters that could potentially be the tragic figure, Kreon and Antigone. Kreon is the arrogant king who declares it illegal to give Polyneices, a soldier who had betrayed Thebes during war, a proper burial. Antigone is the sister of Polyneices who is determined to give him the proper burial that she, as his family, is obliged to carry out. Although misfortune falls upon both Antigone and Kreon, Kreon is the true tragic figure of Sophokles’ Antigone because he experiences a profound enlightenment and

    Read More

  • Challenges to Male Authority in Sophocles’ play, Antigone

    1137 Words  | 3 Pages

    religious, state otherwise. Antigone, on the other hand, holds the beliefs of the gods in

    Read More

  • Sophocles' Antigone: A Great Tragedy

    1071 Words  | 3 Pages

    One decisions changes your entire life and the lives of others. One decision can create a major difference, but one decision can create major conflict. One decision affects all other decisions. The effects of one decision are present in Antigone by the greek author, Sophocles. The setting of Antigone is the ancient city of Thebes after a battle between Polyneices and Eteocles. During the battle, a great tragedy occurs when Eteocles and Polyneices kill each other. The battle is a result of one decision by Polyneices to conquer Thebes, and his attempt is a utter failure. Polyneices' decision to attack Thebes dramatically alters the future course of Thebes. Polyneices's attack removes Eteocles from power and promotes Creon to power. Creon believes he is acting in the best interest of the state by establishing his power as king of Thebes. Creon's decree preventing any citizen from mourning or burying Polyneices is establishing his authority. Creon creates this edict because of Polyneices' traitorous acts against Thebes. Creon feels this action helps Thebes work to become a better city. The citizens of Thebes are not entirely content with Creon's ruling. One brave person dares to do the right thing, and this person is Antigone, brother of Polyneices. Antigone valiantly acts to see morality prevails over what Creon considers right for the state with the looming possibility of death. Antigone acts courageously, but Creon murders Antigone for her deeds. Antigone puts others and her beliefs above herself. Antigone experiences true tragedy. In Antigone, Antigone garners more sympathy and fear than Creon because of her devotion to divine law, loyalty to family, and defiance of Creon in the face of death.

    Read More

  • Sophocles Antigone's Rule

    695 Words  | 2 Pages

    Sophocles’ Antigone is one of the most famous plays of all time, and has been debated upon for centuries. One of the most interesting topics within these debates is the idea that Antigone may have been a better ruler than Creon. However, this is not true. Antigone’s personality and inherent nature would have prevented her from ever being a successful ruler of Thebes. She is fiercely independent and passionate about her family and getting justice for her brother. While these may be good qualities as a person, being a good person does not lead to being a good ruler. Antigone is ultimately too stubborn, emotional, young, and inexperienced to be queen. These qualities not only lead to her own downfall, but that of those around her.

    Read More

  • The Tragic Play Antigone

    362 Words  | 1 Pages

    The Tragic Play Antigone by Sophocles has a Conflict between religious morals and loyalty to the state and its laws. This struggle is displayed through the characters Antigone and Creon. Antigone’s life meets a tragic end in the play, but her death makes her a martyr leading to the citizens to follow her view of religion.

    Read More

  • The Source of Conflict between Antigone and Creon in Sophocles' Antigone

    1274 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the following paper, I plan to discuss the source of conflict between the title characters of Antigone and Creon in Sophocles’ “Antigone”. I also plan to discuss how each character justifies his or her actions and what arguments they give for their justifications. I will also write about the strengths and weaknesses of these arguments. The final points I try to make are about who Sophocles thinks is right and who I think is right.

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Nursing Evolved

    1373 Words  | 3 Pages

    When Nightingale was 16 years of age, she cared for the sick villagers near her family’s home. At this point in her life she knew nursing was what she wanted to pursue. In 1854 she was asked to put together a team of nurses who could care for sick and injured soldiers. She gathered thirty-eight other nurses together to staff a hospital overseas for the British army during the Crimean War. Nightingale trained herself for this great profession we call nursing, as she approached the hospital she knew what steps she needed to take to get her patients well. The first step was cleaning up the environment, the hospital was not what she expected at all! Towels contained dry blood and sewage discharge. She was not very big on the concept of bacterial infection; she did not accept the crowding and unsanitary environment. Although Florence was a very successful woman and due to her desire to help others nursing has

    Read More

  • charant Character Changes in Sophocles' Antigone

    1452 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Sophocles' Greek tragedy, Antigone, two characters undergo character changes. During the play the audience sees these two characters' attitudes change from close-minded to open-minded. It is their close-minded, stubborn attitudes, which lead to their decline in the play, and ultimately to a series of deaths. In the beginning Antigone is a close minded character who later becomes open minded. After the death of her brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices, Creon becomes the ruler of Thebes. He decides that Eteocles will receive a funeral with military honors because he fought for his country. However, Polyneices, who broke his exile to " spill the blood of his father and sell his own people into slavery", will have no burial. Antigone disagrees with Creon's unjust actions and says, " Creon is not strong enough to stand in my way." She vows to bury her brother so that his soul may gain the peace of the underworld. Antigone is torn between the law placed against burying her brother and her own thoughts of doing what she feels should be done for her family. Her intent is simply to give her brother, Polyneices, a proper burial so that she will follow "the laws of the gods." Antigone knows that she is in danger of being killed for her actions and she says, "I say that this crime is holy: I shall lie down with him in death, and I shall be as dear to him as he to me." Her own laws, or morals, drive her to break Creon's law placed against Polyneices burial. Even after she realizes that she will have to bury Polyneices without the help of her sister, Ismene, she says: Go away, Ismene: I shall be hating you soon, and the dead will too, For your words are hateful. Leave me my foolish plan: I am not afraid of the danger; if it means death, It will not be the worst of deaths-death without honor. Here Ismene is trying to reason with Antigone by saying that she cannot disobey the law because of the consequences. Antigone is close-minded when she immediately tells her to go away and refuses to listen to her. Later in the play, Antigone is sorrowful for her actions and the consequences yet she is not regretful for her crime. She says her crime is just, yet she does regret being forced to commit it.

    Read More

  • Religion vs. State in “Antigone"

    829 Words  | 2 Pages

    The play “Antigone” is a tragedy by Sophocles. One main theme of the play is Religion vs. the state. This theme is seen throughout the play. Antigone is the supporter of religion and following the laws of the gods and the king of Thebes, Creon, is the state. In the play Creon has made it against the law to bury Antigone’s brother, something that goes against the laws of the gods, this is the cause of most conflict in the story. This struggle helps to develop the tragic form by giving the reader parts of the form through different characters.

    Read More

  • Antigone Tragedy Analysis

    1716 Words  | 4 Pages

    Firstly, I will look at the character of Creon, as his denial of Polyneice’s burial rites is what acts a catalyst for Antigone’s actions. The story begins with a conversation between Antigone and her blood-sister Ismene discussing the tragic deaths of their two brothers. Antigone tells her sister of the two brothers fate, that one’s body is to be respected, while the other is “to have no lament, but to be left buried and unwept” (Sophocles. Antigone.20-30). This initial event is what ignites Antigone’s determined mindset to find her brother and honour him with the proper rites of the dead. However, some scholars argue that Creon is well within his rights as the ruler of Thebes to deny certain persons a proper burial. Kerri Hame and Vincent Rosivach in their analyses on Antigone both argue this idea. Hame (2008, 7-8) notes the legitimacy of Creon’s claim to not have Polyneices buried – if he were not on Theban soil. Rosivach (1983, 193) highlights the refusal to bury traitors and temple robbers, referen...

    Read More

  • Life And Life Of Florence Nightingale's Life

    1489 Words  | 3 Pages

    However, her shyness didn’t interfere with her willingness to help others. Being the youngest of three, her opinion and beliefs were often overlooked as she was expected to follow in the footsteps of those before her; find a husband, reproduce and spend the rest of her life serving them. Although that sounds grand, Florence responded with “I think I am got something more good-natured and complying.” Nightingale belonged to an upper class family, her mother Francis Nightingale, belonged to a family of merchants who took pride in their social interactions with those of the same stature. This however was completely opposite of Florence Nightingale and because of it, they often found themselves bumping heads with one another. However, her father, William Shore Nightingale encouraged her

    Read More

  • Transformative Leadership

    1174 Words  | 3 Pages

    Byrne, J. A. (1998, June 8). How Jack Welch runs GE. Business Week. Retrieved from http://www.businessweek.com/1998/23/b3581001.htm

    Read More

More about Nomos vs. Physis in Sophocles’Antigone and the Modern World

Open Document