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Antigone - The Intersection of State and Family Law

 

            The play Antigone is one of the few Ancient Greek dramas that showed the conflict of the law of the land and religion. Creon is the ruler of the land and thus, has power to enforce laws that he thinks is beneficial to the people. However, in exercising her power, he is faced with a conflict when he decides to not give Polynices, a traitor to his land, a proper burial. In the ancient times, the ruler of the land is the protector of traditions and family law and also the superior person that decides what is good and beneficial for his people. Antigone is right for standing firm on her decision to give Polynices a proper burial because it has been a tradition in the family and Creon should have respected it.
             According to Beuhausen (2008), the play Antigone presented a "conflict between two different legal systems." These two legal systems are the law of the state and the family law. Creon represented the law of the state and Antigone represented family law. If compared to our legal system today, the government represents Creon (the law of the state) and religion represents Antigone (family law/religion). In the ancient times, the two legal system were joined together with one ruler, being Creon. Creon has the authority and responsibility to rule the land and execute decisions and laws for peace and equality of his people. Also, he has the authority and responsibility to preserve and respect the traditions that have long been in place. When Creon made the decision on Polynices' burial, he then made a crisis in his power. His decision put a doubt in his people's minds because now, he is contradicting a tradition. .
             Antigone's refusal of Creon law on her brother's burial shows the instability in Creon's authority. When a subordinate finds a way to question a superior's decision with a legitimate reason to do so is a way to show that Creon's power is nothing less than questionable.


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