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Intro to ethical theory
Intro to ethical theory
Importances Of Philosophy
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Antigone is a character with fierce devotion and loyalty to the gods and her family rather than the societies laws constricting her choices. Sophocles specifically wanted Creon and Antigone to represent opposing forces to show the contrast between human ideological laws and laws of the gods. This extends to the philosophical ideology of what purpose humans have on this earth, whether it is to act ‘right’ in the ethical world, or believe in a higher power and follow the laws created by the society at a given time. By introducing these characters and ideologies, Sophocles dives in the idea of justification, as society creates its own set of boundaries for what is justified. This shows how society shapes people's morals and judgement of what is
Summing up, Antigone decides to express her discontent with what she considers to be the unethical new regime of King Creon by burying her brother's body. By taking this bold step, Antigone shows the strength that an individual’s actions hold in a democracy. Creon, with his stubborn attitude, shows how a democracy where peoples’ voices are not heard can be dysfunctional, and that laws should be made by taking other people into confidence and not on an individual basis. In the end, Antigone resolves to sacrifice her own life in the service of a greater justice. It is this kind of formidable resolve that changes the course of history, and that is something that we can respect equally in the 5th century B.C. and the 21st century A.D.
"Antigone" the play written by Sophocles deals with moral law vs civil law. King Creon has condemned Princess Antgione. Antgione went against the king’s decree and buried her brother Ploynices. Antgione now will be punished by starvation under King Creon’s decree. Antigone is a passionate, strong willed, and determined women. Antigone is a passionate character in the play we see this as we learn of her as we see her put moral law above civil law. An important ideal in Ancient Greece was the belief that the government was to have no control in matters concerning religious beliefs. In Antigone's eyes, Creon betrayed that ideal by not allowing her to properly bury her brother, Polynices. She believed that the burial was a religious ceremony, and Creon did not have the power to deny Polynices that right. Antigone is ready to defy Creons decree and do what she feels in her heart is right we see this when she says "Will you life up his body with these bare hands and lower it with me? ". Threw out the play Antigone is strong willed. She doesn’t want Ismene to explain the law to her. When she asks Ismene to help her with the burial of Ploynice, Ismene says no. When Ismene tries to convince Antigone to not defy Creons decree Antigone tells her "I won’t insist no, even if you should have a change in heart, I’d never welcome you in the labor, not with me. So, do as you like, whatever suits you best- I’ll bury him myself.". Antigone is not willing to give up with out a fight and she isnt going to let anyone get in her way. Antigone is one of the strong willed characters in this play. When she is done burring her brother, after all the torment she has endured she says "My reverence only brands me for irreverence!". Antigone isn’t sorry even though by doing the right thing she will be put to death by starvation in a tomb. She is obeying the law of the gods rather then the law of Creon. When Antigone takes matters in to her own hands and does what is right ,that shows strong soul . Having a strong sense of moral law in Greek mythology will lead to a good after life.
Creon, as head of state and lawgiver in Thebes, believes in obedience to human-made laws. Antigone appeals to a different set of guidelines, what is often called "natural law." As ruler Creon grants or denies burial rights based on the individual’s adherence to the law of society. Antigone's outrage that proper burial has been refused to her brother Ploynices’s shows that she does not use the same standard. An admirable and commendable character in a story is one who garners the most respect for their journey. Antigone features a good fight between two characters that garner no support from anyone for their platform. However, Antigone’s case is more commendable than Kreon due to that fact that she remained unwavering in her moral beliefs and
While reading the first play of Sophocles titled “Antigone”, I noticed two heroically tragic figures. Those two figures were Creon and Antigone and both characters possessed many traits that made them both tragic hero’s. Also both Antigone and Creon has a high rank because both tragic hero’s had a hard fall in the play. The main conflict in the play is between Creon and Antigone. Creon has demanded that the body of Polynices is not going to be given the proper burial, but Antigone hopes to do the complete opposite and give her brother the proper burial. Later on in the play, Creon makes the decision to excuse Antigone for disobeying his laws, but he is too late. Creon comes to find out that Antigone hangs herself. Then Haemon, Creon’s son
In order to be a tragic hero in a story, a character must have the specific traits and/or play the specific roles. Most importantly, as the name implies, there must be tragedy. Tragedy is an event or events that cause great suffering, destruction, or distress. Tragedy can root from a serious accident, a heinous crime, a fateful calamity, or a natural disaster. Tragedy can even occur with multiple characters.
One of the most well-known ideas in science, and common sense, is that opposites attract. Electrons and protons pull towards each other, and magnets with opposite charges will always stick together. Although Creon and Antigone show quite a bit of hatred for each other throughout Antigone, a drama by Sophocles, they really are not all that different. Which, any scientist knows that it takes the power of the sun to force together particles with the same charge. Creon and Antigone both share a single characteristic: pride. This may seem like a shaky bridge to connect them with, but all of the similarities and differences in their pride are what make them such an interesting and ultimately tragic duo.
In the drama Antigone, the conflict between Creon and Antigone has demonstrated the theme of blood versus nation, and the text supports Antigone more. Antigone mentions a story of a Greek princess who wants to bury her brother that has betrayed the country, and another of her brother has died while protecting the country in the same battle. However, the new king promulgated a law that forbids his subjects to bury him, and he would kill one who buries him. Conflicts appeared when Antigone considers that she should bury her brother since they own ties of blood, and that the kings recognizes X as a betrayer; both of them had their standpoint:
In the following paper, I plan to discuss the source of conflict between the title characters of Antigone and Creon in Sophocles’ “Antigone”. I also plan to discuss how each character justifies his or her actions and what arguments they give for their justifications. I will also write about the strengths and weaknesses of these arguments. The final points I try to make are about who Sophocles thinks is right and who I think is right.
In Sophocles’ Antigone, the opposing sides of two moral rights are pitted against each other and are examined. King Creon holds the power of human law and reasoning supreme, while Antigone looks to the divine decrees of the gods to be of greatest truth. They both traverse the play remaining one-sided and blinded in their views and even become cold to the idea of the opposing view. Yet they each maintain certain moral virtues they are mounted in, which are true and righteous in their own respect. Although they are both justified, and there are instances and certain considerations to the facts in which one is more justified than the other, I argue that Antigone is more just in her beliefs simply from her actions and how she carries herself throughout
In Ancient Greece, new ideals surfaced as answers to life's complicated questions. These new beliefs were centered on the expanding field of science. Man was focused on more than the Gods or heavenly concerns. A government that was ruled by the people was suggested as opposed to a monarchy that had existed for many years. Freedom of religion was encouraged in city-states. These new ideals, though good in intentions, often conflicted with each other creating complex moral dilemmas. Such was the case in Antigone, a play written by Sophocles during this era of change. In the play, Antigone and Creon battle a philosophical war exemplifying the conflict existing in the Greek ideals. They both based their actions on their beliefs of what is right and wrong. The conflict arose when the ideals that backed up their actions clashed with each other, making it a contradiction between morals.
In the awe-inspiring play of Antigone, Sophocles introduces two remarkable characters, Antigone and Creon. A conflict between these two obstinate characters leads to fatal consequences for themselves and their kindred. The firm stances of Creon and Antigone stem from two great imperatives: his loyalty to the state and her dedication to her family, her religion but most of all her conscience. The identity of the tragic hero of this play is still heavily debated. This tragedy could have been prevented if it had not been for Creon's pitiful mistakes.
In Sophocles’ Antigone, the most prominent theme is the concept of divine law versus human law. The play opens with the debate between the sisters Antigone and Ismene concerning which law comes first- the devout obligations of citizens, or civic duty. Antigone requests for Ismene to assist her in burying their brother Polyneices, though the new king Creon, has prohibited burial on pain of death. It can be argued that Creon’s edict, which deprived Polyneices of his funeral rites, is understandable. The young man had been killed perpetrating the most atrocious crime of which a citizen could be guilty, and Creon, as the responsible head of state, naturally supposed that exemplary punishment was the culprit’s right...
Politics is an extremely divisive topic, and the opposing sides rarely can see things from the other’s point of view. In Antigone, Sophocles perfectly creates a scenario where both characters in a conflict are right in their own way but refuse to see it from the other’s point of view. Ismene, Antigone’s sister, is the living embodiment of this conflict. Ismene, being pulled in both the direction of helping Antigone (religion) and obeying Creon (law), illuminates the foolishness of acting rashly without fully considering both sides and views.
“Do what you believe is right.” This is a phrase common to us all, brought to our attention by parents, reinforced by teachers, and preached by leaders. But how does one define what is right? Is it what we believe in our hearts, or is it what we know is acceptable? This is a predominant dilemma that can be traced throughout society, and is the main focal point of Sophocles’ play Antigone. Written in 441 B.C., Antigone is one of the earliest records of the conflict between Natural law and Positive law. Sophocles deftly exposes these two philosophical standpoints and their respective moral and political aspects by way of the two main characters, Antgone and Kreon. Antigone is a champion of Natural law, while Kreon practices the Positivist approach. Both characters deem their behavior superior towards the other, and both assume religious justification for their actions. Sophocles ultimately proves that with so much support for each philosophical standpoint, a solution to the dilemma is hardly in sight.
This is not to say that there are not conceptual issues involved in the characters of Creon and Antigone. But the issues are too complex to be satisfactorily reduced to a single antithetical formulation. We must avoid seeing the protagonists as one-dimensional representatives of simple oppositions: right and wrong, reason and emotion, state and individual, or the like (62).