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Antigone Laws Quotes

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All laws are created for a reason; everyone is held accountable to the same laws. In Sophocles play, Antigone, the first thing King Creon does is proclaim a strident but coherent set of laws for the people of Thebes. Most people obey the law but some do not. One of the rebels in the scenario is the main character, Antigone. She is the daughter of the deceased King and Queen, as well as the sister of Polyneices, Eteocles, and Ismene. In the play, the two brothers kill each other over the power of King in the city of Thebes. This little act of “war” causes Creon to proclaim whole new law regarding the conflict. He states, “Eteocles, who died as a man should die, fighting for his country, is to be buried with full military honors…;[B]ut his brother Polyneices, …show more content…

To add on, the punishments are well-deserved/just. In Scene 1 of the play, it states “As long as I am King, no traitor is going to be honored with the loyal man” (Sophocles 197). There is absolutely nothing wrong with the law. What Polyneices did before his death, he deserved to not receive a proper burial. In addition, even though Antigone attempted the burial in the love her brother, she deserved the punishment because she dishonored/disobeyed Creon’s law. Last but not least, if the law was to be reversed at this point in the story, then it would be unfair to the people of Thebes. In Scene 3 it states, “I suppose she’ll plead “family ties.” Well, let her. If I permit my own family to rebel, how should I earn the world’s obedience?” (Sophocles 217). It would be unfair to the people of Thebes because they would think that the King is not loyal and gave into an emotional state over his family. Some say that Creon’s law should be reversed due to the negative effects it has on families but that is simply vacuous. It is not ethical for a King to reverse a law just because it ruins “family terms”. If a person has degraded the King or his laws, he/she deserves to be

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