Preview

Role Of Sacrifice In Antigone

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
567 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Role Of Sacrifice In Antigone
“I intend to give my brother burial. I’ll be glad to die in the attempt,-if it’s a crime, then it’s a crime that God commands.” Antigone wishes not to allow her brother to go without burial. She is a brave woman, enough to attempt the burial herself even if it is against the laws of Creon. Antigone was the daughter of Oedipus, and the sister of Ismene, Polyneices, and Eteocles. She chooses to live under the laws of the gods rather than her living king and father of her fiance. She wishes not to overrule the king, but to show respect for the dead if they were to be respected while living or not. There should always be someone to show respect and to be respected equally because the people chose to, not because they have no other choice. Antigone
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Examples Of Civil Disobedience In Antigone
    • 103 Words
    • 1 Page

    Examples Of Civil Disobedience In Antigone

    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
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Inner Turmoil in Antigone
    • 693 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Inner Turmoil in Antigone

    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
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Disagrees With Creon In Sophocles Antigone
    • 965 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Disagrees With Creon In Sophocles Antigone

    In “Antigone” Creon the ruler decides to create a rule right on the spot for these two brothers that came back to the land, but one brother will not get the welcome back like the other did “I here proclaim to the city that this man shall no one honor with a grave and none shall mourn. You shall leave him without burial you shall watch him chewed up by the bird” (1197). Now there is a problem, while he made this rule up. His son’s wife Antigone wants to bury her brother’s body because in ancient Greece “They gave careful attention to proper preparation of the…

    • 965 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Who Is Responsible In Antigone
    • 70 Words
    • 1 Page

    Who Is Responsible In Antigone

    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
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    How Does Antigone Show Loyalty
    • 992 Words
    • 4 Pages

    How Does Antigone Show Loyalty

    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
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Who Break The Law In Antigone
    • 320 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Who Break The Law In Antigone

    When she was questioned by her uncle why she broke the law she the law was wrong and stated “nor did I think your edict had such a force that you , a mere mortal, could override the gods, the great unwritten, unshakable traditions”( Sophocles ,1117,505). Antigone is saying that burying the dead is an important religious duty that needs to be done to respect but the gods. Creon also is aware of this because earlier in the play when one of his guards suggested that the gods buried the body he questioned why the gods would care about “a corpse” (Sophocles, 1112, 320). The main conflict in this play is the religious duty versus the law of the land. This forces Antigone to either be true to the law or true to her ethical or religious beliefs. Antigone chose standby her religious beliefs and to rebel against the unjust rules of her uncle. This ethical conflict put the whole plays plot into…

    • 320 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Power In 'Avengers By Sophocles' Antigone
    • 830 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Power In 'Avengers By Sophocles' Antigone

    First of all, Antigone says to Creon “But if I’d allowed my own mother’s dead son to just lie there, an unburied corpse,then I’d feel distress.” (227-229). This quote shows how Antigone is doing the right thing by burying her brother and what Creon is doing to her brother Polyneices an act of injustice. This also shows how Antigone and Creon are different because she is being driven by the love she has towards Polyneices and Creon is being driven by the hate he has towards him. Second, Antigone says to Creon “But where could I gain greater glory than setting my own brother in his grave?” (570-571). This quote shows how Antigone is willing to disobey the law to give her brother a proper burial because of how much she loves him. This quote also shows how Antigone is determine to do what she thinks is right which is bury her brother Polyneices even though she would be disobeying orders. He doesn’t think women are the same as men because they disobey men’s…

    • 830 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Contrast Between Antigone And Creon
    • 860 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Contrast Between Antigone And Creon

    Antigone says the gods want her to bury Polynices, which she does. While burying her beloved brother, she is caught by the guard, taken to the palace where she awaits her fate. When she's is being questioned by Creon for her crime she announces to Creon “take me and kill me-what more do you want?” (Line 266). She accomplished what she needed and buried her brother. She does this bringing out Creon’s determination to kill anyone who buries Polynices, Even if it’s his son's fiancee. So determined to stick to his morals he responded “Me? Nothing. With that I have everything.” (Line 267). When she announced what she did to Creon it brought out his determination to kill anyone who buries Polynices, and nothing would stand in the way of his punishment, even if it meant deeply saddening his son with his Fiance’s…

    • 860 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Creon Tragic Hero Analysis
    • 1800 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Creon Tragic Hero Analysis

    Antigone's reasons for burying her brother were strictly to demonstrate love, loyalty, honor, and respect for her family and for her brother to be accepted in the gods' land. However, the main reason that Creon is angered is not the fact that Polynieces fought against his city, and yet the insult and betrayal of his own niece, especially by being a female figure who disobeyed him in public; it is even worse because she is his son's (Haemon) fiancé, and, therefore, his ego is quite damaged. "Go down below and love, if love you must – love the dead! While I'm alive, / no woman is going to lord it over me". The type of punishment given to Antigone was very severe and cowardly, in contrast to the main reason that caused…

    • 1800 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Theme Of Justice In Antigone Vs Creon
    • 1685 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Theme Of Justice In Antigone Vs Creon

    The concept of justice is a tricky one and thus it comes as no surprise that the differing views on what is morally right between Antigone and Creon result in the tragedies of Antigone. In Antigone, Antigone and her sister Ismene return to Thebes after they discover that their brothers were waging war against one another to determine who would rule Thebes after the death of their father, Oedipus. When Antigone returns, she discovers that her brothers, Polyneices and Eteocles, already killed each other. These deaths result in Creon becoming the king of Thebes. Upon his rise to the throne, Creon declares a law which holds that those who oppose the state cannot receive a proper burial with formal rites. King Creon specifically notes the importance of keeping the city honorable and thus enforcing this new law, “Such are the rulers by which I will guard this city’s greatness; and in keeping with them is the edict I have published touching the sons of Oedipus.…

    • 1685 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Antigone Letter From Birmingham Jail Analysis
    • 1249 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Antigone Letter From Birmingham Jail Analysis

    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
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Examples Of Heroism In Antigone
    • 516 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Examples Of Heroism In Antigone

    She knew that Creon is the only man that believes a proper burial for Polynices is a crime. Antigone stands up to the most powerful man in Thebes while knowing the consequences, which is truly heroic because she chooses her own destiny. Although Antigone comes out as exceedingly ruthless by accepting her death, it is because of her heartfelt determination to honor her brother's death. Antigone cares for the dead more than the living.…

    • 516 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Burial In Antigone
    • 852 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Burial In Antigone

    Continuing on, knowing the consequences of her act, she will bury her brother because it is the will of the gods that a family gives its members a proper burial. And because of this, she will face the punishment of death for disobeying Creon’s order. For fighting against Thebes, but Antigone being an honor sister will give him a proper burial knowing what he did. Creon by doing this will let the city know that by unburied Polynices action will show others to think before thinking in betraying their city if anyone had the intention to do it. Also since he's the king, he needs to gain the respect of the people. When at the same time it was…

    • 852 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Antigone: the Obedience of One's Morality
    • 770 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Antigone: the Obedience of One's Morality

    Antigone is an outstanding example of someone who did what she thought was right, while she was among fools, many hardships, and people who were discouragingly uncourageous. Although we may not defend the self-sacrificial actions of Antigone, or may not have the strength to do something similar, we should follow principle behind her actions. Antigone believed, as did most people of her time, that a dead person's soul could not rest if that person's body was not buried. Creon, the King, ordered that the body of Polyneices, Antigone's brother, be left to rot unburied because he had died attacking the city, a traitor. This presents a huge problem for Antigone; she feels she must obey the laws of the gods and bury her brother, but the penalty would be earthly death.…

    • 770 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    What Is Antigone Irrelevant
    • 155 Words
    • 1 Page

    What Is Antigone Irrelevant

    At the beginning of the play, antigone is irrelevant. She didn't care about dying or breaking the law. She did all of this for her brother. Antigone says,”Help me lift. The body up- my own brother and yours. I will! If you will not, I will; I shall not prove disloyal.” (Sophocles 2). This proves that Antigone will bury her brother with or without her sister's help. Even if it means breaking the law and getting punished for her act. Her sister does not want to go against Creon's law, so she doesn’t help. Antigone also says,” I say it; I deny it not.” (Sophocles 17). This confirms that Antigone is bold because Creon asks her if she buried her brother without her permission, and she does not deny it. She isn't scared of Creon. She broke his law…

    • 155 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics