“The Life of Antigone”
Antigone, The daughter of Oedipus, the niece of the king Creon, the sister of Eteocles and Polyneices. She has a huge part in this story. From going against Creon for burying her own brother. To Explaining why she did it so she wouldn't get put to death. Creon “Not even death can make a foe or friend”. She shows the definition of braveness in this story .
Antigone's decision contrast from Creon. Such as her burying her own brothers body . He thought that it was against the man law . But In her mind she believes in the law of God. He disagrees and tries to put her to death but he said “ the death won’t be from me”. He knows that If he killed her the City would hate him . Haemon says “ The city is upset about the
From the Greek point of view, both Creon's and Antigone's positions are flawed, because both oversimplify ethical life by recognizing only one kind of good or duty. By oversimplifying, each ignores the fact that a conflict exists at all, or that deliberation is necessary. Moreover, both Creon and Antigone display the dangerous flaw of pride in the way they justify and carry out their decisions. Antigone admits right from the beginning that she wants to carry out the burial because the action is glorious. Antigone has a savage spirit; she has spent most of her life burying her family members.
The character Antigone has been in conflict against Creon ever since he became the king of Thebes. Antigone would never let Creon's law about burying the body of Polyneices override her moral beliefs and her beliefs in the gods. “Zeus did not announce those laws to me, And justice
She believes that burying her brother is right and wants to show respect to him. She knows what she is standing for and stands her ground. Like what Barnett said the actions in one’s life is the meaning of life. Antigone believes she did the right thing, while she disobeys the law. She knows she is going to die soon. She admitted that she has buried her brother to the king. The king tried everything to cover up what Antigone has done. But she explains that she’ll continue to bury him, if she isn’t killed. Later on she begins to lose confidence on why she did it. She says to the guard, “do you think it hurts to die?”(Anouilh 48). She starts to become scared of dying and ask question about if it hurts to die. Then she says, “Creon was right. It is terrible to die” (Anouilh 50). She believes that dying is the punishment she deserves. She is scared. Antigone was brought to a cave and she hanged herself. Even though Antigone has lost the confidence about why she buried her brother, she stills follow through with it. She doesn’t back out. Instead she hangs herself, so she would suffer the punishment
Human emotions and beliefs can be some of the most powerful and forceful factors in the world. They can often time cause humans to overlook their moral and civil duties and instead confront the demands of a private passion. Two people that have contrasting views about passion and responsibility can cause a major conflict which could cause a “classic war” in literature. In the play Antigone, the differences in Antigone and Creon’s passions and responsibilities helps Sophocles illustrate their central flaws. By doing so, the playwright implies that one needs to achieve a balance of passion and responsibility in order to maintain a sense if inner peace and political stability.
Antigone’s strength allows her to defend her brother’s honor against Creon, who wants to make a statement about traitors. However, both Antigone and King Creon commit faults while trying to protect the things they love. Antigone should not have died for her beliefs as it puts her loved ones and community in danger, and Creon should not have forbidden the burial of Polyneices as it angers the Gods and causes him great suffering in the end.
When Antigone learns that no one is to bury her brother, she immediately knows what she must do. She doesn’t even hesitate to her decision and she is fully willing to face the consequences to do what is right. She believes that what she is doing is just a humane right and she’s willing to die for what she believes in. She even tells Creon that what he’s doing is against what the gods wanted and that his laws were worthless. She states: “Not through dread of any human pride could I answer to the gods for breaking these.” It seems that gods are almost speaking to Creon through Antigone and warning him of his decision.
What Antigone did goes against Creon and this is where his difficult decision comes in. “Creon represents the regal point of view, while Antigone is just the opposite. The primary conflict arises when Creon declares that no one be allowed to bury the body of Polynices, one of Antigone's brothers who was slain in battle. Antigone, who cares for her brother very much, wants to see him properly laid to rest, so that his spirit can find peace. Unf...
Antigone’s opinions are distinctive as she clearly states her beliefs to Creon after being caught for performing her brother’s burial rituals. Antigone strongly believes that law has no validity when laid by a human as she questions Creon saying, “What laws? I never heard it was Zeus who made that announcement” (Antigone 450). This quote shows her reliance on the Gods for moral direction instead of the kings who reign over her. Although she disregards the law, she also accepts punishment; Antigone is able to follow her opinions and independently rule herself, yet also recognize the societal expectations of law and accept punishment. When being taken by Creon with her sister Antigone takes the responsibility of the crime all herself and recognizes what she did despite not being ashamed of it. One of the main views of Antigone that causes her disobedience is the belief that rulers should not keep loved ones from each other. Antigone clearly states, “He has no right to keep me from my own” this shows how she believes the connection between family overpowers that of a law passed by a vengeful king (Antigone 48). Antigone’s opinions contrast to those of Creon who is a gender biased ruler who sees women as lesser as he states “I will not be ruled by a woman” (Antigone 24). This shows his belief in who is credible within law. Not only does he have opinions on who
Antigone had good reasons for her actions. She did obey the rules of her gods, which were that any dead body must be given a proper burial, with libatations. This would prevent the soul from being lost between worlds forever, along with wine as an offering to the gods (page 518- side note). Nor could Antigone let Creon's edicts go against her morals (lines 392-394). She chooses to share her love, not her hate (line 443). She couldn't bare to see one family member be chosen over the other because of what a king had decided was right, which she contravened. Why condemn somebody who stood up for what they believed in and is now dead for it anyway? Bringing homage to the family was very important to Antigone (line 422-423).
I’ll do my duty to my brother-and yours as well, if you're not prepared to, I won’t be caught betraying him”(lines 56-58). This then set forward the motion of the theme of the play by Antigone neglecting that free will and disobeying man’s rule and obeying the god’s rules. Antigone knows that she will die for committing the crime but she does it anyways because she does not care if she dies or not,”Take me and kill me- what more do you want”(line 565). This evidence supports my claim because it speculates her knowledge of her free will that she broke and in the future Creon breaking his free will to kill Antigone or not. If Antigone never buried the body then Creon never would have killed her and making that first mistake in the play to set the theme of the
Sophocles play titled Antigone, embellishes the opposing conflicts between Antigone who stands for the values of family, and Creon who stands for the values of state. Sophocles explores the depths of Antigone’s morality and the duty based on consequence throughout the play, as well as the practical consequences of Creon who is passionate and close-minded. Although Antigone’s moral decisions appear to be more logical and favorable than Creon’s, a personal argument would be that both characters’ decisions in society can be equally justified.
Antigone welcomed death at the time of burying her brother; she was not concerned with the consequences. She saw her actions as being true to the gods and religion. “I myself will bury him. It will be good to die, so doing. I shall lie by his side, loving him as he loved me; I shall be a criminal but – a religious one.” (Antigone, lines 81-85) To Antigone, the honor of her brother, and her family was all that was important. She may be going against Creon, but if her actions were true in her heart then the gods would see her in a good light.
Antigone broke one of Creon’s laws when she made the decision to bury her brother Polynices even though Creon forbade her to do so. She decided to ignore her brother’s law because her other brother Eteokles, who was killed in the fight between the brothers, was buried with full honor, however, Polynices was left to rot on the streets in front of by the city gates . This unfair decision was made Creon because felt that Eteokles was fighting in defense of his father’s nation, but Polynices was fighting against his brother. Creon agreed with the reason why Eteokles, but not the reason why Polynices was fighting. Antogne did not agree with the decision. Since the decision was already an edict, a law, she just decided to go behind Creon’s back and honor Polynices as well. In spite of knowing the consequences of breaking Creon’s law, which was hanging until dead, Antigone did what she felt what was right. If she was not hanged, she could be stoned to death for breaking any law, Creon’s law also stated, “whoever shall...
Antigone was not about to simply obey Creon’s absurd decree. She felt that her personal responsibility was to the gods and her family rather than the king. She then asked Ismene, her sister, to assist her with the burial, but was denied any help. Ismene justified her decision by telling Antigone that they were already punished and that there was no need to make matters worse for the two of them by defying Creon’s law.
You shall leave him without burial...” (222). Opposing the king, she neglects the decree and is now to die at the orders of the law for being disobedient; yet Antigone proudly states her crime. There is no sign of remorse shown by Creon as he states: “No; though she were my sister’s child or closer in blood than all that my hearth god acknowledges as mine, neither she nor her sister should escape the utmost sentence-death” (530-33). Bobrick, explains that Creon values the love for his land more than he values family and this becomes a struggle for Antigone as it becomes a fight between obeying the laws of man and the laws of the god’s. The second struggle Antigone faces comes when she realizes she is alone. Antigone confides in her sister Ismene with her plans to disobey Creon; but Ismene, a clear example of how a lady was obliged to be in this time, urges Antigone not to commit the act. Antigone rejects her advice and declares that Ismene is an enemy to her now (41): “If you talk like this I will loathe you, and you will be adjudged an enemy…” (109-10). Antigone must fight on her own. Thirdly, per Bobrick, Antigone