Pub #1

 

Matty Wagner

Professor Brady

EGL102

21 February 2024

 

Pub #1

Antigone’s decision to bury her brother Polyneices, in direct violation of Creon’s decree, and her insisting on publicizing her actions, helps to offer different a view into Antigone’s mindset and her mental process that helped her to come to this decision. The decision to bury Polyneices also raises the question of which is more powerful or important, human law or divine law. Antigone’s actions of burying Polyneices and proclaiming what she has done also reflects her commitment to her belief in the divine laws over the human ones, which showcases that Antigone prioritizes moral and religious beliefs over ones provided by human ones. Antigone’s self-identification of a “religious criminal” and challenging Creon’s decree based on unwritten rules of her gods, helps to show the conflict between written law and moral law. 

 Antigone’s decision to bury Polyneices, despite Creon’s decree that tells her that she will be punished to death if she goes through with the decision, is an extreme act of defiance and devotion to her moral beliefs. Antigone’s actions are guided by “the immortal unrecorded laws of God” (Sophocles 361). Her belief is further exemplified when she says, “I say that this crime is holy” (Sophocles 56). These quotes both help to show her extreme commitment to familial duty and moral law, even in the face of death. This act is not just a personal or private rejection of Creon’s decree, but a public statement of resistance Creon’s authority in this aspect and challenges his authority with the ones of God. Through her actions and words, Sophocles helps to bring up the question of where someone’s loyalty should lie, which is a theme shown throughout the text.

In another example, during a conversation between Creon and Antigone, Antigone shows the reasoning behind her defiance, emphasizing her belief in the laws of God as compared to the laws of Creon. She says “It was not God’s proclamation. That final Justice / That rules the world below makes no such laws… Your decree King was strong / But all your strength is weakness itself against / The immortal unrecorded laws of God. They are merely now: they were and shall be / Operative forever beyond man utterly” (Sophocles 357-363). This quote shows Antigone’s belief in the divine’s power and suggests that her actions are more than a rebellion, but rather, she is following the orders of a higher power.

Antigone’s stand against Creon’s decree also mirrors some modern figures who currently challenge authority for justice. An example of this would be Malala Yousafzai, who is a female advocate for education against regimes like the Taliban. Antigone is similar, showing a lack of fear even in the face of death, saying “You are alive, but I belong to Death” (Sophocles 457). Malala was shot in the head by a Taliban fighter after taking a bus home from her school. Malala is an excellent example of someone who embodies Antigone’s spirit and emotions in the current day.

In conclusion, Antigone’s actions and her vocal defiance against Creon are showcasing her belief in the importance of the law of God over the law of man. Her desire to bury Polyneices and her declaration of her act as a “holy crime” shows her view on which is more important, Written Law or Moral Law. It is also important to know that Antigone’s beliefs show the importance of staying true to your own personal values and be1iefs, even when facing consequences.

Works Cited

Fitts, Fitzgerald. Antigone. Brace and Co, 1939.