Religion In Antigone

Throughout history, many civilizations have appeared and subsequently disappeared. How societies function has also differed drastically from one society to another. In ancient Mesopotamian and Hebrew civilizations, however, three roles have been constant: the importance of family, the importance of religion, and the importance of government. Although their order of priority was not set in stone, one can see their significance in daily life. The play Antigone, written by the Greek playwrighter Sophocles, is a prime example of the colliding relationships between family, religion, and government in ancient Mesopotamian and Hebrew civilization. In order to understand how Antigone relates to these civilizations, one needs to understand how religion …show more content…
This is exhibited in one instance by Antigone’s sister, Ismene. From the very start, Antigone planned to bury Polyneices, and she asked Ismene for help. Ismene refused by replying, “I’ll ask those underground for pardon— since I’m being compelled, I will obey those in control… I’m not disrespecting [my family]. But I can’t act against the state” (“Sophocles Antigone”). In this statement Ismene tells that obeying the government, by obeying the degreed law, was her first and foremost devotion. Secondly, it was honoring her family, which she trusted that she was still doing by refusing her sister’s request. Her last commitment was to religion, or the gods, as she admitted that she may have to ask for forgiveness for her actions. Later in the play she decides that her first duty is to family and offers to die with her sister, but her actions were already set in stone. This corresponds to the Law Code of Hammurabi from Mesopotamian civilization. Although all aspects of the law were important, some seem more important for others. Take for example the law “If a son strike his father, his hands shall be hewn off” (The Book of Exodus) in contrast to the law “If any one ensnare another, putting a ban upon him, but he can not prove it, then he that ensnared him shall be put to death” (The Laws of Hammurabi). The one focused on families, establishing that children should respect their parents. To make this happen, if a son hit the father, the son’s hand would be cut off. The other focuses on the works of the government, saying that if someone accused someone else of a crime, but couldn’t prove its truth, the accuser would receive capital punishment. Neither law is insignificant, but the one regarding works of the government has a more severe punishment than the one dealing with family relationships. In both Antigone and