In the play of Antigone, I found that the main central problem is between Antigone and Creon. The problem is about the burial of Antigone’s deceased brother Polyneices. Both brothers were killed in a war, but one brother opposed against his own city and was marked as a traitor. Creon released a proclamation that whoever tries to bury this man will receive the death penalty (00). Antigone is very upset and distressed because Etoecles will get an honorable respectful burial while Polyneices is dishonored.
Antigone’s conviction to bury her brother because her loyalties lie to family and the gods. She believes no human, such as Creon would have the right or power to keep her from her own family. Even if she had to die while burying, she will not dishonor the laws of the gods. Antigone believes that she must gratify the dead longer than she has to satisfy the living. Creon states “Anyone thinking another man more a friend than his own country I rate him nothing” (1556). Thus, he forbids the burial of Antigone’s brother on the grounds of that he did not place the good of his country. Creon says to epitomize this: “I would not count any enemy of my country as my friend because of what I know” (1556). This traitor will never be honored above the heroes. Creon’s is doing this for the loyalty of his country and he doesn’t consider the gods for one second on how they would feel about the body of a deserter.
Antigone proceeds to bury her brother because she claims that Zeus did not make the proclamation, and that a mortal cannot override the gods ordinances (1563). Her vindication for burying her brother in that is she will not break the laws of the gods. These unwritten rules, unwavering traditions and she doesn’t want to receive vengeance of the gods. She already knows she will die one day but choose to die now than to let her brother be unburied (1563). “For her allowing this would be greater pain than death to her (1563). Alike when Creon hears that Antigone is the person who violated his decree, he held his word by punishing her to death. Supposing that he let her go then he would not be a man but that rather she is. That be inaudible. Creon states from now they will act like women (1566). After Antigone and Ismene
Creon’s character is developed as a tragic hero when Antigone says both brother should get buried even if one was attacking the city. Antigone tells Creon “ But the one who died was not some slave it was his own brother.” she also says “that may be, but Hades still desires equal rites for both.”(589-91) Antigone was telling Creon why both deserved a burial. To try to get him to understand what he was doing wrong.
While one can argue against the law of the gods and the laws of man, there is never a clear answer, as to which one is superior. In defense of her position, Antigones decision to bury her brother was justified because the laws of the gods, as well as respect for the deceased, triumph over the laws of the state. Morals are often independent and separate from human laws, but they should always be followed. Creon had no right to give an order for Polynices to go without a proper burial. Antigone’s choice to choose her morals, which were established by the Gods were honorable, and are not deserving of punishment. Antigone’s actions were right, and Creon was wrong for ordering such a decree, for man cannot stop the will of the gods.
Antigone has the strong belief that loyalty to the dead and to the gods has precedence over all other opinions, specifically those of Creon. Antigone does not at all care that the one with all governing power has the most disagreement with her decision to remain devoted to her family below. “Since I must please those below a longer time than the people here, for I shall lie there forever” (Sophocles 16). She knows and understands that time in the mortal world has a limit, however time in the underworld is eternal. Pleasing Creon and his belief to only stay true to civil laws are of no concern to Antigone, for all she wants is to please her family below and the gods above. An example of this is the burial of Polynices, because while it is right in Antigone’s eyes, Creon believes it is foolish and a sin
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.
Later in the play, Antigone was captured for being caught in the act of burying her brother and is now conversing with King Creon about her decision made to revolt. On page 783, Creon is surprised when he says, “…you dared defy the law,” to Antigone due to boasting her rebellious actions. In this demonstration, Antigone does not deny her guilt, but declares all of the information, provided by the guards, true. Antigone does not care for the consequences, which is death; she knew what she would create for herself when she chose to bury her brother. A second example of this is on page 784 when Antigone states, “There is no guilt in reverence for the dead.” By what Antigone said, she believes it should not be against the law to have reverence or lamentation towards the dead, especially if the deceased is part
We read that Creon has issued a law that if anyone buries the body of Polyneices they will be sentenced to death. Antigone plans to bury her brother regardless of the law set into place. She is going to try and do it in secrecy and to avoid detection. She asks her sister, Ismene, to join her in the burial, but she refuses. At this point in the play the you realize the fear setting in. Ismene believes
One of the main reasons i am supporting Antigone is that she doesn't want to upset the gods by not burying her brother, so that's why Antigone broke the unjust laws to give the right burial. That is why Antigone realized that she must risk her life to bury her brother so he can make it to the underworld. This statement made in the play shows why Antigone must bury her brother ”It is the dead Not the living, who make the longest demands: We die for ever… You may do as you like Since apparently the laws of the god mean nothing to you.”(Sophocles,4). As stated in the play, Antigone wanted to bury her brother because we die forever and the dead demand to be buried and the gods too. If Antigone didn’t do this the gods would have been upset and Creon would have ruled in fear just like he was before. That is why i support Antigone because the gods come first before man, and Creon was brought down because of that.
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
In the play Creon goes against the Gods by making it illegal to bury Polyneices, Antigone’s brother because he is deemed a traitor. The burying of a dead body is seen as a necessity by all of
Moreover, Antigone and Socrates relied on the belief that what they were doing was in accordance with the divine and just. After she was convicted of her brother’s burial, in response to Creon, Antigone said, “Nor did that Justice, dwelling with the gods beneath the earth, ordain such laws for men. Nor did I think your edict had such force that you, a mere mortal, could override the gods, the great unwritten, unshakeable traditions.” (Antigone, 82). In this reaction to Creon’s claim that she was breaking the law, Antigone expressed her belief that the laws of human beings do not compare with those of the divine. It is clear that Antigone thought that what she did was the right thing to do as she was following the traditions and customs of the gods. By burying her brother, Antigone was simply honoring the desires of the divine through an act of justice. If Antigone had not given her brother a proper burial, she would have been
The qualifications of a tragic hero vary between Aristotle and Shakespeare. Aristotle thinks of a tragic hero as someone who is a noble character by choice and makes his/her own destiny, while Shakespeare sees a tragic hero as someone who is born of nobility and born to be important. Although both tragic hero's end in a tragic death that effects many people, not all tragic hero's fit perfectly into both categories. In Sophocles’ Antigone, Creon is considered a tragic hero. Creon follows Aristotle's definition of a tragic hero by being a noble character by choice, having important potential, and falls due to "miscalculations" with circumstances that are beyond control.
Creon demanded that no citizen bury Antigone's deceased brother and anyone who defied his order would face a swift death penalty. Nonetheless, Antigone, risking her own life, buried her brother despite what Creon ordered, as leaving him out in a field to rot would be inhumane and wrong; She understood that her brother's betrayal to the kingdom was wrong, but still considered him as family and buried him out of loving, human decency. Moreover, when the time came to be sentenced by Creon, she accepted her fate with dignity and unflinching class. Her actions were brave, one might even consider them heroic. Meanwhile, Creon didn't risk anything, excluding his pride, throughout the length of the story.
In the text, Antigone wants to bury her brother, Polynices, after hearing about what occurred with their brother, Eteocles. Polynices and Eteocles had an argument over who should be the king and they ended up slaughtering each other to death in a battle for the throne. Polynices is looked at as a traitor. Antigone did not care and still wanted to bury him. The obstacle in the way her uncle Creon. Creon was the king and he proclaimed that the body of Polynices shall not be buried. Both Antigone and Creon followed separate rules and laws. That causes the difference in viewpoints between the two. With Antigone, she believes that it would be right to bury him, so she did. Once Creon found out, he was very angry. With the body of Polynices being banned due to the proclamation
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).