Essay on Sophocles' Antigone

Antigone believes that the laws of the gods should supersede the laws of men. Personally, she feels that the consequences of disobeying Creon’s law are inferior to the consequences of disobeying these higher laws. Morality is of greater importance to Antigone than her life, and ironically enough, in the conclusion of Antigone she is sentenced to her death for her transgressions against the law. Consistently throughout the play, Antigone struggles to understand how one could value the laws of men more than the laws of the gods. “How savagely impious men use me, for keeping a law that is holy” (942-943, Sophocles). Rather than succumbing to a law that she knows is not just, Antigone demonstrates kleos by being steadfast in her morality.

Antigone was willing to follow man’s laws if both of her brothers had not died; she promised she would not do anything to against Creon or the city law. However, after Polyneices and Eteocles killed each other she could not accept the law, established by Creon, which stated that Eteocles would get a proper burial, but Polyneices would be denied one. Antigone testified that this law was totally against the will of the gods. The gods say that if a person is not buried, his soul will wander the earth forever. By burying Polyneices, she believed that the gods do not dictate through a ruler, but rather through individual beliefs; therefore, she could not just sit back and be unconcerned about the improper burial. By committing the act of burying her brother, she believed that a woman's duty was not to the men who rule a domain, but rather to her own instincts and her own sense of right and wrong. It was Antigone’s responsibility to fully respect her brother and the gods, and, thus, she is not

Full of drama and tragedy, Antigone can be used to relate to current conflicts. One such conflict is that between Haemon and his father Creon. Haemon looks up to Creon with honor and pride, but as conflict arises, that relation is disassociated and new feelings grow. The first conversation between them is what initiates the downfall of their bond. While it seems that Creon is the most important person in Haemon’s life, Antigone is in fact the one that has won Haemon over.

Antigone ignores the idea of civic responsibility and puts her family first. Her family is more important to her than the law because she finds religion more powerful than Creon. “The ancient Greeks were polytheistic, they believed in many different gods and goddesses. The Greeks believed that these gods and goddesses controlled everything, from the waves in the ocean to the winner of a race.” (Richmond)

Sympathy for the Main Character in Sophocles' Antigone Sophocles' play is named after its main character, Antigone, and for

Finally, Sophocles shows Antigone to be a passionate religious citizen, who chooses to obey the 'unwritten,

A tragic hero is a character who makes an error of judgment or has a fatal flaw, which combined with fate, results into a tragedy. The tragic hero must fall from good luck and well being to misery and misfortune. The tragic hero causes a sense of pity through the tragic downfall that weakens the character. In Antigone by Sophocles, Antigone follows her own beliefs by giving her brother a proper burial, even if she has to break the law of King Creon. Because of her innocent actions, Antigone is punished unjustly and unfairly. Through her risky and unselfish actions, ability to follow her own beliefs, and perseverance Antigone is the tragic hero of this play.

The opening events of the play Antigone, written by Sophocles, quickly establish the central conflict between Antigone and Creon. Creon has decreed that the traitor Polynices, who tried to burn down the temple of gods in Thebes, must not be given proper burial. Antigone is the only one who will speak against this decree and insists on the sacredness of family and a symbolic burial for her brother. Whereas Antigone sees no validity in a law that disregards the duty family members owe one another, Creon's point of view is exactly opposite. He has no use for anyone who places private ties above the common good, as he proclaims firmly to the Chorus and the audience as he revels in his victory over Polynices. He sees Polynices as an enemy to

Sometimes the law is not on our side and we have to choose whether to abide by the government’s rules, our religious beliefs or our personal morals. In Antigone, Antigone decides to disregard the law and do what she, and the vast majority of the people in the city, believe to be right. From the onset of the play, we are shown that Antigone does not fear authority and is wholeheartedly willing to die for her brother. Antigone says, “At least he is my

In life, humanity has the responsibility to adhere to the rules and regulations imposed upon it by a superior power. For the most part, this obedience breeds peaceful order and mutual understanding; however, when the body in control grows corrupt and enforces unjust laws, the people rightfully turn their thoughts to revolt. This is the case with Antigone, who was correct in her rejection of the inhumane ordinance proclaimed by King Creon. Her means are justified by her desperation to please the gods, her desire to honor her fallen brother, and her compulsion to perform what is morally right.

Antigone by Sophocles is a dramatic play about the king of Thebes, Kreon, and his quest for absolute power. Like any other man, Kreon was not born with power, but his access to power prompted him for supremacy. Kreon as a tyrant, seeks to gain power over others despotically as demonstrated in the laws that he makes, in his objection of consultation, and in his conversation with Teiresias. Kreon’s moment of true power begins when he introduces his laws and principles after gaining the throne of Thebes.

Task: Write an essay about the conflict between Antigone and Creon in Antigone, by Sophocles. Show how each is right in his or her own fundamental belief. Then show how the tragedy was inevitable or show how one side was wrong and should have changed.

disapproval but also against the King’s law. Antigone is very loyal and family oriented and takes

For instance, in both Antigone and Oedipus Rex, the gods keep interfering with the citizens of Thebes lives. The gods mainly target the Royal family. In Antigone, this can be seen by the fact that the gods only appear during the war between Eteocles and Polyneices and then they stay silent for the remaining time of the play. This can be seen when the Chorus says, “Zeus hates an arrogant boasting tongue.Seeing them march here in a mighty stream,in all their clanging golden pride, he hurled his fire and struck the man, up there, on our battlements, as he began to scream aloud his victory.”. This quote shows that Zeus and the gods were angry at the brothers therefore leading them both to their deaths and allowing Creon to be king from the result of their deaths. Although, when Creon decrees that no one shall bury Polyneices, the gods show no sign of agreement or disagreement. This makes them guilty for taking part in the conflict between Creon and Antigone because it leads both of them thinking they were doing the right thing. Creon believes that since the gods had not sent any signs of disagreement that this was the fate that Polyneices deserved. While Antigone believed that the gods were still waiting for Polyneices soul to reach the underworld to be judged. This indicates that due to the gods silence, both Creon and Antigone interpreted

Although the argument started with morals treating Polyneices equally, Antigone repeatedly drives the point that death is appealing over obeying rules. Antigone counters Ismene