Preview

Role Of Duty In Antigone

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
237 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Role Of Duty In Antigone
Duty can incredible pressures on those that the duty falls on. Even small duty cause a massive burden which can led to irrational thinking. In Antigone, a massive duty is put on Antigone causing her to be put in a difficult place. Her brother, Polyniceis is a traitor and the punishment for this is the denial of burial rights. In Greece, the responsibilities of burials fall on the women of the family, Antigone and her sister Ismene. The punishment for bury Polyniceis is death, but even this can not stop Antigone from fulling her duties of burying her late brother. Antigone told her sister the “even if I die in the act, that death will be a glory.” (63) Fulfilling her duty, even if she dies in the process will still glories. When being questioned

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Creon, as the ruler of the land, is obligated to carry out social order. He has ordered that the body of Polynices should be left to rot because he was a traitor to the city. Antigone has disobeyed Creon’s orders by digging up her brother’s grave after his proper burial rites were forbidden. She has already buried her parents and brother Eteocles, who died fighting Polynices, and feels obligated to honor her brother’s life. Antigone is also determined to obey the gods, because it is against morality to leave any corpse unburied. She informs Creon that “Death longs for the same rites for all”.…

    • 814 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Antigone disobeys the king by burying her brother who Creon views as a traitor to Thebes. She realizes that this action will result in her death but is still willing to do so as long as…

    • 355 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Sophocles' play "Antigone”, the ideas of obeying the law of one’s community and following ones own moral beliefs come into conflict. The plot revolves around two brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices having killed each other in an attempted to gain rule and their Uncle Creon gaining power after their deaths. He orders Eteocles given an honorable funeral and Polyneices to be left in the streets to rot. Creon believes that Polyneices' body shall be condemned to this because of his civil disobedience and treachery against the city. However, the dead brothers’ sister, Antigone, believes this unfair to Polyneices and insulting to the Gods.…

    • 103 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Inner Turmoil in Antigone

    • 693 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Antigone proves herself to be a very loyal family member when she states, “That must be your excuse, I suppose. But as for me, I will bury the brother I love” (Pro. 64-65). She cares not of the law set forth by Creon when it conflicts with her beliefs concerning loyalty to loved ones. She chose the law of the gods above all other decrees, disregarding that the cost is her life. Even after the body’s guards brush off the thin layer of dust to negate the effect of the prompt burial given by Antigone, the heroine risks life and limb to see that Polynieces receives a proper burial, and she is arrested in the process. Her retort to Creon’s accusations was, “I do. I deny nothing.” Antigone is confident in her choice at this point. She even stands up for Ismene’s fraud confession, and she will “not have [Ismene] help” because Antigone’s loyalty to her family is too great (1. 132).…

    • 693 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The most significant theme in Sophocles’ Antigone is whether or not the law of man conquers divine law. Amidst the play, the newly crowned king Creon proclaims that the body of Polyneices will not receive a proper burial, but instead will be publicly shamed and left to be preyed upon by wild animals. Upset with Creon’s mandate, Antigone mourns the death of both of her brothers, Polyneices and Eteocles, and gives Polyneices a proper burial so he can move on to the afterlife.…

    • 302 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Antigone believed that not burying her brother Polyneices and burying her other brother Eteocles due to the command of her uncle Creon was a very wrong thing to do and being the loyal person she was she did not accept this law carried by her Uncle and disobeyed him with the mindset knowing burying her brother Polyneices was the right thing to do know the consequences that came with it.…

    • 70 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Through the course of Antigone, a play by Sophocles, various characters justify their actions based on their own perception of duty. A strong example of one of them is Antigone. In the play, Antigone experiences a series of moral tests. She has to choose whether to abide by the laws of Thebes or take her own path and follow moral laws and obey the gods instead of the King Creon. She chooses to go against Creon and follow her own moral laws and bury her brother.…

    • 403 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Antigone was very courageous, brave and bold. Despite the danger she would be in, and regardless of the consequences she was very loyal to her brother Polyneices and buried him with honor and courage. Even though she knew that she would be in big trouble, she still did it, she did it because he was her brother. “He is my brother, and he is your brother, too.”…

    • 417 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    From reading Antigone, loyalty comes in all different forms. One is how Antigone expressed her loyalty to family by giving her brother, Polynices, a proper bruial; even though she wasn't being loyal to the rules of Creon, king of Thebes. Humans are faced with basic conflicts of loyalties—to state, religion, and family. Personal happiness is another powerful and legitimate pull. But perfect balance among these compelling factors is impossible; hence suffering is inevitable. In this play, loyalty expresses through Antigone's eyes with respect to the family, as she showed devotion to them, by giving her brother a proper burial.…

    • 992 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The fate of Creon is sealed by his decision to make an example of his niece, and quickly becomes tragic in Antigone. Creon shows us his lack of leadership skills by creating situations in which he loses the respect of his advisors, and the love of his family. The inability to overcome foolish pride is Creon’s greatest fault and the direct cause of his fall from grace.…

    • 475 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Selflessness, and determination are great characteristics to have, but when they are put against each other, problems can arise. In the play Antigone by Sophocles, Antigone is trying to bury her brother Polynices after his tragic death, while fighting for the throne. Creon doesn’t want Polynices to be buried because of how he died, fighting for the throne, and killing Eteocles, the rightful king. Creon doesn't think it is just for Polynices to be buried. But Antigone says the gods desire it. Antigone and Creon put each other in tough situations, which creates a theme and advances the plot. Throughout the play Antigone acts as a foil for Creon and her selflessness contrasts with Creon's determination to advance the plot and develop the theme of staying true to your morals.…

    • 860 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Short Summary Of Antigone

    • 403 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Antigone the play is based on a horrific battle between two brothers, who were fighting over the reign of the kingdom Thebes. Both were killed during the battle, but only one brother was given a proper burial and the other was left to lay in the open for wild dogs and vultures to eat. This is when turmoil begins between a family. Antigone was the sister of the two brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices, and also had a sister Ismene. Antigone is suffering from the loss of her brothers. Her uncle Creon took over the reign and was now in charge. Antigone believed that her brother Polyneices deserved a proper burial, as well. Creon has sworn that no one should bury him. Antigone is determined and doesn’t care if in the end her punishment is death.…

    • 403 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Sophocles’ Antigone, Antigone, on the other hand, believes her act of civil disobedience to bury Polyneices was justified due to her belief that the laws of the gods should be carried out above any man made law, including those declared by Kreon and that those who have passed away before her must be honored. In the beginning of the play, Antigone tries to convince her sister, Ismene, to bury the body of her brother. Ismene, at first, was skeptical, for she knew it was Kreon’s decree that no one shall bury Polyneices for he was a traitor to the state. However, Antigone thought otherwise. Antigone states, “I’ll lie there, dear to him, with my dear friend, when I’ve performed this crime of piety; for I must please those down below a longer time than those up here, since I shall lie there always. You, though, if you think it best, dishonor what is honored by the gods” (Sophocles 22-23). Antigone believes burying her brother is of higher standards than to follow the laws of Kreon, for the gods must be worshiped above all else and she follows her principles to the very end. A king may rule the land, but the gods rule all and it is this mindset that Antigone possesses that allows her to fulfill the gods’ wishes. Later in the play, when Antigone is questioned by Kreon himself, she denies nothing and bluntly states that his mortal laws are no match to the laws of the gods. She claims, “It was not Zeus who made this proclamation; nor was it Justice dwelling with the gods below who set in place such laws as these for humankind; nor did I think your proclamations had such strength that, mortal as you are, you could outrun those laws that are the gods’, unwritten and unshakable. Their laws are not for now or yesterday, but live forever…” (Sophocles 38). Antigone followed through her decision to bury her brother because the gods’ laws are eternal. It was Antigone’s strength to stand by her…

    • 1249 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Disobedience In Antigone

    • 742 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The play “Antigone,” by Sophocles displays an interesting storyline in which the main characters Antigone and Creon undergo various obstacles due to their actions. Throughout the play, Antigone attempts to secure a respectable burial for her brother Polyneices. By choosing to protest and defy Creon’s rule, Antigone unquestionably breaks the law. However, her defiance does not seem like an act of civil disobedience against injustice because Antigone was acting in her own self-interest when considering dying for her brother.…

    • 742 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Who Is Antigone

    • 762 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Antigone believes that her duty towards the gods could be fulfilled if she buries Polyneices, as family is more important than the laws of the land. Due to the fact that she is also a woman and closely related to a lost individual, it is considered utterly disrespectful towards the god’s will and her family to not prepare the body and bury it.…

    • 762 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays