Many times in life one must face decisions that could have an adverse effect on one’s future. The reasons behind these decisions determine whether it is right or wrong. Sometimes these reasons may be right for one but not another. Most times it is just a matter of opinion if a decision is right or wrong. In Sophocles’ play Antigone, the main character must make a choice about what is right and what is wrong based on her beliefs in family, God, and doing what is right no matter what the consequences are.
Antigone had a strong belief in standing up for family. When she first makes her decision to bury her brother, in total disregard for a law forbidding it, she asks her sister, Ismene, for help. She gives her sister an ultimatum when she says: “And now you can prove what you are: A true sister, or a traitor to your family” (26-27).
Antigone would rather face the consequences of breaking the law than to allow her brother’s body to be eaten by the wolves and birds. When she faces the king she makes reference to the fact that her brother is blood and therefore worthy of her loyalty no matter what he may have done (409).
Antigone has a strong belief in sticking by family even in the face of deadly consequences.
Religious beliefs are a big factor in Antigone’s decision to break the law and bury her brother. When her sister tried to argue with her saying that she should not break the law, Antigone insists that the crime is holy and no law of man should be placed above that of God’s law (56).
The Essay on How policies/laws may affect family life
In this essay I will be writing about what changes state policies and laws have made to the society and how they may affect family life by doing so. There are many policies/laws out there that have had an effect on family life and one of these was the ‘Child Support Act’ which led to the formation of the ‘Child Support Agency’. Other policies/laws include the Family Law Act ...
When the king questions her about why she breaks the law she says: “It was not God’s proclamation. That final justice” (354).
All of the dead should be treated the same no matter what the living may think of them. Antigone makes this point when she says to King Creon: “Nevertheless, there are honors due all the dead” (410).
When the king tries to say that the wicked are not due the same treatment Antigone goes on to say: “Which of us can say what the god’s hold wicked?” (413).
To Antigone, the law of God is of much more concern than the laws of man.
Antigone makes her decision to bury her brother because she feels it is right and she does not care what the consequences may be. She tells her sister that Creon cannot and will not stand in her way to do what is right (35).
She clarifies this to her sister even more when she says: “But I will bury him; and if I must die…I shall lie down” (55-56).
When the king asked here if she knew about the law forbidding the burying of her brother, she says: “It was public. Could I help hearing it?” (357).
She does not care about the law or the reasoning for it because she feels it is wrong. She only cares about doing what is right and to hell with the consequences.
Many people would feel as if laws should not be broken no matter what. The laws of the land, after all, are supposed to be for the good of society as a whole and if we allow people to break them based on their “beliefs” or “opinion” than we’d have anarchy. On the other hand, some believe that they should stand up for what is right regardless of what the laws say. Some of these people, however, are not willing to accept the consequences for such actions. Antigone was more than willing to accept them and she did.
