... that the government has laws against that are biased toward a group of people. He defines two different types of laws, just and unjust. He states thatA law is unjust if it is inflicted on a minority that, as a result of being denied the right to vote, had no part in enacting or devising ... It explains the stance that is taken and provides a starting point for debate. In addition negotiating shows that an effort was made to peacefully solve the unjust law before any action was needed to be taken. The third step is self purification. This is described as the willingness to accept all con...

• Word Count: 1177
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... follow divine law, and this is where Antigone's main conflict with Creon occurs. When talking to Ismene, speaking of Creon, she says, "It is not for him to keep me from my own" (54). Anitgone's individualism is shown here, due to the fact that she emerges in her community as the only person willing to speak out about Creon's unjust decision to ... not bury her brother, Polynices. She knows that this law is wrong for sure because in Greek society the Gods guaranteed a proper burial to all people, no matter what a person did during his or ... the exposed dead man, give him his burial"(11...

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... religious obligation of burying the dead. Although Antigone is set on burying her brother, Ismene is a little reluctant, as she does not want to go against the law of the city. Antigone responds saying, "Do as you like, dishonor the laws the gods hold in honor" (91-92). Antigone does not care ... brother, as long as she obeys the gods. Once Antigone buries Polyneices, she is caught, and Creon asks her whether she was bold enough to go against the law. She responds saying, ""Of course I did. It was not Zeus, not in the least who made this proclamation--not to me. Nor did that Justice, .....

• Word Count: 965
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... Theban Plays, Oedipus suffers greatly after finding out the truth. In The Last Days of Socrates, Socrates himself suffers when he is forced to choose between the law and what he thinks is right. He also causes a great number of other people to suffer as he questions them about their beliefs. Unlike most themes, suffering ... truth. In Sophocles" Antigone, she has to suffer with this same question - how is she to deal with the truth. She knew that it was against the law to bury her brother, but she did it anyway. To her, there was a duty to bury the dead, which happened to be her family. ...

• Word Count: 1974
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

Bridal Imagery of Antigone In the play Antigone, by Sophocles, the protagonist, Antigone, defies all of the beliefs held by the society she lives in, and breaks the king's law on account of her own morals. Originally, one of Antigone's two brothers was supposed to take control of the throne, however, in a duel over the crown, they both died. As a ... was in fact so intent on Polynices's not being buried, that he went as far as to make it a law punishable by death that anyone who try to entomb him, is to be buried alive. Antigone however, does not agree with her uncle's unjust laws, and decid...

• Word Count: 2070
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

... (in her eyes) later causes her death. The death of Antigone is caused by secular laws, made by Creon and his government. Creon's unjust laws prevent any citizen from burying Polynices" body. In the beginning of the play Creon's character gives us an image that, he will make ... the "superficial" citizens (Melchinger 49). This contrast between secular and divine law, causes Antigone's death. Antigone sacrificed herself, so that she will obey the divine laws, however, by committing such act, she disobeyed the government laws. These unjust laws were made by none other than Creon, Antigone's...

• Word Count: 589
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... be swayed by his son Haimon. Haimon asks his father to take his advice and not have Antigone executed, but, because of Kreon's stubbornness for the law of the state, Kreone gets furious and makes the situation worse then it already was. He was way too proud to take advice from someone younger, and ... made for a reason, be it good or bad. Even though they may seem a little far-fetched now, they were probably very reasonable then. The law may seem to be unjust to us in today's society but that does not give anyone the right to create their own laws to live by. Unless, they are rebelling a...

• Word Count: 1021
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... within its boundaries. There are times when the justice of laws is questioned. What then becomes the right thing to do when facing an unjust law? Does one adhere to social standards, or pursue his or her convinced conscience? Each of these situations surface in the works of two ... country." (51 c) Social obligations, to Socrates, take priority over ethical obligations. On the contrary, in Antigone, Sophocles portrays an opposite view on law and justice, than that of Plato and Socrates. In the play, King Creon makes a decree prohibiting the burial of Polynices. Creon's mentality is ......

• Word Count: 1064
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... Sophocles. It deals with some of the most basic problems that affect a society. One of them is Civil Disobedience. Civil Disobedience both a right and responsibility of a person to fight an unjust law. Government is given the right to control a group of people by the people composing the group. If an individual has a problem with an injustice they feel has been placed against ... tells, "No one will ever convict me for a traitor" (Page 61). In a nonviolent from, Civil Disobedience is a basic human right. Often society has laws that individuals feel is immoral, or unjust. Antigone decide...

• Word Count: 282
• Approx Pages: 1
• Grade Level: High School

... headlong rout. But the ones who last it out, the great mass of them owe their lives to discipline. Therefore we must defend the men who live by law, never let some woman triumph over us. Better to fall from power, if fall we must, at the hands of a man-never be rated inferior to ... to keep Antigone in her place and maintain the order of his kingdom. If Creon does not act upon this disobedience he will not be keeping the law absolute and he will not be honoring the city, "the men," or its citizens. He will by no means allow anyone to object to ... see what I suffer now at the hands of...

• Word Count: 2088
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

... as carrion. The king then says that anyone who tries to give Polyneices a proper burial will be stoned to death. Antigone, inspired by divine law, makes the decision to bury her dead brother's body; both she and Creon provide justification throughout the play as to why they chose to ... for men." With this statement, Antigone tells Creon (and the readers) that the gods haven't given Creon, although king, the power and right to make a law forbidding a proper burial. She also says to Creon, "I do not think your edicts strong enough to overrule the unwritten, unalterable laws of God and hea...

• Word Count: 893
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... He chooses the one that best maintains his dignity. Both Creon and Antigone have two options ... but with a difference. One of Creon's options is just, the other unjust and plain absurd. He chooses poorly. As a result, he ruins himself. But we don't view him tragically. We view him only with pity, for being a fool ... a fool. Creon was not a "hero" to anyone, only himself. Creon can either follow his law, or change it. He can either kill Antigone, or spare her life. He can either persist in following the old law which everyone is against, even the gods ... or he can change things and sav...

• Word Count: 885
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... Ismene supports Antigone's idea, Ismene expresses her initial reluctance to help her sister by claiming, "We are only women, we cannot fight with men, Antigone!/ The law is strong, we must give into the law/ In this thing and in worse."(Prologue ll. 47-49) Ismene's statement illustrates how she is afraid of publicly criticizing the king because women are inferior to ... 's mentality, he is obstinate and will not pacify her request. Creon's basis for not compromising is a ruler "Must be obeyed in all things, great and small,/ Just and unjust." If a ruler retracts a law because one person ...

• Word Count: 854
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... suggests that Achilles lost his reasoning in the moment and was too rash in his decision-making. In the play, Antigone, Creon strikes back against Antigone after she breaks a law. Antigone followed natural law and buried her brother, Polynices" body. Creon had decreed it forbidden for anyone to bury Polynices" body; the punishment for this would be death. When Creon found out ... that it was Antigone who buried the body he sentenced her to death, as he had previously decreed. From Creon's actions we can tell that he believes in human law above all other kinds of laws; if you disobey the...

• Word Count: 1280
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• Grade Level: High School

... commit suicide without experiencing their strong dream to marry, thus conveying the universal theme of how one should value intimate relationships over civil law. One could observe the incongruity in Haemon's family values between the selected passage and an earlier excerpt, thus suggesting an ironic tone. ... a deep sympathy for the young couple who has prematurely taken their lives to fight for the principle of valuing intimate relationships over civil law. Therefore, the sympathy within this selected passage indicates a pathetic tone. The ubiquitous motif of marriage displays Antigone...

• Word Count: 1318
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... criminals believe they are doing the right thing at the time of their actions, some do even after they are facing the punishment. The fact of the matter is the law has to be obeyed or consequences will be faced. I do understand her point of view and her values from careful reading of her character. Afterlife was so important to the ... . Even if we think now that the laws back then are far-fetched, they are the laws made to fit the times and should not be broken. The law may seem to be unjust to us in today's society but that does not give anyone the right to create their own laws to liv...

• Word Count: 1321
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... is right for society, while his world view changes from affirmative to antagonistic. In the beginning of the play Antigone and Creon have conflicting point of views. Antigone believes no law is justifiable where family is prohibited from helping each other and Creon believes that the government sets the laws and they are not to be broken under any circumstances. After ... to society because everyone in Thebes was afraid to stand up to Creon because he was the King, but Antigone stood up to his laws because she believed they were unjust. The townspeople also disagreed with the way Creon ...

• Word Count: 1766
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

... ." Antigone's opposition to his decree condemns her in the eyes of Creon. To him, she is challenging what is legal and just thereby making her opposition seemingly illegal and unjust. It is important to recognize that Creon believes that his decision is just, and it is this conviction of belief that blinds him to the warnings of his loved ones ... the representative of the higher power of the immortal entities, and so what at first presents itself as a case of civil disobedience is broadened into a conflict of mortal versus immortal law. To understand the complex struggle for power and a...

• Word Count: 1647
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... bare to the blows of ruin? That's dreadful too."" (1296) King Creon realizes to little to late and because of his pride he loses his son, wife, and daughter in law. "And the guilt is all mine- can never be fixed on another man, no escape for me. I killed them, I, god help me, I admit it all!-(1301) Antigone is an honorable ... character in this story of love and rebellion. The only thing that she does is disobey an order that is unjust and bury the remains of her brother. She defies the kings decree and tells him that he is wrong. "Lucky tyrant- the perquisites of power! Ruthless power ...

• Word Count: 980
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... bare to the blows of ruin? That's dreadful too."" (1296) King Creon realizes to little to late and because of his pride he loses his son, wife, and daughter in law. "And the guilt is all mine- can never be fixed on another man, no escape for me. I killed them, I, god help me, I admit it all!-(1301) Antigone is an honorable ... character in this story of love and rebellion. The only thing that she does is disobey an order that is unjust and bury the remains of her brother. She defies the kings decree and tells him that he is wrong. "Lucky tyrant- the perquisites of power! Ruthless power ...

• Word Count: 1014
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School