Antigone Moral Law

Would you choose to do what you know to be right, even if the consequences might kill you? The dissension between moral law and state law is one that mankind has argued since the beginning of time. There are many individuals who stand by their personal moral law opposed to the laws given though the government. The argument that “who is to determine right from wrong” becomes the basis of moral law, the idea that one makes a decision based on their inner conscious despite the possible repercussions. The conflict between moral and state law is one of the main duels in Antigone, the Greek tragedy written by Sophocles. The core of this tragedy is the battle held between ones moral duty and their duty to their state. The battle between the two laws

is shown by Antigone’s duty to her family, and Creon’s obligation or want to enforce the state law and prove his power. Antigone and Creon’s opposing opinions express the theme of moral law versus government-mandated law.
In the first scene, Antigone and her last surviving sibling, Ismene, are discussing weather or not their brother; Polyneices should receive a proper burial.

Creon has declared that anyone who goes against him and buries Polyneices, will be killed. Antigone knows that it is her moral duty to give her brother a proper burial, despite what Creon believes. Disregarding Creon’s threats, Antigone holds her duty to the gods and to her family higher than her duty to Creon. The strong willed and determined Antigone decides to grant her brother a proper burial, in spite of Ismene’s cautious advice and Creon’s threats. As reported by the sentry, “ She was not afraid, not even when we charged her with what she had done. She denied nothing…To escape from death.” Antigone’s actions show the satisfaction she feels by fulfilling her moral duty. She declares, “This death of mind is of no importance; but if I had left my bother lying in death unburied, I should have suffered. Now I do not.” Antigone’s disregard for laws made by man and Creon, gave her peace of mind because she regards her moral duty and divine law above anything

else.
The motif of moral law as opposed to government law is also displayed when Creon decides to enforce the law of the state instead of following his conscience.

Creon was made king after both of Oedipus’ sons died in battle. Since he was not meant to be the next king, he feels as though he must prove his power as king, by ordering that anyone who tries to bury Polyneices will be sentenced to death. Once the news is received that the “man” at fault for burying Polyneices is in fact Antigone, he is forced to choose either his moral duty to his family or his duty to the state. He chooses to follow his right given as king and enforce the law he had already created. He positions his loyalty to the state over that of his family and condemns Antigone to death. Creon encounters opposition from friends and family however, he disregards their advice. His son Haemon, informs Creon that what he is doing is upsetting the people of Thebes. Creon, however, does not listen to his son and continues with his plan until he speaks to Teiresias, a blind prophet. Teiresias warns Creon that he is angering the gods by banning the burial of Polyneices and by punishing Antigone for doing what is morally right. It is not until after his discussion with Teiresias, Creon realizes that he is wrong. Creon exclaims, “That is true…It troubles me. Oh it is hard to give in! but it is worse to risk everything for stubborn pride….It is hard to deny the heart! But I will do it: I will not fight with destiny.”

Creon realizes that he is going against the gods and his moral duty to his family and therefore tries to rescue Antigone from death. His attempt to withdraw his previous decision was in vain and in the last scenes Creon loses his son, wife, and Antigone. He chose his duty as king over his conscious and it ultimately ended in disaster. The theme of individual conscience versus state law is not only relevant to Antigone and Creon.
Both Antigone and Creon face the dilemma of doing what they know in their hearts to be right versus what society expects one to do in compliance with the law. Essentially, both Antigone and Creon insist on doing what is right in their mind; they simply differ on their interpretations of what is right. Antigone states:
“Nay, be what thou wilt; but I will bury him: well for me to die in doing that. I shall rest, a loved one with him whom I have loved, sinless in my crime; for I owe a longer allegiance to the dead than to the living: in that world I shall abide for ever. But if thou wilt, be guilty of dishonouring laws which the gods have stablished in honour.”
her belief that according to the gods, her brother must be buried or his decaying flesh will be an offense to the gods is a prime expamle of the battle this work portrays.

Overall, Antigone is a threat to the status quo; she invokes divine law as defense of her actions, but implicit in her position is faith in the discerning power of her individual conscience. She sacrifices her life out of devotion to principles higher than human law. Creon makes a mistake in sentencing her-and his mistake is condemned, in turn, by the gods-but his position is an understandable one. In the wake of war, and with his reign so new, Creon has to establish his authority as supreme. On the other hand, Creon's need to defeat Antigone seems at times to be extremely personal. At stake is not only the order of the state, but his pride and sense of himself as a king and, more fundamentally, a man.

. Both Antigone and Creon had to decide weather they would follow their conscience or follow the state law.
One of the main conflicts in “Antigone” is the battle between the duties owed to the state and the duties owed to the conscience. Antigone chose to follow her conscious despite of the consequences. She could have buried her brother in secret but she felt that what she was doing was right and her actions were following the laws of the gods. Her decision to act publicly ended in her death, however she was still satisfied with her decision. Acts of conscience such as Antigone’s should be made public to be affective. If Antigone had decided to keep her actions a secret, Creon would have never lost his family and would have probably stayed a stubborn and unforgiving king. Antigone’s public act of conscience changed the way Creon behaved and probably made him a better king for Thebes.