Taylor Bushart
English 1020-02
Essay V
8 August 2014
A Critique of Antigone
The story of Antigone, by ancient Grecian author Sophocles, is a tale of two conflicting systems of law and morality. On one side of the parallel there is Antigone, Oedipus daughter, who defies stately law by obeying divine law, and on the other there is Creon who is the enforcer of rule in the city and ignores the laws of the divine. Which system was in the wrong?
In the case of Antigone, she is charged with the responsibility of giving the last rights and burial to her brother so that his spirit may move on to the other realm. In everyday circumstance in that time the responsible to bury the dead remained a right and duty of the family unit; however, Antigone’s brother was ruled to be considered an enemy of the state because he led a band of rebels to overthrow the government and gain the thrown from his own brother. Creon thus decrees that his body be left to the dogs without mourning. Despite the obvious consequences of breaking the law, Antigone attempts to bury her brother under the belief that the family unit’s law and personal moral law has more power than that of the state.
In regards to Creon, he decrees that the body of Antigone’s brother should be left to rot for the vultures without a proper burial. Antigone’s brother led a group to overthrown his brother and gain the thrown. The aftermath leaves both brothers dead and the thrown to Creon. It is important to note that Creon declares Antigone brother traitorous because he led his forces against the state. It was not the fact that he attempted to claim the thrown. Had he instead used Theban troops and the other brother used rebels the roles would be reversed. This distinction shows that parallel to Antigone his allegiance lies first and foremost to the state not the family. This is later demonstrated again when he