Violence In Antigone

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Violence can be interpreted in many ways, one being by "Physical force intended to hurt, damage or kill someone" or "the unlawful exercise of physical force or intimidation by exhibition of such force"(Oxford Dic), in Antigone both of these definition of violence was used both in unlawful practices and at the tragic ending. In Antigone it starts off in the aftermath of the theban civil war, in which two brothers, Eteocles and Polynices, died while fighting on opposite sides, for the Thrown of Thebes.
Creon, (brother of queen Jocasta,who was the wife of Oedipus) ends up being King of Thebes, declares that he would not give Polynices proper burial and that "No man is to touch him or say the least prayer for him; he shall lie on the plain, unburied"(Antigone 169-171). Creon, does this in order to establish …show more content…

Therefore, burying her brother was not only the godly thing to do but, honorary as well since she believed that it was important to honor the dead than the living; as she states "My honours for the dead must last much longer than for those up here"(420), and her listening to man- made laws "was not God’s proclamation"(358). Sophocles, shows Antigone as a feminist, she speaks and acts in an elegant manner, but her acts of violence goes against the patriarchal system, in which men holds the most authority, and power over women, as her sister ismene states "Our own death would be if we should go against Creon And do what he has forbidden! We are only women, We cannot fight with men, Antigone the law is strong, we must give in to the law"(45-50). However, all Antigone wanted to do was honor her dead brother and God, in wishes that she would be recompense for her actions taking away her guilt towards the law; so she sacrificed her life for an unjust law to be

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