Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Antigone character analysis
Antigone character analysis
Athenian concept of justice socrates
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Moral and Political Law in Sophocles' Antigone
In Sophocles' play Antigone, the tragedy is brought by the conflict
between the moral laws and manmade political laws. Neither Kreon nor
Antigone is clearly "right" or "wrong". In other words they are both
"right" and "wrong". The moral laws are essential to keep faith in
one's heart and have strength in oneself. Political laws help
determine what is just and unjust to prevent the chaos that might
occur if everyone did what they think is right. Kreon and Antigone
exhibit both their negative and positive qualities throughout the
play.
Antigone is a strong, courageous character and she has no fear towards
death. She believes that the burial of Eteokles must take place
because she loves her brother, and family royalty is very important to
her. For example she says:
"I love my brother and I'm going to bury him, now." -Pg.24 lines 100-1
Antigone's motivation towards her brother causes her to take her
actions. She considers that one's family love is the factor that must
be valued over every thing else. Antigone is also extremely
determined, and is not easily convinced by other people. At first
Antigone asks her sister, Ismene to join her in the burying but after
Ismene refuses to take part in the action, she immediately makes her
mind to carry out the burying on her own. Even her one and only
sister's pleas does not convince her. Antigone's one other reason for
carrying out the burial is her respect towards the gods. She believes
that the gods requires the burial for the dead and they would not be
pleased by the fact that a dead body was left in the public, unburied.
If a body i...
... middle of paper ...
...would discriminate
and execute people just because of their color, religion, or ethnic
group. They made their judgments according to how they felt about the
certain groups of people and not according to how the people behaved.
This meant that you have to have strength in your belief, and to go
against the ridiculous laws. But many common people followed the laws
that were passed out because of the fear of being punished. In
Antigone, Ismene plays the part of the common men, not being able to
be determined which law she would follow, the political or the moral.
On the other hand, Kreon and Antigone were determined on which law to
follow, and they played their role as the representative of the
political and the moral law. I think that they are both right because
they did what they thought was good for their own position.
must die." God spoke to her and she acted upon the support of a loved one.
Antigone decides to betray Kreon’s law in order to honor the gods and their greater law. She says “you [Kreon], who are human/to violate the lawful traditions/the gods have not written merely, but made infallible,” defending her decision to bury the out-casted Polyneices because the law that prohibits it was not proclaimed by Zeus. When Kreon asks Antigone why she honors Eteokles (her other brother who also dies in the battle in Thebes) and Polyneices equally, she responds “Death is a god/who wants his laws obeyed,” corroborating the motive of why she upheld divine law over Kreon’s law (Sophocles 41). Even Haimon, Kreon’s own son and Antigone’s betrothed, supports Antigone by saying “the gods implant intelligence in humans/…that is the supreme one” (Sophocles 48). However, Antigone’s superior motive in giving Polyneices an honorable death is love. While conferring her plan with her sister, Ismene, Antigone tells her “He’s my brother an yours too/ and whether you will or not, I’ll stand by him,” indicating her love to her brother (Sophocles 22). In addition, Antigone is most direct with her intentions when she says “I am different. I love my brother/and I’m going to go bury him, now” (Sophocles 24). After Kreon asks Antigone why she dared to break his law, knowing the repercussions, she expresses that “if I had left my own brother stay unburied/I would have suffered all the pain I do not feel now,” further denoting her unwavering devotion to Polyneices even during her own conviction. Richard Emil Braun, an highly praised writer, also believes Antigone’s primary motive to bury her brother was love, as he says “The second burial of Polyneices shows that Antigone…did the deed, and not for money, but for love…Antigone was prompted by her love to fulfill a religious duty.” Civil disobedience to Antigone is
Antigone also had the gods on her side. It was an unwritten rule of ancient Greek society that the dead must be buried, otherwise bad things may happen. This rule, because it was unwritten and therefore innate, was protected by the gods, specifically Hades, the god of the underworld and family.
The play Antigone opens up with the dialogue of two sisters, Antigone and Ismene, with two completely different opinions. Antigone believes that as Polyneices' sisters, they are responsible for burying him properly, according to the god's rules. On the contrary, Ismene feels that they should not get involved, they are "women born, unapt to cope with men." (Sophacles, p.3) Antigone disregards this statement and still adamantly insists that they must bury him. She feels that by burying him, she will be following the gods, which is more important than following the ruler. As she says on page 3, “Loving and loved, I will lie by his (Polynices) side. Far longer is there need I satisfy those nether Powers, than powers on earth; for there for ever must I lie.” She believes that in afterlife she ...
In Sophocles’ Antigone, the most prominent theme is the concept of divine law versus human law. The play opens with the debate between the sisters Antigone and Ismene concerning which law comes first- the devout obligations of citizens, or civic duty. Antigone requests for Ismene to assist her in burying their brother Polyneices, though the new king Creon, has prohibited burial on pain of death. It can be argued that Creon’s edict, which deprived Polyneices of his funeral rites, is understandable. The young man had been killed perpetrating the most atrocious crime of which a citizen could be guilty, and Creon, as the responsible head of state, naturally supposed that exemplary punishment was the culprit’s right...
Although Antigone has a bad reputation with Creon, and possibly Ismene, for being insubordinate, she stays true to her values throughout the entire play by following the law of gods, not so that she could appease them, but because she admired its value of honor and respect to loved ones that have passed away. This devotion and determination to give her brother a proper burial shows the true essence of her being: that loyalty to family is in fact hold above all else.
Antigone’s opinions are distinctive as she clearly states her beliefs to Creon after being caught for performing her brother’s burial rituals. Antigone strongly believes that law has no validity when laid by a human as she questions Creon saying, “What laws? I never heard it was Zeus who made that announcement” (Antigone 450). This quote shows her reliance on the Gods for moral direction instead of the kings who reign over her. Although she disregards the law, she also accepts punishment; Antigone is able to follow her opinions and independently rule herself, yet also recognize the societal expectations of law and accept punishment. When being taken by Creon with her sister Antigone takes the responsibility of the crime all herself and recognizes what she did despite not being ashamed of it. One of the main views of Antigone that causes her disobedience is the belief that rulers should not keep loved ones from each other. Antigone clearly states, “He has no right to keep me from my own” this shows how she believes the connection between family overpowers that of a law passed by a vengeful king (Antigone 48). Antigone’s opinions contrast to those of Creon who is a gender biased ruler who sees women as lesser as he states “I will not be ruled by a woman” (Antigone 24). This shows his belief in who is credible within law. Not only does he have opinions on who
sense of loyalty leads to her simultaneous violation and observance to the duty of women
Having already been through public disgrace, when her own father, Oedipus found out that he was to fulfill a prophecy; he would kill his father and marry his mother, and this caused Antigone to be full of resentment toward her city. Both of her brothers die in a battle and, Creon, the king of Thebes forbids the burial of one of her brothers, Polynices. This must have driven Antigone to follow her moral law. Considering the love she had for her family as well as her God, she felt that you react upon morals not upon the laws of man. That morale law was to honor her brother and give him the respectful and proper burial that he deserved just as her other brother was given. The love she had for her family was the only thing she had left to honor. Ismene, Antigone’s sister was more fearful of the king’s law then the way her heart was leading her. Her values were slightly distorted.
In the play Creon goes against the Gods by making it illegal to bury Polyneices, Antigone’s brother because he is deemed a traitor. The burying of a dead body is seen as a necessity by all of Greece as it is an unspoken law of the Gods. Antigone goes to bury her brother so his afterlife will be better. She does it in spite of the law that Creon has made. “It is the dead, not the living, who make the longest demands” (192) She tries to explain to her sister, Ismene, that they must bury Polyneices, but even that close relationship has trouble because of the law. Ismene is unwilling to suffer the consequences of the law, to save her brother’s soul “Forgive me but I am helpless: I must yield to those in authority” (192) Even the two sisters who have just lost both of their brothers have different views on the matter. One will not stray from the law and what is deemed right by their king, while the other will accept any punishment, even death just to do what she believes is right.
Her response initiates the overall conflict of the play as her claims are preceded with numerous others which attempt to promote the gods’ wishes over Kreon’s 16. Antigone believes her death is honorable since she is sacrificing for family reputation, however, she also believes Ismene doesn’t deserve to accompany her in such an honorable befalling since she initially refused to take part in Antigone’s pursuit. Ismene’s insistence seems to be a cheap tactic to acquire that which is not deserved.
Antigone made that choice based on her beliefs about burial and divine law, but Ismene just did what would protect her from the wrath of “the state”.
Antigone will only follow the god’s law. Antigone said to Kreon that “[he is a] human” and that he “[violated] the lawful traditions” by changing the god’s laws (lines 556-557). Kreon did not have the right to change the laws written by the gods. Only the gods can change them, no mortal or civilian. Antigone is accepting that “[she] will die, and early” too because she tells Kreon that “anyone who lives the troubled life [I have] must benefit from death” (lines 568-570). Antigone knows that she will die anyway, might as well do it for something profitable. Antigone forfeited her single and childless life while Ismene tried to take credit for burying
Antigone’s own excessive pride drives her to her defeat. Her arrogance and strive for self-importance blinds her to the consequences of her actions. Ismene, Antigone’s sister, rejects to take part in the crime leaving Antigone all on her own. Ismeme declares “why rush to extremes? Its madness, madness” (Sophocles 80). Ismene fails to comprehend the logic behind her siste...
“Do what you believe is right.” This is a phrase common to us all, brought to our attention by parents, reinforced by teachers, and preached by leaders. But how does one define what is right? Is it what we believe in our hearts, or is it what we know is acceptable? This is a predominant dilemma that can be traced throughout society, and is the main focal point of Sophocles’ play Antigone. Written in 441 B.C., Antigone is one of the earliest records of the conflict between Natural law and Positive law. Sophocles deftly exposes these two philosophical standpoints and their respective moral and political aspects by way of the two main characters, Antgone and Kreon. Antigone is a champion of Natural law, while Kreon practices the Positivist approach. Both characters deem their behavior superior towards the other, and both assume religious justification for their actions. Sophocles ultimately proves that with so much support for each philosophical standpoint, a solution to the dilemma is hardly in sight.