Antigone Essay -- essays research papers

The opening events of the play Antigone, written by Sophocles, quickly establish the central departure between Antigone and Creon. Creon has decreed that the blabber Polynices, who tried to burn down the temple of gods in Thebes, must not be given proper burial. Antigone is the only one who will announce against this decree and insists on the heavenlyness of family and a symbolic burial for her brother. Whereas Antigone sees no validity in a justness that disregards the duty family members owe one another, Creons shoot down of view is exactly opposite. He has no use for any(prenominal)one who places private ties supra the common good, as he proclaims firmly to the Chorus and the audience as he revels in his victory over Polynices. He sees Polynices as an foeman to the express because he attacked his brother. Creons first speech, which is dominated by words such as "authority and "law, shows the extent to which Creon fixates on government and law as the supreme aut hority. Between Antigone and Creon there can be no compromisethey some(prenominal) find absolute validity in the several(prenominal) loyalties they uphold.      In the struggle between Creon and Antigone, Sophocles audience would have recognized a genuine conflict of duties and values. From the Greek point of view, both Creons and Antigones positions are defaceed, because both oversimplify ethical life by recognizing only one large-minded of good or duty. By oversimplifying, each ignores the fact that a conflict exists at all, or that deliberation is necessary. Moreover, both Creon and Antigone display the dangerous flaw of pride in the way they justify and carry out their decisions. Antigone admits advanced from the beginning that she wants to carry out the burial because the action is glorious. Antigone has a angry spirit she has spent most of her life burying her family members.      Creons pride is that of a tyrant. He is inflexible and unyielding, unwilling throughout the play to listen to advice or Antigone. Creons love for the city-state cause him to abandon all other beliefs. He tries to enforce this upon the people of Thebes. He wants them to think that his laws should be followed before any other personal, moral, or religious belief. This is where the conflict of character occurs between Antigone and Creon. Antigone knows that the sacred laws held by heaven are far more important... ...y exist deep down the two viewpoints, making a conclusion that much more difficult. throughout the play, each character rattles off the reasons for their actions. Both also justify their actions religiously, accept they are the ones acting accordingly by the gods. The entire plot is a construction of conflict between personal and social motives, a sight not uncommon in todays society. Sophocles attempts to answer the fence in by ultimately showing that the gods approved of Antigones motives and that Creon should have interred his nephew. But with so much unnecessary bloodshed committed at the end of the story, it is impossible to believe that this is the final decision. Sophocles believed that the individual held the power and the state shouldnt have total control over an individual. This is hardly a solution to the debate, the fact that everyone dies. Rather, it is a sign that the debate will put up on for all of eternity.Beaty, Jerome., et. al. The Norton Introduction to Literature. W.W. Norton and      Company 1998.