Theme Of Religion In Antigone

Antigone takes place just after a war between Antigone’s two brothers, Eteocles and Polynices. Eteocles fought on the side of Thebes whereas Polynices resembled an invader. Afterwards, Eteocles is buried and seen as honorable. However, Polynices is denied a proper burial because he is considered a traitor to Thebes. In this play, Sophocles uses Antigone and Creon as foils by characterizing Antigone as a martyr and Creon as a tyrant to urge the reader to realize that one’s own morals are more significant than the decrees of any government.

In the ancient Greek world, religion was personal, direct, and present in its citizens’ daily lives. During this time, they participated in animal sacrifices and offerings, created myths to explain the beginning of the human race and gave reverence to their gods by building temples which controlled the urban landscape. They also participated in local festivals and sporting and artistic competitions. Religion was never out of the presence of ancient Greece’s citizens. While they may have made up their own mind on the terms of their religious beliefs, some may have been completely confused if these gods actually existed. There were certain fundamental beliefs that must have been sufficiently widespread, in order for the Greek government to function. In ancient Greece, gods existed, they influenced human concerns, and they welcomed and responded to acts of godliness and worship.

Sophocles’ play “Antigone” illustrates the conflict between obeying human and divine law. The play opens after Oedipus’ two sons Eteocles and Polyneices have killed each other in a civil war for the throne of Thebes. Oedipus’ brother in law Creon then assumes the throne. He dictates that Eteocles shall receive a state funeral and honors, while Polyneices shall be left in the streets to rot away. Creon believes that Polyneices’ body shall be condemned to this because of his civil disobedience and treachery against the city. Polyneices’ sister, Antigone, upon hearing this exclaims that an improper burial for Polyneices would be an insult to the Gods. She vows that Polyneices’ body will be buried, and Creon declares that anyone who

The relationship between gods and mortals in mythology has long been a complicated topic. The gods can be generous and supportive, and also devastating and destructive to any group of humans. Mortals must respect the powers above them that cannot be controlled. The gods rule over destiny, nature, and justice, and need to be recognized and worshipped for the powerful beings as they are. Regardless of one's actions, intentions, and thoughts, the gods in Greek myth have ultimate power and the final decision of justice over nature, mortals, and even each other.

In ancient times, gods were a holy image in people’s mind. Each god had its own role in the universe. Such as the role of creation, the controller of the nature, and the role of the destiny control. The gods had extreme powers, and controlled everything in the world. Worshiped gods became a daily routine for ancient people. In the minds of people in ancient times, worshiped their gods were to prevent these gods became furious, and punished them with their extreme power. Even though the gods were extremely powerful, in many epic texts we could see they also had emotions and characteristics that were just like humans. However, there were still some major differences between the gods and humans.

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

The play “Antigone” is a tragedy by Sophocles. One main theme of the play is Religion vs. the state. This theme is seen throughout the play. Antigone is the supporter of religion and following the laws of the gods and the king of Thebes, Creon, is the state. In the play Creon has made it against the law to bury Antigone’s brother, something that goes against the laws of the gods, this is the cause of most conflict in the story. This struggle helps to develop the tragic form by giving the reader parts of the form through different characters.

To start, Antigone was written by Sophocles to make the people question their faith in both their religion and their government. Putting a young woman in a position in which she had to choose between staying loyal to her country and staying loyal to the gods, Sophocles showed the men of Athens in their comfortable lives that there wasn’t always a simple solution to all of life’s problems. It is important to note that it was only the men of Athens that were shown because they were the only ones that were able to see this remarkable play because of its depiction of women, specifically through Antigone. In a way, if women had been able to see this play, being

The story of Antigone deals with Antigone’s brother who’s body has been left unburied because of crimes against the state. The sight of her brother being unburied drives Antigone to take action against the state and bury her brother regardless of the consequences. The concept of the Greek afterlife was far more important and sacred than living life itself. Everything they did while they were alive was to please the many gods they worshipped. They built temples for their Gods, made statues to symbolize their Gods, and had a different God to explain things that we now say are an act of mother nature. Antigone percieved her actions to be courageous and valid, and Kreone, the King, percieved them as blasphemous. The entire story focuses on

These minor characters acknowledge that Antigone burying Polyneices was for honoring the gods. The Chorus when talking to Kreon says “My lord, my mind has been suggesting for some time that possibly this deed was prompted by the gods” (Sophocles 32). Haimon, Kreon’s son, and Antigone’s fiancé tells Kreon “Irreverence, trampling on the honors of the god” (Sophocles 50). Tiresias, a prophet who is always right, frightens Kreon with “Therefore the ruinous late-avenging Furies of the gods and Hades lie in wait for you…” (Sophocles 64). These three characters understand that disobeying the law of man can come with a price, but disobeying the law of the gods comes with a greater price. The Chorus was a sounding board to Kreon who would give him their advice, they are the first to tell of Antigone’s actions as a way of obeying the gods and maybe the god told Antigone to bury her brother, therefore her actions would be justified. Haimon tries to make his father see that his edict was trampling on the law of the gods, calling into question his father’s power compared to the gods. Teiresias tells of a fate that awaits Kreon and the city because Kreon’s actions tell of his law being above all. Through these characters in Antigone, they justify Antigone’s actions while also understanding disobeying the law of man is punishable too, and that they make Kreon questions his place and

The German philosopher Hegel stated that the play Antigone written by Sophocles represents the tragic collision of right against right, with both sides equally justified. The play begins with tragedy and ends the same way. Polyneices and Eteocles were brothers whom killed each other in combat over the power of the throne. Creon, the brothers’ uncle, was the following family member to occupy the throne. But he did not desire the same pattern to repeat itself. Therefore he created a decree which punished all those who committed a crime before dying. These people would, in turn, be neglected of a burial ceremony. Eteocles was recognized as the defender of the city and with much dignity he was given all his death rights in his burial. On the

Antigone was an agent of her own beliefs and she never hesitated to fulfill her obligation. “When at last it stopped,/There was the girl, screaming like an angry bird,/When it finds its nest left empty and little ones gone.” (Sophocles 137). Sophocles used a maternal image to describe how Antigone conducted the ritual of burial. Antigone was compared to a mother bird as she found out her babies were gone. This intense and explosive anger characterized the mental state of Antigone when she was burying her brother. Unlike a male who would seek for revenge, Antigone, as a female character, screamed and cursed to defend her beliefs and to protest her respect to the death. Though Antigone’s physical strength was small, her moral strength, in regard to how the living should respect the dead, was powerful. This moral strength, accompanied by her action, demonstrated Sohpocles’ perspective that women can make life happens despite they lack the physical strength of men.

In literature, authors generally incorporate characteristics of humanity in their work in order to connect with the readers. For instance, the play Antigone, by Sophocles, is about a young girl named Antigone who is determined to give her brother, Polyneices, a proper burial after he and her other brother, Eteocles, die in battle. Antigone’s uncle, Creon, the heir to the throne, enforces an edict prohibiting Polyneices from being buried. In Ancient Greece religion was used as a means to explain things that were unknown or why certain things happen. Greek gods and goddesses set moral standards for citizens due to the punishments and consequences they had in store for those who were treacherous. Essentially, religion had a great impact on many aspects of life including politics, overall lifestyle, and the theater. These elements are present in Antigone because in Ancient Greece people went to oracles to reveal their futures and in the play Creon had an oracle give insight on his future, moreover, citizens, and finally, violence in the theater was seen as inappropriate and in the play there are numerous scenes that do not demonstrate violence.

The play Antigone, written by Sophocles is the last book of his trilogy called The Oedipus Play of Sophocle. Antigone take places in the city of Thebes, the play open “some days later” there have been an edict by King Creon regarding the burials of Eteocles and Polyneices; Eteocles, will get a proper burial for defending the senate, Polyneices will not. The King Creon had declared Polyneice is a traitor and forbid anyone in the city to bury him. Here where we are being presented with the main characters of this story Antigone and Ismene; the two

In the Greek tragedy Antigone, written by playwright Sophocles, a conflict is presented in the aftermath of a rebellion against Thebes, wherein the brothers Polyneices and Eteocles kill each other, as leaders of opposing armies. Creon, their uncle, assumes rule of Thebes, as the only remaining heir of the previous king; then honors Eteocles as a hero, but forbids any burial for Polyneices, calling him a traitor. Antigone defies this, claiming the gods require him to be buried. This essay will argue that Creon was correct to forbid the burial of Polyneices. Both Antigone and Creon have ample justification. The justification, and flaws therein, for Creon’s actions will be discussed, resolving the conflict.