Ethics Vs. Antigone
Ghias 1
Ammar Ghias
Mrs. Schreiber
World Literature
15 November 2014
Ethics vs
Morals
: Which is Better to Have
Morals and ethics seem like the same thing, however, they are not. If you examine the two closely, morals are shown to be what a person believes about what is right and wrong. Ethics are what a society value in a person. The Greek tragedy,
Antigone
, shows us that morals are more helpful in a person. In the play, by following morals, Antigone was able to be content with
Antigone’s decision to bury Antigone’s brother, helped bring the city to Antigone’s side, and helped bring out Antigone’s true personality as a brave and defiant person.
Antigone was able to come to terms with her decision to bury her brother, because of her …show more content…
“
My nails are broken, my fingers are bleeding, my arms are covered with the welts left by the paws of your guards – but I am a queen…” (Antigone 508 509). This quote, using imagery, shows us that Antigone has been hurt a lot by the guards. However, since she was following her morals, she wasn’t giving in to the guards’ abuse. This was only possible because she was content with herself. Antigone declared herself a queen. If a person declares him/herself royalty, that means the person is confident and believes that his/her ideals are the only correct ones. When Antigone declared herself a queen, it meant that Antigone was confident and had not bowed in to the law.
Ghias 2
Antigone was able to shift most of the city’s point of view to Antigone’s point of view.
"[T]he city mourns for this girl; they think she is dying/most wrongly and undeservedly/of …show more content…
By displaying Antigone’s morality and burying Antigone’s brother, Polynices, despite the consequences, Antigone eventually got the city to get on
Antigone’s side. Antigone’s city, although the people were originally against Antigone, eventually saw Antigone’s reasons why Antigone buried Polyneices and why Creon, who was following ethics, was wrong to convict Antigone. As is shown, morality is therefore helpful in influencing others opinion.
Following morals will help bring out one's personality. "I did not believe/your proclamation had such power to enable/one who will someday die to override/God's ordinances, unwritten and secure./They are not of today and yesterday;/they live forever; none knows when first they were./These are the laws whose penalties I would not/incur from the gods, through fear of any man's temper" (Antigone 496 503). Following Antigone’s instincts and morals, Antigone buried Antigone’s brother, which led to Antigone being arrested. After Antigone was arrested,
Antigone’s true nature came out, as strong and defiant person. Before that, Antigone had no reason to be defiant, or in that case, too strong either. But when Antigone’s beliefs and
Ammar Ghias
Mrs. Schreiber
World Literature
15 November 2014
Ethics vs
Morals
: Which is Better to Have
Morals and ethics seem like the same thing, however, they are not. If you examine the two closely, morals are shown to be what a person believes about what is right and wrong. Ethics are what a society value in a person. The Greek tragedy,
Antigone
, shows us that morals are more helpful in a person. In the play, by following morals, Antigone was able to be content with
Antigone’s decision to bury Antigone’s brother, helped bring the city to Antigone’s side, and helped bring out Antigone’s true personality as a brave and defiant person.
Antigone was able to come to terms with her decision to bury her brother, because of her …show more content…
“
My nails are broken, my fingers are bleeding, my arms are covered with the welts left by the paws of your guards – but I am a queen…” (Antigone 508 509). This quote, using imagery, shows us that Antigone has been hurt a lot by the guards. However, since she was following her morals, she wasn’t giving in to the guards’ abuse. This was only possible because she was content with herself. Antigone declared herself a queen. If a person declares him/herself royalty, that means the person is confident and believes that his/her ideals are the only correct ones. When Antigone declared herself a queen, it meant that Antigone was confident and had not bowed in to the law.
Ghias 2
Antigone was able to shift most of the city’s point of view to Antigone’s point of view.
"[T]he city mourns for this girl; they think she is dying/most wrongly and undeservedly/of …show more content…
By displaying Antigone’s morality and burying Antigone’s brother, Polynices, despite the consequences, Antigone eventually got the city to get on
Antigone’s side. Antigone’s city, although the people were originally against Antigone, eventually saw Antigone’s reasons why Antigone buried Polyneices and why Creon, who was following ethics, was wrong to convict Antigone. As is shown, morality is therefore helpful in influencing others opinion.
Following morals will help bring out one's personality. "I did not believe/your proclamation had such power to enable/one who will someday die to override/God's ordinances, unwritten and secure./They are not of today and yesterday;/they live forever; none knows when first they were./These are the laws whose penalties I would not/incur from the gods, through fear of any man's temper" (Antigone 496 503). Following Antigone’s instincts and morals, Antigone buried Antigone’s brother, which led to Antigone being arrested. After Antigone was arrested,
Antigone’s true nature came out, as strong and defiant person. Before that, Antigone had no reason to be defiant, or in that case, too strong either. But when Antigone’s beliefs and