Antigone Sacrifice

She deliberately sacrificed her status in society. She intentionally sacrificed her own life so an authority figure would not decide her fate for her. The rebellious actions Antigone, the main character in Antigone by Sophocles, takes to bury her dead brother, Polynices, results in serious consequences. Antigone's values are illuminated because she was willing to sacrifice her social status and her own life in order to bury her brother.

Antigone values family loyalty and divine law. After her brother dies, her uncle and ruler of Thebes, Creon, proclaims and edict deeming it illegal to bury the body of Polynices and whoever buries the body will be put to death. Within the first two pages of the play, Antigone decides to break the law and bury her brother anyway. She believes that he should be buried for respect of the dead. Antigone also feels strongly about burying her brother because she cannot be given a new one. Both of her parents are dead, and she understands that she will not have another chance to be given a brother. Antigone states that if it was a son or a husband, she would not bury the body because she can easily marry a new husband and easily have another baby. Although this contradicts some of her beliefs, she still strongly values family. She understands

that it is illegal to bury Polynices but she believes it is the respectful thing, regardless of the law.
To fulfill the ancient Greek tradition, Antigone wants her brother to live a life in the afterworld and rest in peace.

Antigone believes that Creon’s edict is disrespectful to not only the dead, but to the gods as well. It is evident that she values divine law to human law. Antigone thinks that the hubris shown by Creon is wrong. By deeming it illegal to bury Polynices, Creon is essentially stating that Polynices cannot live on in the afterworld. Considering Creon is not a god, he does not have the ultimate decision in the destiny of the dead. Antigone knows that one day she will die too. She would want someone to bury her so she can live on in the afterlife, just like she is doing for her

brother.
The final and most drastic sacrifice Antigone makes is the sacrifice of her own life. Once Creon discovers that she is the one who buried Polyneices, he decides to put her in a cave in which she will eventually die. Again, Creon is overcome with hubris trying to dictate the fate of others. Antigone commits suicide and decides to create her own fate and take her own life. Although this contradicts the law of the gods, she does it anyway because she strongly disbelieves in human law and believes that the gods should dictate the lives of the Greek people. Additionally, by sacrificing her life she is sacrificing her role in society. Antigone will never be a wife nor will she ever be a mother. Women in ancient Greece were supposed to be wives and mothers and when sacrificing her life, she is also sacrificing her role in society.
Antigone’s rebellious actions result in many sacrifices in which she needs to make. Unfortunately, one of the sacrifices she must make is killing herself. Her strong beliefs in family loyalty and diving law are shown when she decides to bury her brother regardless of the law. Her disbelief to human law is shown when she kills herself because it shows that nobody can control her fate but herself and the gods. Antigone dies a martyr continuing to fight for her beliefs.