Punishment In Antigone Essay

Antigone’s Punishment: Too Far?
Do the gods have the right to be angry with a whole city due to the definitive actions of one ruler? Can a ruler capitalize on, and penalize, a naive girl who is just endeavoring to please the higher world? Antigone should not be prosecuted for infringing upon Creon’s unsubstantiated and immoral law, given that she was simply trying to follow what the Gods have asked of her . Antigone is left in a vital predicament of whether to disobey the state or uphold her religion and bury Polynices. Antigone feels she has a moral obligation to bury her brother, but due to Creon’s edict stating that no one is allowed to bury the traitor (Polynices), she is forbidden from doing so under current legislation. Solely as a compromise between her ethics and what is allowable under Creon’s arrogant and sexist rule, she performs a minimalistic ritual for her brother as to not fully disobey the laws. Creon’s unfit personality overpowers his thinking ability, which leads him into making hasty, irrational …show more content…
A demonstration of Creon’s hubris is when he speaks with Tiresias and states, “ This slander of yours---are you aware you are speaking to the king?” Shown in this situation, Creon allows for his hubris to get in the way of rational thinking. Because he is a king, he believes he cannot be fallacious. This fact correlates to his motives; he thinks that his laws are fair and just, though they are not whatsoever. Making this law carries out his wishes in flaunting his power to the city of Thebes. Supporters of this law may argue that he is just taking the role of a King and keeping order. The king has the power to make any law, though, that law may not be equitable as denoted with Creon's law. If the law is being upheld for rash thoughts and biases, to make a point against women, and to protect the lawmaker’s reputation, then this law should be