How Does Antigone Criticize Creon's Law

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Also, while Antigone is fully motivated to give her family a proper burial, Antigone also criticizes her family, Ismene, for being too much of a sissy and a conformist. For illustration, Ismene insists that whether they agree with or authorize Creon's action is fully inapplicable since Creon is the sovereign of Thebes, and thus, they must “ observe the bones who stand in power ”( Sophocles, 62). Ismene’s belief that simply following Creon’s law is the stylish course of action easily reveals the antipode between her and Antigone. While Ismene wants to bury Polynices just as important as Antigone does, she doesn't believe that burying her family is enough of a defense to simply ignore the law, and clearly enough to die for. This contradiction …show more content…

Throughout the play, Antigone is established as a veritably religious existent, most specially when she states to Creon, “ Nor did I suppose your edict had similar force that you, a bare mortal, could stamp the gods, the great verbal, imperturbable traditions. They're alive, not just moment or history they live ever, from the first of time, and no bone knows when they first saw the light ”( Sophocles 82). Antigone expresses that not only does she find Creon’s recently established law cruel and unwarranted, but she also claims that indeed if his law was indigenous, it can no way trump laws established by the gods. While Antigone constantly defies against Creon, the current sovereign of Thebes, at no point in the play does she ever misdoubt or defy the gods, whom Antigone defines as her true autocrats. Antigone recognizes that the gods are almighty and each- important, which is why she eventually values godly law over civil and mortal law because she recognizes that no matter how numerous or what kind of laws Creon establishes, godly law will always triumph because the gods have power over any mortal leader. Antigone’s determination to maintain her religious values and beliefs eventually serves as a defense for her decision to bury Polynices because she recognizes that she isn't only doing this for her family and their honor, but she's also doing it …show more content…

While Sophocles may have intended Antigone to be interpreted in one specific manner, the text will always lend itself to different interpretations and perspectives. For example, Antigone states “Nor did I think your edict had such force that you, a mere mortal, could override the gods, the great unwritten, unshakable traditions. They are alive, not just today or yesterday: they live forever, from the first of time, and no one knows when they first saw the light” (Sophocles 82). While this passage can be interpreted as Antigone following her religious beliefs, serving a higher power greater than herself, and doing what she believes to be morally righteous, as mentioned above, it could also be interpreted as Antigone presenting herself as a dangerous religious zealot. When