Antigone essay
Pablo Suarez
Ms. Durso
English II Honors
7 March 2013
“Like Father, Like ?....” The old aphorism “Like father like son” does not apply in the relationship between Creon and Haemon as their morality levels fall abruptly in contrasting stages of Kohlberg’s moral hierarchy. Haemon’s support to a government containing a flexible contract categorizes him under the fifth moral stage, which is very different from Creon’s foruth stage of morality. “ I beg you, do not be unchangeable./do not believe that you alone can be right./ The man who thinks that, the man who maintains/ That only he has the power to reason correctly,/ the gift to speak, the soul- a man like that,/ when you know him, turns out empty” ( Scene 3, lines 53-61).Haemon believes that when decisions, such as new laws or decrees, fail to show effectiveness they should be reconsidered by the decider, even if it requires that person to swallow his/her own pride. A democracy is fundamental for this exemplary candidate, who defends that decisions should be reached through majority and compromise; he implies this when he said. “Yet there are other men/ Who can reason, too; and their opinions might be helpful./ You are not in a position to know everything/ That people say or do, or what they feel:/ Your temper terrifies--everyone/ Will tell you only what you like to hear.” (Scene3, lines 42-48In the dilemma,involving the punishment of Antigone, Haemon strongly believes that Creon should listen to the elder man, and to take into account their prospectives when making a decision. Evaluating the different values, beliefs, and rights encountered in the world is one of the ideas and values that people with a stage five morality use to respond to a moral dilemma, such a Antigone’s cruel punishment or Heinz’s sudden decision.
Ms. Durso
English II Honors
7 March 2013
“Like Father, Like ?....” The old aphorism “Like father like son” does not apply in the relationship between Creon and Haemon as their morality levels fall abruptly in contrasting stages of Kohlberg’s moral hierarchy. Haemon’s support to a government containing a flexible contract categorizes him under the fifth moral stage, which is very different from Creon’s foruth stage of morality. “ I beg you, do not be unchangeable./do not believe that you alone can be right./ The man who thinks that, the man who maintains/ That only he has the power to reason correctly,/ the gift to speak, the soul- a man like that,/ when you know him, turns out empty” ( Scene 3, lines 53-61).Haemon believes that when decisions, such as new laws or decrees, fail to show effectiveness they should be reconsidered by the decider, even if it requires that person to swallow his/her own pride. A democracy is fundamental for this exemplary candidate, who defends that decisions should be reached through majority and compromise; he implies this when he said. “Yet there are other men/ Who can reason, too; and their opinions might be helpful./ You are not in a position to know everything/ That people say or do, or what they feel:/ Your temper terrifies--everyone/ Will tell you only what you like to hear.” (Scene3, lines 42-48In the dilemma,involving the punishment of Antigone, Haemon strongly believes that Creon should listen to the elder man, and to take into account their prospectives when making a decision. Evaluating the different values, beliefs, and rights encountered in the world is one of the ideas and values that people with a stage five morality use to respond to a moral dilemma, such a Antigone’s cruel punishment or Heinz’s sudden decision.