'To Break Or Not To Break In Sophocles Antigone'
Celone Verna
English 101.2652
Professor. Van Slyck
October 4, 2011
To Break or Not to Break?
All through the play of Antigone, written by Sophocles, Antigone believes in the supremacy of religious law and tradition. Although Creon has proclaimed to the city that the traitor, Polynices, should not be buried, Antigone insists on following the religious law requiring that females bury the deceased of their family. Antigone’s pride ensures that she will die rather than renounce her beliefs or loyalty towards her brother, thereby brining further tragedy to herself and others.
Antigone is a young uncompromising and determined woman who believes that “we have little time to please the living but all eternity to love the dead” (Sophocles …show more content…
She has made a firm decision in burying her brother and no one can tell her otherwise. Antigone’s motivation from beginning to end is the unconditional love and devotion she has for her brother, Polynices. This is what brings her to her final courageous decision in accepting full responsibility for her actions and acknowledging that execution is the penalty for anyone who disobeys the royal decree. Antigone begins to have a conversation with her younger sister, Ismene, explaining how she will go about burying her brother, Polynices. At one point she asks Ismene if she can help her lift the body. Ismene apologizes and replies, no, because she will be going against her uncle King Creon’s orders and is aware that execution is the punishment. Antigone isn’t so pleased with the answer and replies, “Is he not my brother, and yours, whether you like it or not? I shall never desert him, never” (Sophocles 128). In other words, she doesn’t mind dying. She refuses to betray Polyncies and will not leave him …show more content…
Throughout the play Antigone demonstrates how strongly she feels about her religious beliefs. She is driven by her religious beliefs through the play and will not let the rules of a man overpower God’s. When Antigone is brought to face her uncle, King Creon, she admits that she knew what she was getting herself into. Astonished, King Creon says “and you still went and disobeyed my orders anyways?” (Sophocles 138). Antigone replies, “Yes, that order did not come from God. Justice / that dwells with the gods below knows no such law. / I did not think your edicts strong enough / to overrule the unwritten unalterable laws / of God and heaven, you being only a man” (Sophocles 138). Antigone is explaining that she will not obey an order that came from a human being just like herself. Although she may seem rebellious she makes it clear that she will never disobey a religious law or tradition no matter what the punishment is. Of course to everyone she seems stubborn and daring but to her it isn’t the case it’s actually the complete opposite. Antigone believes in her heart that what she’s doing is right because in her religion when a family member dies you owe them a proper burial. King Creon says to her not only are you alone but unashamed and she explains to him that she has no shame in burying her brother. It was a decision she made. Antigone says "If this is
English 101.2652
Professor. Van Slyck
October 4, 2011
To Break or Not to Break?
All through the play of Antigone, written by Sophocles, Antigone believes in the supremacy of religious law and tradition. Although Creon has proclaimed to the city that the traitor, Polynices, should not be buried, Antigone insists on following the religious law requiring that females bury the deceased of their family. Antigone’s pride ensures that she will die rather than renounce her beliefs or loyalty towards her brother, thereby brining further tragedy to herself and others.
Antigone is a young uncompromising and determined woman who believes that “we have little time to please the living but all eternity to love the dead” (Sophocles …show more content…
She has made a firm decision in burying her brother and no one can tell her otherwise. Antigone’s motivation from beginning to end is the unconditional love and devotion she has for her brother, Polynices. This is what brings her to her final courageous decision in accepting full responsibility for her actions and acknowledging that execution is the penalty for anyone who disobeys the royal decree. Antigone begins to have a conversation with her younger sister, Ismene, explaining how she will go about burying her brother, Polynices. At one point she asks Ismene if she can help her lift the body. Ismene apologizes and replies, no, because she will be going against her uncle King Creon’s orders and is aware that execution is the punishment. Antigone isn’t so pleased with the answer and replies, “Is he not my brother, and yours, whether you like it or not? I shall never desert him, never” (Sophocles 128). In other words, she doesn’t mind dying. She refuses to betray Polyncies and will not leave him …show more content…
Throughout the play Antigone demonstrates how strongly she feels about her religious beliefs. She is driven by her religious beliefs through the play and will not let the rules of a man overpower God’s. When Antigone is brought to face her uncle, King Creon, she admits that she knew what she was getting herself into. Astonished, King Creon says “and you still went and disobeyed my orders anyways?” (Sophocles 138). Antigone replies, “Yes, that order did not come from God. Justice / that dwells with the gods below knows no such law. / I did not think your edicts strong enough / to overrule the unwritten unalterable laws / of God and heaven, you being only a man” (Sophocles 138). Antigone is explaining that she will not obey an order that came from a human being just like herself. Although she may seem rebellious she makes it clear that she will never disobey a religious law or tradition no matter what the punishment is. Of course to everyone she seems stubborn and daring but to her it isn’t the case it’s actually the complete opposite. Antigone believes in her heart that what she’s doing is right because in her religion when a family member dies you owe them a proper burial. King Creon says to her not only are you alone but unashamed and she explains to him that she has no shame in burying her brother. It was a decision she made. Antigone says "If this is