The Significance of Divine Law - Does it Provide Justification for Crimes against the State?.
The importance of divine law versus the adherence to the laws of the state is a major theme explored throughout the play, Antigone. Creon (the king of Thebes) denounces Polyneices (Antigone's dead brother) as a traitor, for he battled against his own city in a war. He has left the dead body of Polyneices unburied and out in the open as carrion. The king then says that anyone who tries to give Polyneices a proper burial will be stoned to death. Antigone, inspired by divine law, makes the decision to bury her dead brother's body; both she and Creon provide justification throughout the play as to why they chose to act in the ways they did. .
In the beginning of Act II, the Sentry (one of Creon's guards) enters to tell Creon that Polyneices has been buried. The idea that the gods may have buried the body is brought up by the Chorus; however, Creon dismisses the idea, claiming that the gods would never honor a traitor with a burial. Creon then orders the Sentry to find the person who has buried the body. Later in the act, the Sentry enters again, this time with Antigone. The Sentry tells Creon that Antigone is responsible for giving Polyneices the rites of burial. Creon asks Antigone if this is true. Antigone informs him that, indeed, she is the one who has buried Polyneices. Then, for the remainder of the act, Antigone and Creon engage in a verbal argument. Antigone's argument is intended to justify her actions in taking responsibility to bury her brother. Creon aims to justify his decision to let Antigone's dead brother rot. He also wishes to validate his choice to punish Antigone. Both Antigone and Creon base their actions on their beliefs of what is right and wrong. Thus, their quarrel arose because of their contrasting morals. The reader may feel moved to decide who is right. Act II throws out some ideas that should help the reader make his/her decision.
This type of conflict is shown in Antigone an helps present the character traits of the antagonist, Antigone. ... Antigone was also very strong minded. ... Antigone was also very strong willed. ... Antigone chooses to defy this law. ... Antigone believes that Ismene is a coward while Ismene believes that Antigone is foolish. ...
Antigone stands poised at the river separating herself from civil disobedience. ... Antigone's unrepressed emotions give voice to her dissatisfaction with Creon's dictum. ... Antigone's morals render her unable to see her tragic flaw. ... Antigone impels Creon by defying his order, and seals the fate of her life. ... Antigone's convictions bear a burden on her that she is not strong enough to lift. ...
In the play, "Antigone," the main character Antigone goes against all authority in an effort to give her brother, Polynices, a proper burial. ... Antigone has no respect for authority. ... Antigone also claims, "What Creon says is quite irrelevant" ( ln 4). Thus, Antigone does not respect government or Creon as a sovereign. ... "We can't live by Antigone's alone, but if we have no Antigones within us we are spiritually barren" (Cornell). ...
Pride is part of what makes Antigone heroic. ... This is between Antigone and Polyneices. ... Antigone doesn't mind doing anything on her own. ... Antigone has no problem working by her self either. ... I think Creon feels he must defeat Antigone because she is a woman. ...
In Antigone, by Sophocles, Antigone is the tragic hero of the play, rather than Creon. ... Sophocles wants us to see Antigone as the tragic figure. ... He can either kill Antigone, or spare her life. ... Antigone is in a different position. ... Antigone chooses wisely in defying the law. ...
However, in the play Antigone, Antigone goes against the beliefs and defies the powerful tradition of male domination. In the play, Antigone's life was filled with pain and sorrow. ... Even after all of this, Antigone had even more pain to deal with. ... Antigone didn't fear death, but instead faced it with great bravery and strength. ... That is why Antigone is such an influential character in the play. ...
The Antigone Essay Through "Antigone", the play, Sophocles lets it be known that family is more important than authority. ... Antigone felt awful that Creon was doing such a wrong thing. ... Antigone took a moral stand and buried Polyneices. ... Antigone was Haemon's true love. Haemon committed suicide once he lost Antigone. ...
Antigone is not from a normal family. Her family feels very strong in what they believe in. Especially Antigone and Creon. Antigone did things that other people wouldn't normally do. Some people wouldn't defy authority to do what they believe is right. Creon did things that people wouldn't do. I thi...
Bigger than her body Antigone was right, yet so was Creon. ... However Antigone defied the king. ... The gods sided with Antigone. ... Creon is protagonist against Antigone, who is the antagonist; at the same time, Antigone is the protagonist with Creon as her antagonist. Antigone's actions were justified by divine law. ...
