Creon's Obligation In Sophocles Antigone

This basis is where Antigone gets into a situation that will lead to her downfall. When Creon is crowned king of Thebes, he declares that Eteocles’s body will be buried with full honors, while Polyneices’s body is to be left out for vultures to scavenge from and anyone who tries to bury Polyneices’s will be stoned to death. Antigone becomes distraught when she hears this news. Polyneices and Eteocles is her brother’s and she feels that they should both be buried with honors. Antigone tells her sister, Ismene, “I am goring to bury him. Will you come?” (Pg. 492 Line 31). Ismene chooses to leave here brother lie to rot, fearing the death penalty, while Antigone makes the decision to sprinkle a light layer of dust on her brother, so he may rest in peace. Antigone gets caught after she goes back to Polyneices a second time to actually bury him, and is taken to Creon to receive her punishment. Creon eventually decides to leave Antigone locked in a vault and leave her fate up to the Gods, instead of having her stoned to death. That way, he does not have to worry about being guilty for her death. During the time Antigone spends in a vault, the brave, bold, woman that was willing to define the king to honor her brother disappears and a frightened, panicked filled girl that has lost all hope. Antigone hangs herself after

Would you follow a law if it serves no purpose to you or others? or if you felt that it was wrong to a certain group or ethnicity? Many people know the story Antigone by Sophocles, a kingdom set in ruins as two brothers end up killing each other over a land given to them by their father. As said in lines 165-175 Creon states “Polyneices, I say, is to have no burial: no man is to touch him or the least prayer for him; he shall lie on the plain, unburied.” Being as how both brothers fought fighting for their beliefs they should both get a proper military honored burial as believed by their sister Antigone. Antigone being the one to fight for her beliefs and obeying the god's laws attempts the burial of Polyneices and goes against Creon’s law to prove to him that he’s in over his head that he has too much pride in himself, in lines 15-35 Antigone claims that she is going to go

In the play Antigone, Sophocles tells the story of the titular character as she buries her traitorous brother in defiance of a tyrannical despot. Through this action, the play asks the question of whether the laws created by one man “could override the gods, the great unwritten, unshakable traditions,” (504-5). Some may argue that Creon's decree is merely one of necessity, an unavoidable evil to allow the city of Thebes to heal and unite. He is a patriot holding his city together in times of strife. While Creon may believe this, saying "our country is our safety" (211), it is actually his lack of love that causes him to deny Polynices his burial. Love is the ultimate natural law, thus proving Antigone's right to disobey the unjust decree.

Antigone uses both logical and emotional appeals to persuade her sister Ismene that their brother Polyneices should be honored and have a proper burial. During an argument between Antigone and Ismene, Ismene believes that the law should be obeyed therefore she will not help Antigone. Antigone states, “Polyneices, who fought as bravely and died as miserably…no one shall bury him, no one mourn for him… his body must lie in the fields (Sophocles et al.190).” Antigone is trying to communicate to Ismene through the use of an emotional and logical appeal by explaining that he was, left to be decomposed by the birds. In the Greek culture, having a burial is a civic and religious duty which is necessary to proceed to the afterlife unaffected. So from Antigone’s perspective, it is a dishonor and indignity to the family. Trying to persuade Ismene and

The king had ordered that the remains of the ‘traitor’, Polyneices, not to be given a rightful burial. The king had proclaimed that whomever shall try to bury or utter a prayer in honor of Polyneices will be sentenced to death. The protagonist Antigone, who happens to be the sister of the fallen Polyneices, could not bear the fate that had fallen upon her beloved brother. She was steadfast in her belief that the dead were not bound by the rules that mere mortals impose and that a burial rite has to be bestowed upon the dead to honor the fallen and the will of their gods. She despite knowing the dangers associated with her beliefs acted upon them. She gave her brother a burial rite and was later caught and was exiled to a prison to die. Despite being accused of taking a bribe of antagonizing the New King for power she defended herself implying that it was not money nor power that lead her actions but her love and her belief that willed her to do

The burial of Polyneices is viewed nobly, yet Antigone is not faultless in that act. One of Antigone’s largest mistakes is that she burns bridges with those that care about her. Pleading with Antigone, Ismene laments “why would I care to live when you are gone?” (548). Antigone dismisses this heartfelt plea by deferring Ismene to Creon, thus isolating herself from her only kin. She concludes her story by committing suicide without regard to the lives that will be affected by her loss. Haemon “tumbled around her[Antigone], hugging her waist, grieving for his marriage lost,” resulting in his death as he “drew his two-edged sword” and drove it through his body (1223-1224; 1233). Consequently, Haemon’s mother “died at the alter [by] a sharp sword-thrust” because she could not bear the demise of her beloved son. Antigone’s mistake in disregarding those who love her affected many, which leads the reader to better understand that both characters

There were many interesting themes in the play " Antigone" which was written by Sophocles. One major theme is determination. Determination is an asset to three characters in the play, Antigone, Creon, and Ismene. They all showed that determination is an asset is different ways and situations.

During the Civil Rights movement, civil disobedience was often practiced because it was the only non-violent, yet effective way to protest against unjust laws. Rosa Parks gave momentum to the Civil Rights movement on December 1, 1955, by defying the segregation laws and remained seated when she was told to give up her seat for a white man on the public city bus. In the fictional play Antigone written by Sophocles in 441 B.C., the character Antigone rebels against the King Creon’s unjust law in a non-violent way similar to Rosa Parks’ courageous act. The heroic act of civil disobedience echoes around the world, but specifically Rosa Parks and Antigone’s acts of civil disobedience have set an example for others to stand up for what's right and

The theory of right and wrong characteristics or good and bad behaviors is concerned with morality; its role can shape an individual’s personality which can affect his or her call of action. It is only natural that we should have some kind of sense of duty and physical forces from our experiences that make us have moral laws. It’s an aspect of humanity which helps them make rational decisions and it also serves as guidance for mere goodness. Our existence defines who we are as an individual because of our values that help us see past our wrongdoing and helps improve our future. This can be seen in Sophocles’ story of “Antigone,” Antigone’s character portrays a strong individual who is loyal and values her family more than the society. This

I used this quote from Antigone because it properly states Antigone’s viewpoint on Creon’s decree. As told in the story, Creon's decree was that no one could grieve for or bury Polyneices. Creon made this proclamation because when Eteocles and Polyneices fought over Thebes, Eteocles was pronounced king and exiled Polyneices from Thebes. Polyneices, in turn, formed an army to take on the city, ending up with Eteocles and Polyneices killing each other, thus putting Creon in the position of power. Creon then proceeds to label Polyneices a traitor and finally, makes his decree. I feel that this quote accurately depicts the plot of Antigone because it explains what this whole story is about. The main struggle of this story is about Antigone trying

Why is her mind so made up as to bury her brother regardless the severe penalty? Her arguments, as I brought up shortly before, is that her Gods mandates proper burial for everyone, and that her emotion does not allow an unburied family. However, a closer look at her real motivation would render her seemingly noble appearance laughable. In the course of trying to convince Ismene to join her in the unlawful act, Antigone refuses Ismene’s suggestion to “keep it a secret”. Instead, she wants to whole city to know (100). Later in her conversation with Creon, she stated that glory is what she is seeking (562). The more horrifying quote of hers comes later: “If I had been the mother of children or if my husband died, exposed and rotting—I’d never have taken this ordeal upon myself, never defied our people’s will.” Clearly this is the evidence that her true motivation is no other but glory and emotion tie with her brother. The way she moralizes it is deceptive, and her suicide is glory to her but embarrassment to Creon. My fellow Thebans, comparing her intention with Creon’s, you would be a fool the convict our king. On the other hand, if today we recognized Antigone’s action, everyone would start making their points by committing

Antigone decides to bury her brother Polynices, even though she will be going against Creon and the law. She values her family more than Creon's law. Antigone did not take long to make her decision, she wanted Polynices buried no matter what obstacles or consequences she would have to go through for that to happen. She said “... Creon gives honorable burial to one, but dishonors the other one.” (lines 20-22). Antigone's believes that Creon is being unfair. She does not understand how the city held her other brother higher than Polynices. She wants both of her brothers to be buried not just one even though Creon and the law declared Polynices should not be buried by the citizens and no one should mourn over his death. Antigone knows if she goes through with this burial she will have to face the consequences from it which is death.

Even though Antigone’s brother committed a crime, he should still be buried like any other family member that committed a crime. The first thing Creon’s does in Antigone is declare a hash but understandable law. Anyone who attempts to honor Polyneices will be sentenced

Antigone’s loyalty to the gods is what gets her into trouble in the first place. In ancient Greece, not burying the dead was believed to be punishable by the gods. If a body is not buried properly, it cannot find rest and its soul cannot go to the Underworld. When Antigone’s two brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices, die in battle against one another, Eteocles is given a proper burial and ceremony, but King Creon orders that no one is to bury Polyneices for being a traitor. It is made a law that if anyone is to bury Polyneices, they will be sentenced to death. Since Antigone is very loyal to the gods and does not want to upset them. She is determined to bury her brother’s rotting corpse even though getting caught means death. After Antigone is caught burying Polyneices, she explains to Creon why she buried him and expresses why her loyalty to the gods is

Antigone written by Sophocles is a prime example of a Greek tragedy. Antigone is fighting against the law made by the king, Creon. His justification to why she should not be able to bury her brother is that he was a traitor. Antigone believes, as do all citizens of Thebes, that she should have custody over the body to give a proper burial. Her belief lies in the law made by gods, as if the body is not properly buried the soul with drift in purgatory or the underworld forever. Antigone’s right to bury her brother are set in the laws of the gods, and the law of man should not be in the way of her pursuit in her brother’s wellbeing in death.