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The Corruption Of Law In Antigone

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In the play Antigone, Antigone, the protagonist buries her brother Polyneices. She did this against the King, Creon’s law. Her sister Ismene is against these actions. Antigone is then caught and brought to King Creon due to these actions. Creon than sentences Ismene to death. Than had Antigone sentenced to the vault until she dies. Haemon her soon to be husband defends Antigone, but Creon ignores him. Teiresias an oracle or fortune teller warns Creon that he will be punished by the gods for his actions. Creon then went to releases Antigone with Haemon to rescue her but she hung herself. Haemon than in return attempts to kill Creon but ends up killing himself on accident. This play expresses a major debate over the law of the gods or the law of the people. In this play what is morally correct is the law of the gods …show more content…

Some people may argue that common law must be followed or the structure or the government is corrupted. Evidence that supports this claim is in scene 1 when the Chorus says, “When the Laws are kept, how proudly his city stands! When the laws are broken, what of his city then?” (Line 21-22). However, this thought does not have complete truth to it. A city can only stand when the people of the city back up the king laws. But, there is evidence that the people do not approve of the laws of Creon. This is shown in scene 3 when Haemon says, “But I, at any rate, can listen; and I have heard them/Muttering and whispering in the dark about this girl. They say no woman has ever, so unreasonably, Died so shameful a death for a generous act” (Line 61-64). This shows that the people not approve of all the laws that the king is demanding upon the city. This shows also, the people of the city, who make the city, are not proud of this law which is being enforced. Thus, making the point that common law is trumped by the law of the gods which is composed of human

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He continues by mentioning that the laws being broken are the ones created to protect and nourish society. The author creates a concerned tone for minor laws being broken. Social order is broken when people break small laws because they are ruining

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Lexi Nguyen Mr. Palko Period 8 27 October 2022 Haemons Speech In Antigone, Haemon uses figurative language and appeals to pride to argue that Creon must be a good leader and learn to take criticism by other people, encouraging Creon to forgive Antigone and let her be free. In Antigone, Haemon uses Figurative language to argue that a good leader can take others' criticism. In his speech to his father in the palace he argues that a leader can listen to the citizens' opinions, in order to make a better decision to free Antigone.

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Haemon’s suicide comes from his stubborn integrity and loyalty to his fiance, Antigone, when he stabs himself upon witnessing Antigone’s limp frame hanging from the grim snake, revealing that, unwavering loyalty is a quality that disallows one to think straight. When Creon retorts, questioning Haemon’s respect toward his executive authority, Haemon answers, “What sort of respect tramples on all that is holy?” (146). This represents Haemon’s disagreement with Creon’s treatment toward Antigone because he thinks that justice is decided by the gods in heaven, not Creon. The prince believes that Creon is threatening his title as king with tyranny and declares that his father is acting childishly and immaturely, sentencing Antigone to death for “burying a brother.”

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Haimon’s loyalty is broken between obeying his father and his lover. Creon is obsessed with his loyalty to the state; he is too stubborn and proud to listen to the people of said state. This leads to his misconception that he as king is the entirety of the state. ”I’ll have no dealings with law-breakers, critics of the government: Whoever is chosen to govern should be obeyed-- Must be obeyed, in all things, great or small, Just or Unjust!” (Sophocles, Lines 525-529).

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In Antigone, it is evident that both Creon and Antigone made mistakes in spite of the fact that they had right intentions. Creon attempts to uphold the law in order to maintain structure and be what he considers to be a just leader, however, Creon’s mindset remains too rigid and his actions don’t adapt in light of the circumstances. Antigone wants to stay loyal to her family and save her brother’s soul, yet she isolates herself and shows disrespect for the law. Creon does not allow Antigone any grace for her actions because he explicitly adheres to the laws of the city.

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“A city which belongs to just one man is no true city.” (lines 838-39) Throughout the play, Antigone, written by Sophocles, the character Haemon constantly tries to persuade his father, Creon, to listen to the people of his city and to become a more humble leader. Haemon’s words, actions, and ideas contrast with Creon’s character. Which results in the two characters having continual conflicting motivations.

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Creon believes that the laws should be “man-made”. Antigone states that, “Such, I hear, is the martial law our good Creon lays down for you and me – yes, me, I tell you – and he’s coming her to alert the uniformed in no uncertain terms, and he won’t treat the matter lightly. Whoever disobeys in the least will die, his doom is sealed: stoning to death inside the city walls!” (Antigone, Sophocles 60). In this quote Antigone is discussing with Ismene that Creon has made a law that whoever buries Polynices will be stoned inside the city walls.

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and she kills herself. Meanwhile, not realizing Antigone’s death, the blind prophetTiresias, Haemon (Creon’s son) and the Chorus pleaded with Creon to release Antigone and change his laws. Creon finally agrees, but in an untimely manner, finds Antigone dead in the cave. Out of despair, Haemon and Creon’s wife killed themselves, and Creon is left destress and miserable. Kings four nonviolent direct action steps to change unjust laws can be used to analyze Antigone 's actions against Creon 's laws in Sophocles play,

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In the classic play by Sophocles, Antigone is a tragic story of the bold Antigone who defied her uncle, King Creonʻs, edict by burying her brother, Polyneices, who died attacking the city of Thebes, trying to take the power away from their brother, Eteocles, who refused to share the throne with Polyneices. Even though Antigone knew that going against Creon and burying her brother would not end well for her, she still choose to risk her life to do what is right. After being caught breaking the law, Antigone is appointed to be locked away, isolated in a cave until she dies, but she hangs herself at the end. At the same time, things for Creon are not looking good, as everyone around him seems to be against him in his decision for punishing Antigone. Everyone Creon cares about kills themselves from a curse that is put on Creon for not following the Godsʻ laws.

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Everything that makes man's life worthwhile-family, work, education, a place to rear one's children and a place to rest one's head -all this depends on decisions of government; all can be swept away by a government which does not heed the demands of its people.” (Kennedy 379). Citizens must not only speak up; they must also be heard by their government as well. Creon enacted a law that he felt was just however, he did not listen to Antigone when she was explaining why she had broken that law. If Creon would have listened to Antigone and taken into consideration the reasons for her unlawful actions, he would have saved himself and his nation from the wrath of the

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Some people may argue that Creon was justified in punishing Antigone although she is his direct relative. Those who defend Creon’s actions say that maintaining order in Thebes is more important than loved ones. This is an understandable concern, however, in obtaining the so-called “order” in Thebes, Creon faces a punishment far worse than death. Additionally, the people in Thebes do not agree with their ruler: “the city mourns for [Antigone],” and they believe that she deserves “a golden crown” for her demeanor (775, 782). Antigone, Haemon, the people of Thebes and the Gods all have one thing in common; they all disagree with Creon’s decree.

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Haimon , Creon’s son warns him that the people of Thebes sympathize with Antigone. Haemon tells his father, I beg you, do not be unchangeable: Do not believe that you alone can be right. The man who thinks that, The man who maintains that only he has the power To reason correctly, the gift to speak, to soul–– A man like that, when you know him, turns out empt.

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Antigone’s actions are motivated by her allegiance to her family, moral conscience, and religion amid Creon’s political injustice and tyranny. Antigone’s actions motivate her to demand Ismene to prove whether she is “a true sister or a traitor to your family” (26-27). Antigone maintains loyalty to her brother despite his actions which threatened Thebes. Her inability to bear the thought of her brother’s corpse being picked apart by animals and not being honored with proper funeral rites forces her to act. Antigone’s fierce allegiance to her family is laid bare as she is willing to sacrifice her life to honor her brother and defy the law in an act that she believes is morally just.

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In lines 599 to 601, Creon’s states that, due to his selfishness and stubbornness, he will not allow a woman, that woman being Antigone, to change his mind and defy his judgement. He declares that, if Antigone chooses to not change her ways, she will be killed, as to not waver from his own decree. Antigone therefore dies as a result of Creon’s insufferable and ignorant ruling, causing her to suffer at Creon’s hand. Creon’s ruling for the murder of Antigone also causes Haemon to suffer. Creon finds Haemon, in his last moments, mourning the loss of Antigone, “now among the dead, his father’s work,” as described by the messenger in line 1364.

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She was outraged when she found out that her brother Polyneices was going to be left to rot and be eaten by animals, because he was a traitor to the city. Antigone believed that her brother deserved a proper burial even though he tried going against the city unlike her other brother Eteocles. She asks Ismene (her sister) to join her in this act of rebellion but Ismene does not want to get in trouble for going against her kings orders so Antigone does it on her own. Creon feels disrespected and punishes Antigone for not following his rules. He seals Antigone while she is alive, inside a tomb.

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