A Tragic Situation Essay

Being that Antigone is the protagonist, her character is important in the play. She made the decision to bury her brother knowing that it was against Creon’s law. Ismene refused to help Antigone, which left her angry, yet still determined to bury her brother. She knew that burying her brother could lead to her own death, but she continued to show courage, strength, and determination throughout her role. In the beginning, Antigone says, “Dear god, shout it from the rooftops. I’ll hate you all the more for silence/ tell the world!”(17,100-101). This was said to Ismene, when they were discussing burial plans and Ismene was telling Antigone that she was against the plan. Antigone’s dialogue shows that she is not worried about being punished or worried about who knows what she has done. It is clear that Antigone is sincere about honoring the gods, her actions show that she feels that she is pleasing the gods and that is all that matters to her. “These laws/ I was not about to break them, not out of fear of some man’s wounded pride, and face the retribution of the gods.”(30, 509-511). This demonstrates how she feels about man’s law vs. divine law. In the plot, there was not one time where Antigone denied

If Antigone did nothing, living with the guilt of not helping her brother would be worse. She breaks these rules for divine law, a law that is believed to come directly from god. Antigones actions for Polyneices that he must be buried is a requirement from the gods. If not buried properly the souls of the deceased were let to walk to river Styx, the entrance to the under world, for eternity and their souls would never be at rest. Not burying a body was a great insult to the dead and Antigone could not live with that on her conscience. Creon on the other hand ignores the laws of the gods and believes his duty to the city comes first. Creon believes his decision was in the best interest of Thebes to show that he is a strong ruler and the city of Thebes will be safe in his hands.

Antigone believed that the actions she took were done for the right reason, because they adhere to the law of the Gods. In opposition to that, Creon believes that the actions he had taken were in fact the right ones, because he believed that Polyneices was a traitor to the land, and that anyone who should give him a proper burial would suffer the penalty of death. So, the actions that were taken by both of them individually were the right ones, in their own minds at least.<br><br>Antigone, in her plan to give her brother Polyneices a proper burial, kept in mind the consequences that she would suffer for having followed through with the plan. This doesn't necessarily mean that Antigone does not obey the human law that is set up by King Creon, it just means that this particular rule conflicted with the law of the Gods, something that Antigone believes highly in obeying, especially when it deals with her family. Antigone disregards the Olympian Justice that governs the land and also presides over the set laws that make civilized life attainable (Segal "Antigone" 172).<br><br>Antigone goes up against human law, by burying her brother Polyneices, knowing well that she will have to sacrifice her own life. She does this only because it is morally and ethically right, and this is why she stakes her life based upon her strong beliefs (Segal

Antigone is talking to Ismene and telling her all she has heard about the injustice that she has heard that Creon has created. She is very frustrated and wants only to bury her brother so he may have a peaceful afterlife and not go to the underworld or be stuck in purgatory. Creon’s edict stating Polynices cannot be buried under any circumstances is harsh because Creon most likely would have revolted against his brother if he was banish from Thebes just so he wouldn’t have to share the throne. After Antigone gathers up

Antigone was a Greek tragedy that ended in Antigone’s death along with her brother’s. In the beginning of the of the tragedy we learn of her brother’s death “Creon buried our brother Eteocles with military honors, gave him a soldier’s funeral, and it was right that he should; but Polyneices, they fought as bravely and died as miserably, they say that Creon has sworn No one shall bury him,” (LN 15-20). King Creon’s decision for not giving Polyneices a proper burial is because he was a traitor. However, that was Antigone’s brother and she felt besides Polyneices actions, he still deserved a burial. Antigone has lost her parents and just has her sister Ismene left so, despite the order handed down by Creon, Antigone feels that it’s still appropriate to give her brother a proper burial.

It is important to discuss Antigone’s point of view on the situation when considering the rhetorical strength of her argument. She stands by the belief that her decision to bury her brother was the right one. Her morals and past experiences have shaped this point of view. Antigone has a strong foundation of family loyalty. This is evident in almost all of her actions, the most obvious being the illegal burial of her brother. Antigone also has lingering discontent towards Creon due to the fact that he took the thrown after her father’s death. These past experience may have shaped attitudes towards Creon beyond the simple unjustness of his law.

As a result of Creon’s actions, poor Antigone committed suicide, hanging herself in her temporary prison. If Creon had not declared the law to punish anyone who buried Polyneices and sentenced Antigone to exile she wouldn’t be in her prison in the first place. Also if Creon was not stubborn and changed his mind quickly after being presented evidence by Teresias, precious time would be saved and Creon might have had a chance to free Antigone before she killed herself. Because of Creon’s declaration of the unjust law and his stubbornness that wasted time, death followed Antigone like a shark follows schools of fish. As well as Antigone’s death, Creon’s own son Haimon died as a result of Creon’s actions.

Between Antigone And Creon They Were Arguing About Her Brother’s Burial But, Creon Doesn’t Want To Bury Him He Wants Him To Be Eaten Or Decayed. Also, Antigone Wanted To Bury Her Brother The Right Way Not Leave Him To Be Eaten By Hungry Animals.

Creon vs. Antigone In the play Antigone written by Sophocles, Antigone’s decision to override her Uncle, Creon’s edict and bury her brother is rational because Antigone believes that he is too proud and arrogant and he is overstepping his boundaries as a leader. Creon doesn’t want anyone to bury Polyneices’ body because he believes that Antigone’s brother, Polyneices was a traitor, and Creon doesn’t believe that a traitor's soul deserves to be put to rest. Antigone goes against Creon’s law because she knows that Polyneices only made a mistake, and deserves to be buried because making mistakes is a part of life.

The death that occurs within this play is the death of Creon’s power and family. Creon has banned Antigone from burying her brother due to the fact that he was fighting along with enemies of the city. Antigone loves her brother Polynices enough to bury him, even when it was not allowed. Creon calls Antigone to figure out if she indeed buried her brother, she accepted it, while stating to him, “Nor did I think your edict had such a force that you, a mere mortal, could override the god, the great unwritten, unshakable traditions.” (line 504-506) Burying a body isn’t just a sign of respect to the dead, it's a tradition given by the gods. By Creon banning Polynices from being buried, he is deciding that he, a mortal, was more powerful that the gods, the immortals. WIth these few words Antigone diminishes the ego Creon has, reinstates authority in the gods, and explains where her allegiance lies. Se would rather be shunned by humans than by the gods, and realizes which is more important. Creon soon sees the effect of not following the gods after his messenger tells him that both his wife and son died. He says “Why me? Why are you killing me? Herald of pain, more words, more grief? I died once, you kill me again and again,” (line 1414-1416). This act of “killing” is only the messenger telling the true condition of Creon’s family to him. Even though Creon seemed to

Throughout the novel Antigone, Antigone is portrayed as a rebellious anarchist who is not afraid to defy king Creon's strict orders. After the death of her brother Polyneices, who Creon believed was a traitor to Thebes, Creon gave specific orders that there should be no proper burial for such a renegade. Knowing the consequences, Antigone willingly disobey Creon’s commands and performed a proper burial for her deceased brother. When Creon heard of this, he became furious and sentences Antigone to death. Antigone denied nothing and accepted the punishment.

Antigone is much more stronger and powerful than her new king, Creon because she is able to put herself aside and think about someone else. Antigone did not think that it was right for her brother to not be able to be buried after his death. When she got caught trying to him she did not deny anything towards the burial because she was brave enough to not deny what she did, “‘And you, Antigone, You with your head hanging––do you confess this thing? ANTIGONE: I do. I deny nothing. … CREON:Tell me, tell me briefly: Had you heard my proclamation touching this matter? ANTIGONE: It was public. Could I help hearing it? CREON: And yet you dared defy the law. ANTIGONE: I dared.’” She was unconcerned for her well being and possibly being sent to death for the burial of her brother. She has loyalty to her family unlike Ismene who was able to not

Like her father and uncle, her flaws are her stubbornness and pride. When Creon asks if she knew of the edict, Antigone states she was aware of it and argues she broke it because she didn’t believe a decree nor a human had the strength to “violate the lawful traditions the gods have not written merely, but made infallibly.” (Antigone, Lines 558-559). To Antigone, the burial of her brother is the most important thing to her, superseding compliance with any human law, including Creon’s. She stubbornly asserts that she is right to have broken the law of an unjust ruler, but it is this same stubbornness that prevents her from seeing more than just her side of the situation. Instead of possibly making a case with Creon to bury Polyneices, Antigone rashly takes matters into her own hands and does it herself, a clear error of judgement on her part. Later on, following a speech Creon gives her after her apprehension, Antigone states, “There is nothing you say that I would like to hear, and there never could be. And obviously there is nothing about me that could please you either. Still where was there a way for me to win greater glory than by taking my own brother to his grave?” (Antigone, Line 608-614). By stating that dying for burying her brother will bring her greater glory, Antigone displays immense pride in what she has

Antigone has a possible flaw in that she is too stubborn and persistent to obey Creon’s order; “I know my duty, where true duty lies” (Antigone, 128). Her punishment then encourages feelings of pity from the audience because her deed was honorable and respectful towards her brother Polynices. The chorus supports this view by bidding her a respectful farewell when she is taken away, “But glory and praise go with you lady” (Antigone, 148). Antigone is also very proud, and this may have contributed to her death. Even when she is caught she remains strong and defends herself by claiming that the chorus thinks that her act was honorable, “All these would say that what I did was honorable” (Antigone, 139). This causes Creon to remain angry with Antigone, “you are wrong, none of my subjects think as you do” (Antigone, 140). If she had been more patient and less defensive, Creon may not have been as harsh in the punishment he set for her.

Though this order was made, Antigone disregarded it and buried her brother. The main point for her doing this was to stand up for her religious beliefs, which she was then oppressed for. While she was being confronted by Creon about her actions, she said, “Nor could I think that a decree of yours—/A man—could override the laws of Heaven” (453-454). Antigone believed that it was the law of the gods for a person to have a proper burial so, she disobeyed Creon’s law in order to obey the gods, who she deemed as more important due to their eternal state (457).