Religious Law Vs. Man-Made Law In Antigone By Sophocles

Oedipus the King of Thebes stepped down from his throne and gave the kingdom to his two sons Polyneices and Eteocles. Each son would alternate every year but after the first year Eteocles refused to step down, drove his brother out to Argos. Polyneices wanted to rebel and attack his home city of Thebes to claim his throne. Eteocles resolves to fight his brother in combat and both end up killing each other. Creon the uncle of Antigone claims the throne and believe that Eteocles should be buried while Polyneices should be left to be fed on my dogs and birds. Antigone fights for what she believes in morally right. Even though Polyneices goes against his brother and people, religious law is more important than man-made law because Antigone is showing her loyalty to the gods, Creon is creating rules to show he is the one in power, and Antigone believes that she should follow the religious law requiring that women bury the deceased. Antigone does not believe

“You want to bury him, although it is forbidden in the city!” (15 Sophocles). Since she is on the side of man-made law she tries to persuade Antigone to surrender to the king but she refuses. “It seems fair to me to die doing it. I will lie dear to him, with one dear to me, a holy outlaw, since I must please those below a longer time than people here, for I shall lie there forever. You, though, dishonor the gods’ commands, if you wish” (16 Sophocles). Antigone displays that she would rather die burying him than surrendering to the king. Also tells Ismene that she is going against the gods laws and that she will regret it.

Antigone emphasized the importance of religious law compared to man-made law putting the truths of men and women against the truth of the gods. This story shows the diversity of opinions and beliefs between the powerful and the morally