Antigone Fate
| Subject: | 📚 Literature |
| Type: | Analytical Essay |
| Pages: | 4 |
| Word count: | 782 |
| Topics: | Antigone, 📗 Book |
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Table of Contents
Introduction
It is not always effortless to make a decision between obeying the law and choosing what is right for your family, but for Antigone, this conflict is not a concern. In the essay samples about Antigone, a Greek tragedy by Sophocles, the leading character is Antigone. As both of her brothers were killed in the war between each other, Creon, her uncle, becomes the king. He doesn’t agree that Polynices should be buried, therefore, he implements a law prohibiting it. Antigone offers Ismene, her sister, to give Polynices a burial, but Ismene is reluctant to assist Antigone in this deed. Antigone is captured and condemned to death, which results in the demise of Hemon and the queen. Creon is on his own to deal with his bereavements. Following the proclamation of Polynices’ burial, Antigone springs into action and draws up a plot to bury her brother and violate the rules, revealing that she is a determined, defiant person.
The fateful decision of Antigone
Antigone resolves that she will bury her brother regardless of what approval she receives, which shows her detachment from the beliefs of Creon and the rest of the family, including Ismene. As she discusses her intentions with Ismene, Antigone states: “But I will bury him; and if I must die, I say that this crime is holy: I shall lie down with him in death, and I shall be as dear to him as he to me”. Although Ismene considers that they should comply with Creon’s rule, Antigone is not concerned about what anyone else would think of her if they knew that she was responsible for her brother’s funeral, since she thinks that it was God’s will. This indicates that Antigone is self-reliant because she doesn’t have to depend on other people to accomplish her goal. The watchman tells Creon about his finding and talks about Antigone, commenting that “when this girl found the bare corpse, and all her love’s work wasted, she wept, and cried on heaven to damn the hands that had done this thing and then she brought more dust and sprinkled wine three times for her brother’s ghost”. Antigone experiences a breakdown when she finds that her brother is not interred, therefore, she threatens everything and buries him again, demonstrating that she will not be satisfied until the mission is accomplished. This proves that Antigone is not only determined to be free with others, but also determined to be free with the law; she desires to become a lawless woman because the law imposes many barriers in her way until she can fulfill her objective. Antigone never ceases to consider how others perceive her in terms of ethics, as she establishes standards for herself.
Antigone’s determination and courage
Antigone feels no fear in her conflict with Creon. She even opposes him without any hesitation as she considers her actions to be righteous, which further defines her rebel spirit. When Antigone confronts Creon about his actions in his presence, she recognizes that his judgment “was not God’s proclamation” because “final Justice that rules the world below makes no such laws”. Antigone has the courage to stand up to Creon, the person who delegates all the authority, confirming that she will confront people who do not act reasonably. Her words against Creon indicate that she is extremely trustworthy. Antigone is aware that the remaining men surrounding her will grasp why she needed to have her brother buried. Antigone strikes back at Creon when he attempts to point out his weaknesses to her, stating: “You smile at me. Ah Creon, Think me a fool, if you like; but it may well be That a fool convicts me of folly”. Antigone is in full command of the circumstances she finds herself in, she goes to some extremes, knowing that her destiny depends on her deeds and that they do not conform to public standards. This suggests that she does not waver in speaking out about Creon’s unethical actions, even if she realizes that punishment from him could aggravate her destiny. Antigone grounds her actions in what is in line with her values, proving that she aims to bring about something beneficial through her actions and recognizes her boundaries.
Conclusion
In Sophocles’ Antigone, the protagonist Antigone demonstrates her resolve and courage through her actions in violating the law to perform what she believes is right and helpful to herself and society. Antigone’s efforts against Creon and others reveal that she constantly seeks to act in a way that is correct and is conscious of the implications of her decisions. In times of grief, humans do their best to honor their god and make the best of their family.
Offered for reference purposes only.