Deciding between control and freedom is a very tricky thing. Control is important to keep everyone safe and society in order. At the same time freedom is important so we can be who we want to be and live our lives as we so choose. There is a very fine line between being in control or under it and it is sometimes hard to see the distinctions in some societies. The society of Antigone takes place in fictional city of Thebes an Ancient Greek society. Because this was written by Sophocles in 400 BC the society resembles things going on in his society during his time. The society in Abelard and Heloise takes place in France during the twelfth century. Even though there is a large time span between societies most of their social, political, and religious
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The societies in both Antigone and The letters of Abelard and Heloise have similar yet contrasting methods of controlling their citizens. They are similar in that they both have conflicts between the law of man and divine law, the view of women in society, and have preconceived notions to conform to. However they defer in the way they react to these restrictions and laws.
One important aspect of this was divine law versus the law of man. In Antigone’s society there was a large disparity between doing what the church or bible said as well as following the laws mandated by the king. One of these disparities was the fact that the king Creon forbad people labeled as traitors to have a proper burial. The church however placed great importance in the burial of the dead and it was seen as the responsibility of the family. For this reason Antigone is outraged when only one of her brothers is given the proper burial while to other is left out as a traitor. She takes it upon herself to bury her brother no matter the consequences. In this case she sides with divine law instead of human law or that of the king. In this case her society as a whole restricted her freedom …show more content…
In Antigone when she has to pick between the law of man and divine law she sides with the latter. For this reason she is forced to challenge her society and go against what is socially acceptable. Not only does she go against King Creon’s rule but she also goes beyond her role as a women. In this society the king’s rule goes above all other rule including religious ones. Her family is so important to her that she goes against everyone to do what she thinks is right not what society wants her to conform to. Here she is going against the preconceived notions that society has placed on her for being a women and the sister of a traitor. Similarly in Abelard and Heloise they had to challenge the authority and restrictions placed upon them. However they don’t just challenge their society but god as well. They challenge society but not conforming to their ideals of getting married then having children and living a normal socially accepted life. Then they go against god by having sexual relations outside the sanctity of marriage which is seen as a great sin. Even when her uncle tries to keep them away they still sneak around to be together not caring about god or their society. Later they both fell guilty about their transgressions, especially Abelard and get married. This is not what Heloise wanted though. In Abelard and Heloise, The Letters and Other Writings 55.27 she states that she only wanted him not what he had to give
The societies in both Antigone and The letters of Abelard and Heloise have similar yet contrasting methods of controlling their citizens. They are similar in that they both have conflicts between the law of man and divine law, the view of women in society, and have preconceived notions to conform to. However they defer in the way they react to these restrictions and laws.
One important aspect of this was divine law versus the law of man. In Antigone’s society there was a large disparity between doing what the church or bible said as well as following the laws mandated by the king. One of these disparities was the fact that the king Creon forbad people labeled as traitors to have a proper burial. The church however placed great importance in the burial of the dead and it was seen as the responsibility of the family. For this reason Antigone is outraged when only one of her brothers is given the proper burial while to other is left out as a traitor. She takes it upon herself to bury her brother no matter the consequences. In this case she sides with divine law instead of human law or that of the king. In this case her society as a whole restricted her freedom …show more content…
In Antigone when she has to pick between the law of man and divine law she sides with the latter. For this reason she is forced to challenge her society and go against what is socially acceptable. Not only does she go against King Creon’s rule but she also goes beyond her role as a women. In this society the king’s rule goes above all other rule including religious ones. Her family is so important to her that she goes against everyone to do what she thinks is right not what society wants her to conform to. Here she is going against the preconceived notions that society has placed on her for being a women and the sister of a traitor. Similarly in Abelard and Heloise they had to challenge the authority and restrictions placed upon them. However they don’t just challenge their society but god as well. They challenge society but not conforming to their ideals of getting married then having children and living a normal socially accepted life. Then they go against god by having sexual relations outside the sanctity of marriage which is seen as a great sin. Even when her uncle tries to keep them away they still sneak around to be together not caring about god or their society. Later they both fell guilty about their transgressions, especially Abelard and get married. This is not what Heloise wanted though. In Abelard and Heloise, The Letters and Other Writings 55.27 she states that she only wanted him not what he had to give