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How Does Antigone Use Wisdom In The Allegory Of The Cave

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Punishment Brings Wisdom In the "Allegory of the Cave", Plato formed a theory about human perception with claims that some philosophical questions should be answered. His theory is about human only gain knowledge through the senses. His theory was that the punishment of the prisoners brought them wisdom and truth to the one who eventually had an opportunity of going outside the cave. In the Sophocles Antigone, however, Creon's mistakes of putting Antigone in an underground cave because she went against his edict as the king and leaving the body of Polyneice's body unburied led to his downfall. He despised the words of wisdom (from the gods) which could have saved him. The god’s punishment brought him wisdom.
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The sisters of the dead brothers, Antigone tried to convince Ismene to assist with the burying of the brother’s body, against the edict of the king but Ismene did not concede as she was afraid of the death penalty and still could not dissuade Antigone from doing the deed herself. The Chorus of Theban elders pledged their support on the king’s edict of disposing Polyneice’s body but at that time it was reported that the body has been buried. It was found out that Antigone was responsible and she was questioned but she did not argue or deny her involvement and responsibility. She was made to pay for the disobedience and was put in the under cave. Creon was warned, given the words of wisdom by the gods to let go of Antigone or he will be punished. He refused and in no time, he was punished with the death of his wife and son, and his eyes got opened to wisdom- punishment brings

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Although his previous devotion, he started defying God. “Every fiber in me rebelled.

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Worse, the body of a traitor is left to rot above ground as food for scavengers. Creon’s law conflicts with Antigone’s loyalty to the gods. She believes the laws of the gods respect the dead and require a proper burial. She does not hesitate to ignore the law of the state and fulfill the laws of the gods. When she turns to her sister, Ismene, to bury their brother, Polyneices, Ismene’s fear consumes her.

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The burial of Polyneices is viewed nobly, yet Antigone is not faultless in that act. One of Antigone’s largest mistakes is that she burns bridges with those that care about her. Pleading with Antigone, Ismene laments “why would I care to live when you are gone?” (548). Antigone dismisses this heartfelt plea by deferring Ismene to Creon, thus isolating herself from her only kin.

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His free choice is represented by a quote from the guard surveying Polyneices body, “We saw this girl giving that dead man's corpse full burial rites—an act you’d made illegal” (337). Although Creon's own niece turns out to be the one that went against his word, he still chooses to follow through with the punishment even though the deed Antigone did was morally right. The punishment that he lays upon Antigone is excessive and unjust considering the crime. While in an argument with her, he calls to his guards proclaiming, “Take her and shut her up, as I have ordered, in her tomb’s embrace [...]

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Antigone also shows that by taking action on a personal belief is stronger than something forbidden because she goes against the town’s laws to fill her belief. Creon, the ruler of Thebes, places a law on Antigone’s brother, Polyneices, that he shall never be buried, Antigone breaks the law to bury him. In the play Antigone and her sister, Ismene, are talking about the burial of Polyneices because Ismene does not agree with Antigone. Antigone says, “Ismene, I am going to bury him.

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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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