Throughout Ancient Greek history, a theme present throughout time has been the conflict between divine and civil law and its fatal results. In the Iliad and the Odyssey, it was made evident that man’s desire to preserve his memory on earth after death often led them to commit acts of hubris, which was anything that disrespected the gods. In Antigone, Creon’s loyalty to the land of Thebes led him to commit an act of hubris by leaving Eteocles’s body out to rot and not burying him properly. Antigone’s understanding that the rule of the gods cannot be overridden by the rule of mankind is an ideal upheld by many of the Ancient Greek heroes. She states that, “For me it was not Zeus who made that order, nor did that Justice who lives with the gods
…show more content…
Antigone’s acceptance of her generational fates coincide with the ideals the Greeks qualify with heroism. It was believed and widely accepted by the Greeks that the gods were in control of the future and that their lives were inescapably predetermined. This was especially true for generational curses. Antigone states “You speak of my darkest thought, my pitiful father's fame, spread through all the world, and the doom that haunts our house, the glorious house of Labdacus. My mother's marriage bed. Destruction where she lay with her husband-son, my father. These are my parents and their child. I go stay with them. My curse is to die unwed. My brother, you found your fate when you found your bride, found it for me as well. Dead, you destroy my life” (859-871)”. She alleges that her death was predestined to be dishonorable due to the curse of her deceased parents. It was viewed as an act of hubris for man to attempt to escape their fate because it suggested that they were prideful in their abilities to out-do the gods. Antigone is noted for exercising free will in accordance with the fate. She did not fear doing what she thought was morally correct for fear of being murdered at the hangs of Creon. However, Antigone, upon death, exemplified a hunger for kleos and excessive amounts of pride even in accordance with her. Antigone, like all tragic heroes, is endowed with a fatal flaw (hamartia). Her excessive pride often times negatively affected her decisions and distorts her values. Her suicide paints the image that she was a martyr for her already dead brother’s justice, which could suggest she was still attempting to attain glory. Nevertheless, it is critical to point out that suicide is dishonorable and not considered heroic. Her suicide was a direct result of her belief that her shameful death was inevitable. Fundamentally, it could be said that her suicide was an attempt at taking control of her own fate.
Antigone’s acceptance of her generational fates coincide with the ideals the Greeks qualify with heroism. It was believed and widely accepted by the Greeks that the gods were in control of the future and that their lives were inescapably predetermined. This was especially true for generational curses. Antigone states “You speak of my darkest thought, my pitiful father's fame, spread through all the world, and the doom that haunts our house, the glorious house of Labdacus. My mother's marriage bed. Destruction where she lay with her husband-son, my father. These are my parents and their child. I go stay with them. My curse is to die unwed. My brother, you found your fate when you found your bride, found it for me as well. Dead, you destroy my life” (859-871)”. She alleges that her death was predestined to be dishonorable due to the curse of her deceased parents. It was viewed as an act of hubris for man to attempt to escape their fate because it suggested that they were prideful in their abilities to out-do the gods. Antigone is noted for exercising free will in accordance with the fate. She did not fear doing what she thought was morally correct for fear of being murdered at the hangs of Creon. However, Antigone, upon death, exemplified a hunger for kleos and excessive amounts of pride even in accordance with her. Antigone, like all tragic heroes, is endowed with a fatal flaw (hamartia). Her excessive pride often times negatively affected her decisions and distorts her values. Her suicide paints the image that she was a martyr for her already dead brother’s justice, which could suggest she was still attempting to attain glory. Nevertheless, it is critical to point out that suicide is dishonorable and not considered heroic. Her suicide was a direct result of her belief that her shameful death was inevitable. Fundamentally, it could be said that her suicide was an attempt at taking control of her own fate.