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Kantian Concept Of Justice In Sophocles Antigone

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Kantian Concept of Justice in Antigone Every society has laws. Whether those laws conflict with divine laws depends on the interruption each individual makes according to their own religious connections. In Antigone, the protagonist Antigone acts of divine law. Antigone believes that although the state has its own laws, so do the Gods thus urging her to give her brother Polynices a proper burial. According to the antagonist and the king of Thebes, Creon, mankind should obey the laws of the state rather than divine laws that are determined by each individual. Furthermore, famous philosopher Emmanuel Kant’s ideas of ethics can be applied to both the antagonist and protagonist Creon and Antigone. According to Kant the “morally important …show more content…
In the article Sophocles’ Antigone and Family Values, author Rush Rhem goes into detail about the significances of family values in Antigone. In the article it shows evidence that Ismene believes that her family has done so much harm to Thebes Antigone, and herself should follow any laws placed before them. Antigone’s beliefs differ from Ismene with that she feels as if she has a moral obligation to go against the law and lay her brother to rest. Perhaps the missing message in the play Antigone comes from a Kantian perspective. Antigone’s decision to go against the law and give her brother a proper burial is a motion of freedom. Antigone believes that her brother will not be free until he has his proper burial, proving that the Kantian idea of morality not being happiness, but freedom in Antigone …show more content…
Philosopher Emmanuel Kant’s views on different things such as duty, morality, fate, and freedom impact Antigone in a massive way. Both Creon and Antigone decisions impacted not only themselves but the people around them. And when looking at this from a Kantian perspective it is easy to see that both Creon and Antigone made decisions that didn’t better the people of Thebes as a whole. And also they made rational decisions with out thinking about the consequences of their actions. In Antigone’s quest to bring justice to her brother Polynices not only did she die of suicide but so did Ismene and Haemon. And because of the Creon’s decision to make a law prohibiting the burial of Polynices he created havoc on the city of Thebes. When applying Emmanuel Kant’s theories of ethics to the play Antigone it is clear that both the antagonist and protagonist are

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