In reading Antigone many comparative questions can be raised about society then as compared to society now. Although society has changed a few things remain the same. When dealing with the questions, "Antigone knowingly and willfully disobeyed Creon's edict. Can she still claim to be a good citizen of Thebes?" there are many elements of society in that day and time you have to take into mind> In my mind Antigone can still be a good citizen of Thebes even if she disobeyed Creon's edict.
According to Webster's Dictionary there are two separate definitions for the word citizen. The definitions are as follows, "1: an inhabitant of a city or town; especially: one entitled to the rights and privileges of a freeman 2 a: a member of a state b: a native or naturalized person who owes allegiance to a government and is entitled to protection from it." The first of the definitions talks about the inhabitant having rights and privileges of a freeman. Antigone, was a free woman when she buried her brother, and the right to burying him was taken away by Creon to set an example. She hastily buried him, but she did it because of religious laws that the majority of the people in the time followed. If she didn't bury him she would have been disobeying a religious law that state of Thebes followed, therefore breaking a law. The second of the definitions talks about how the inhabitant owes allegiance to the government and is entitled to protections .
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from it. Antigone, was put in a lose lose situation because the "holy law", which was perceived as law by the government, of burying your dead was cared out, but broke Creon's edict at the same time by caring out the "holy law." Antigone, as a citizen of Thebes deserved protection from the state, so that she may obey the "holy law" that was perceived as state law and bury her brother. There are many other reason than this that Antigone is still a good citizen.
