Antigone-Higher Law vs. Laws o

Laws of the City-State vs. Higher Law as Seen in Sophocles Antigone In superannuated Greece, after 800 bc., new ideas came to the forefront concerning the governing of society. These ideas led to a more organized leadership and a government whose decisions were originally based on majority rule. This system took the form of city-states, heavy(p) self-governing towns. These city-states were founded on principals of freedom, optimism, secularism, rationalism,[and] the glorification of body and mind. consequent these principals was an obligation of fierce inscription to the city-state and a willingness to shed short letter for its betterment. These ideals, while ambitious and noble, often ran in stark dividing line with those previously laid down by Greek gods, whose routes went confirm to the chaotic Dark Age of Greece(1150-800 bc.). Problems of this sort were plausibly commonly debated in city-states during the time Sophocles wrote Antigone.

In the piddle away Antigone, Antigone is faced with an constitutional example of this conflict. Her Brother, considered a traitor by the king, has leaved, and she must practise whether to give him a proper interment or puzzle out to the kings wishes and allow his body to be desecrated. She chooses to bury him, citing the will of the gods. I will bury my brother, and if I die for itconvicted of reverance-I shall be satiate , she remarks to her sister in defiance. Later, when captured and brought onwards Creon himself, Antigone continues to push her holy defense, I do not think your edicts strong enough to annul the unwritten unalterable laws of God and heaven, you being only a man. Her opinion is routed in the belief that a proper burial will secure her brothers place in the after-life, regardless of his loyalty to the state. Antigone valued the will of the Gods over loyalty, a cornerstone of the city-state system.

Antigone probably also felt that her right to freedom as a citizen of the city state was being compromised by Creon. Antigone voices this opinion to her sister, It is against you and me he has made this order, yes against me. . With both the will of god and the rights of her citizenship as her defense, she goes to die by the order of Creon. Even as Antigone is returnn away, she corpse certain her decision is the right one. Her last words are, Go I, his prisoner, because I honoured those things in which honour truly belongs. Creons actions, although seemingly fantastic and unjust, can easily be justified within the culture of the Greek city-state. In this society, freedom and leisure time were enjoyed with the premiss that when the time came, every able bodied man would be willing to fight for his people. Indeed, political leaders and local allowance figures were usually heroes of war. A policy Creon wholeheartedly endorses, Alive or dead, the faithful servant of his country shall be rewarded. But Creon seems to meditate his loyalty a step further, perhaps to set the normal for the remainder of his term in office. It is in one of his counterbalance orations as king that he says, As God is my testifyno man who is his countries enemy shall call me a friend. . It is send away that he aims to establish himself as a true nationalist of the state. In this fiery speech Creon also foreshadows the tragic end, I submit always held the viewthat a king loath to seek advice, is damned. , advice he would have through with(p) well to take himself. In trying to impress his citizens it seems Creons judgment becomes clouded and he construes the Greek ideal of loyalty into a liscence to do whatsoever he wants and disregard the will of the people, who are who he is suppositional to serve in this ideal society.

The tragic ending of Antigone seems to make it pretty clear which side of the argument Sophocles is taking up. The play ends with Creon riddled with guilt, ready to die. I am nothing. I have no life. Lead me awaymy hands have done amiss, my head is bowed , he says in a hapless final exam speech. In this moment he knows he has been wrong, blind by pride and loyalty to his state. But while it is transparent that Sophocles is condemning Creon, the reasons for his demise are open to debate.

In the plays final stanza, the chorus sings what appears to be a moral to the tragedy. Is wisdomto admiration the gods in awe. This is the law. It would seem that Creon has netherestimated the gods and put to much stock in the value of his country, and this is no doubt true. But the chorus simple subject matter seems to lack as a full explanation for Creons fall. possibly the underestimation of the gods and his failure to see their will was only a symptom of Creons larger problem, arrogance.

Creon is clearly an extremely hard-headed man. In dealings with Teiresias, whom Sophocles has used as a voice of reason before , Creon first praises, then dismisses the prophet when he dosent get the answer he wants to hear. At this point, Creon is blind to reason, to proud to admit he is anything but absolutely correct in this matter. It seems that Creon falls under the category of other Greek figures (Achilles, Odysseus, etc.) whose pride and stubborn personality proves to be their undoing. The true lesson to be learned from this play may be spoken by Teiresias, It is a fool who is governed by self-will.

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