Obeying Divine Laws: A Study on Antigone's Defiance

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We should obey God’s laws and surrender our loyalty to him. Curses and punishment will come if we do not stay loyal and follow the laws from God. For example, when Creon first became King. Creon wanted nobody to bury Polynecies and even stated that as a law in his speech. Polynecies was to be left to rot without a proper burial. Antigone comes in a defies Creon’s law putting the laws of God first. Creon questions her asking why and Antigone responds with, “That final Justice that rules the world below makes no such laws”(Ant.2.57-58). Here, Antigone puts the laws of God above Creon’s law. Antigone knows that God is the superior ruler of the world and his laws must be followed. That means that Polynecies was suppose to have a proper burial …show more content…

The choices we make show our true selves and determine our future. King Creon and Antigone have too much pride and it creates many dilemmas in the play. For example, when Antigone is accused of the burial of Polynecies. Antigone reveals that it was her who buried Polynecies. Creon, hearing this, becomes angry and argues with Antigone. Antigone talks back knowing Creon has the power to kill her at any given time. Eventually, Creon orders the guards to arrest Isemene, Antigone’s sister. Creon, Antigone says, what more do you want than my death (Ant.2.93) ? Due to Antigone’s pride, her sister is now dragged into this and now both face death. If pride did not conceal Antigone’s vision, they both probably wouldn’t have ended up like this. Later in the play, Creon has an argument with his son Haemon. They argue about Antigone and how Haemon wants his dad to change his ways. After the argument, Choragus tells Creon and Haemon to listen to each others request. However, Creon responds with “You consider it right for a man of my years and experience, To go to school to a boy” (3.95 emphasis added)? Creon thinks that it is unnecessary for him to listen to Haemon with all of his experience. The problem is how Creon thinks that he is always in the correct bubble but is so full of pride, it clouds his reasoning. This continues when Teiresias, confronts Creon with news about his incorrect reasoning. Teiresias …show more content…

This is shown when King Creon and Haemon argue. Haemon tells his father Creon, “Then she must die [Antigone] but her death will cause another (Ant.3.129). To add to this idea, Teiresias announces to Creon the same idea with what Haemon has said. “The time is not far off Teiresias says, when you shall pay back corpse for corpse [and] flesh of your own flesh” (5.71-72). Teiresias’s message to Creon is that he will have to sacrifice something for the crime that has been committed against God. More death will come according to Teiresias’s message. Basically what Haemon and Teiresias are telling Creon that death will arise from punishment. Furthermore to dive deeper into this idea, Teiresias unfolds the truth to Creon saying, “This is your crime [and]... the dark gods of hell are swift with terrible punishment for you” (5.76-78 emphasis added). Teiresias is a prophet of god. Which means, he is like a teacher and messenger of some sort. The messenger that Teiresias is, warns Creon that punishment will heed no mercy to Creon. Punishment faces Creon because Creon has forgot that the laws of God is number one above all. Creon ignores the laws of the Gods and puts himself higher, believing that he is the best in the universe. Due to Creon defying God’s laws, his whole family died. By taking away his loved ones, the gods showed what would happen if you dare not follow the laws of

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