Also, while Antigone is fully motivated to give her family a proper burial, Antigone also criticizes her family, Ismene, for being too much of a sissy and a conformist. For illustration, Ismene insists that whether they agree with or authorize Creon's action is fully inapplicable since Creon is the sovereign of Thebes, and thus, they must “ observe the bones who stand in power ”( Sophocles, 62). Ismene’s belief that simply following Creon’s law is the stylish course of action easily reveals the antipode between her and Antigone. While Ismene wants to bury Polynices just as important as Antigone does, she doesn't believe that burying her family is enough of a defense to simply ignore the law, and clearly enough to die for. This contradiction …show more content…
Throughout the play, Antigone is established as a veritably religious existent, most specially when she states to Creon, “ Nor did I suppose your edict had similar force that you, a bare mortal, could stamp the gods, the great verbal, imperturbable traditions. They're alive, not just moment or history they live ever, from the first of time, and no bone knows when they first saw the light ”( Sophocles 82). Antigone expresses that not only does she find Creon’s recently established law cruel and unwarranted, but she also claims that indeed if his law was indigenous, it can no way trump laws established by the gods. While Antigone constantly defies against Creon, the current sovereign of Thebes, at no point in the play does she ever misdoubt or defy the gods, whom Antigone defines as her true autocrats. Antigone recognizes that the gods are almighty and each- important, which is why she eventually values godly law over civil and mortal law because she recognizes that no matter how numerous or what kind of laws Creon establishes, godly law will always triumph because the gods have power over any mortal leader. Antigone’s determination to maintain her religious values and beliefs eventually serves as a defense for her decision to bury Polynices because she recognizes that she isn't only doing this for her family and their honor, but she's also doing it …show more content…
While Sophocles may have intended Antigone to be interpreted in one specific manner, the text will always lend itself to different interpretations and perspectives. For example, Antigone states “Nor did I think your edict had such force that you, a mere mortal, could override the gods, the great unwritten, unshakable traditions. They are alive, not just today or yesterday: they live forever, from the first of time, and no one knows when they first saw the light” (Sophocles 82). While this passage can be interpreted as Antigone following her religious beliefs, serving a higher power greater than herself, and doing what she believes to be morally righteous, as mentioned above, it could also be interpreted as Antigone presenting herself as a dangerous religious zealot. When
Creon decreed that it would be against his rule to bury the body of Polynices; nevertheless, Antigone still goes to bury the body because she believes it to be morally right. She can not be seen as entirely evil because she kept the body of her brother from just laying there on the battlefield to rot, yet Antigone can not be seen as completely good since she has broken the first
She defies Creon’s law because she is trying to honor her brother and preserve the God-given rights of a proper burial after death (Leshak). Even though she recognizes death as the consequence for her action, Antigone fights the struggle of the individual and still feels the need to bury her brother. She does not only feel the need to bury Polynices because he is her brother, but there she strongly feels that is is her moral duty to due so in order to please the Theban gods and will only be found “guilty of the holiest crime”. Another reason that Antigone’s civil disobedience is symbolic is because she is a woman. Creon states that no woman will rule him as he lives and since Antigone loves the dead, she will join
Creon has a rational, important reason to deny Polyneices a burial and to punish Antigone for her actions: doing only what is best for Thebes. As King, he announces to the populace of Thebes that he plans to “follow the course that he knows is best for the State” (1.197). By giving a speech to garner the trust and respect of his citizens, and making the promise to do what is “best for the state”, Creon demonstrates his commitment to governing wholeheartedly. His directive on the burial of Polyneices directly reflects Creon’s ethics of putting the cohesion of the city before anything else. He wants social order and stability, so Antigone breaking a direct order from the throne makes Creon seem fallible.
History has shown that religious and personal beliefs frequently clash with societal norms and laws. An example of this is present in Antigone, a Ancient Greek play written by Sophocles in 441 BC. Antigone is a teenage girl(inferred) who was forced to decide whether to give her brother, Polynices, a proper burial or follow Creon’s edict which condemned Polynices’ body to be ravaged by nature. Eventually, Antigone chooses to uphold her beliefs and bury her brother even if it would lead to her death. Antigone’s immense dedication to her morals and her response to Creon’s edict help in understanding her views on moral authority and death.
Family is more reasonable than a law prohibiting peace of the family. Without a burial Antigone is hurt and can not think straight in her decisions so it is justifiable for her to disobey Creon and bury him to let his
When Antigone first hears her brother, Polyneices, was prohibited from a proper burial because of Creon’s rules, she immediately does not accept it. Antigone's first instinct is to rely on her sister, which shows her loyalty to her family. She asks her sister Ismene to help her "Lift up his body." (61) Ismene is less determined to deny Creon's law and she refuses to help her. Antigone is furious with Ismene because Antigone always stays loyal and chooses to put her family first .
Throughout the first and second scene, the theme human law versus divine law separates the two main characters Creon and Antigone, creating a deep conflict between them. At the beginning of the play, despite of the state and the human law, which Creon made, forbids her to do so, Antigone determines to burry her brother, Polynecies. She says to Ismene, “Creon is not enough to stand in my way. ”(15). Antigone believes that Creon has no right in the matter of burial, because it is part of the divine law and she believes divine law rules over human law.
In the play Antigone, written by Sophocles, burial customs of the ancient Greeks play an extensive role. The women of the family perform the burial rites, and believed that if their distinct methods were not followed, the soul is destined to suffer between worlds until the correct rites were performed. Antigone, the sister of Polynices and Eteocles, is aware of this and is not going to stand by and let her brother, Polynices, linger between worlds in pain, after being killed by Eteocles. With her ambition and determination she does the deed, and of doing so she follows the god's laws, but breaks Creon’s laws in the midst of it. Creon is also aware of the burial rites but still decides, through his stubbornness, that Polynices shall not be performed these rites, because of his actions against Thebes.
In the play "Antigone" by Sophocles, Antigone rightfully decides to bury her brother, Polynices, but when the king, Creon, finds out, she does not repent for her actions. She is a woman that stands for what she thinks is right, which in this case is that Creon is wrong for condemning the burial of her brother. She shows braveness with her actions because not all people have the courage to risk their own lives so that their brother can rest in peace. For instance, Ismene states "What? You 'd bury him – when a law forbids the city?"
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.
Another reason why Antigone is justified in her decision to bury her brother is that her action is a form of protest against Creon's tyranny. By burying Polyneices, he defends justice and respect for the rights of citizens. This is illustrated in the play when Antigone says, "I maintain that no one has the right to do evil and be honored for it" (Sophocles, line 55). Antigone's decision to bury her brother is a powerful statement of her commitment to justice and her refusal to accept Creon's
In the play, “Antigone” by Sophocles, one of the main characters Antigone, shows us that through determination and bravery we can accomplish the things that scare us the most. Kreon, the new ruler of Thebes, has put a ban on burying Polyneikes, Antigone's brother because he betrayed the city. Antigone wants to go against Kreons law because of the respect she has not only for her brother but the respect she has for the Gods law. Antigone has learned what law Kreon has set for the people of Thebes, they were told that they must not bury the body of Polyneikes. She sets out to find her sister, Ismene, and tell her the upsetting news about their brother.
As Antigone said when Creon asked her if she has heard of his edict, “It was public. Could I help hearing it?” (708). This tells us that Antigone knew that what she was doing was illegal and yet she still chose to bury Polyneices no matter the consequences for her. On the other hand, you could say that even though Antigone knew what she was doing was wrong, she did it because she knew that it was the right thing 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.
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.