Examples Of Justice In Antigone
Calen Timothy-Lash Jackman
Allison Smith
CLT 3370
November 25, 2013
Justice in the Antigone Not only is the Antigone an incredible work of drama and tragedy, it encompasses a great moral argument that has two sides; Antigone or Creon. It can also be said that the argument being made in either case is larger than the prerogatives of just these two people and more an argument between obeying the will of man or the will of the gods. Creon’s argument is for the former because of his motivation to let Polynices’s body sit in the sun and rot without giving the body a proper burial. The burial would also allow the soul of Polynices pass into the underworld in the eyes of the Greeks. Not only does this act go against the traditions of the Greek …show more content…
In Creon’s eyes Polynices was a trader to his own people and did not deserve to be given a proper burial. He attacked his own city and attempted to burn it to the ground because of his brother neglecting to give him his turn at the throne of Thebes. Antigone on the other hand believes that her brother should be given a proper burial so that he may enter the Underworld. Who is more justified? In my mind, Antigone is. First and foremost, Antigone is more justified because the refusal to bury the body of a dead person is not part of the “Greek Way”. Burial of one’s mortal body gives them passage to the underworld. In Creon’s refusal to bury the body of Polynices, he has not given the soul of Polynices his rightful passage into the Underworld. Not only does this contradict the feelings of the people of Thebes, it also contradicts the practices that have been taking place as a part of Greek battles since the …show more content…
When one dies and is then consequently buried by their families it not only completes a spiritual process of passing the soul to the underworld it also fulfills a moral responsibility that the death creates. It is a not just a part of the “Greek Way” to bury the body of a soul who has passed on it is also part of a moral tradition that is felt across all cultures. It is not always a way to allow the soul to pass into the afterlife it is more times than not a way to give the body a peaceful exit and bring the body back to where it had originally come from, the earth. It is a process of putting the body to peace which is owed to all human beings which does not always consist of burial. It can consist of burial rights like the ones that Antigone performed on Polynices the first time that she had visited the body. It can consist of cremation, a funeral, or very low-key ceremony to honor the dead. Giving the body a place to rest and a place to find peace is important across all cultures. By not burying the body of Polynices, Creon disrupted a human ritual, not a ritual just felt by the Greeks, but a ritual of honoring the body that is felt by all people of every walk of life on this planet. Creon, a mortal being, does not have the right to usurp the authority of the
Allison Smith
CLT 3370
November 25, 2013
Justice in the Antigone Not only is the Antigone an incredible work of drama and tragedy, it encompasses a great moral argument that has two sides; Antigone or Creon. It can also be said that the argument being made in either case is larger than the prerogatives of just these two people and more an argument between obeying the will of man or the will of the gods. Creon’s argument is for the former because of his motivation to let Polynices’s body sit in the sun and rot without giving the body a proper burial. The burial would also allow the soul of Polynices pass into the underworld in the eyes of the Greeks. Not only does this act go against the traditions of the Greek …show more content…
In Creon’s eyes Polynices was a trader to his own people and did not deserve to be given a proper burial. He attacked his own city and attempted to burn it to the ground because of his brother neglecting to give him his turn at the throne of Thebes. Antigone on the other hand believes that her brother should be given a proper burial so that he may enter the Underworld. Who is more justified? In my mind, Antigone is. First and foremost, Antigone is more justified because the refusal to bury the body of a dead person is not part of the “Greek Way”. Burial of one’s mortal body gives them passage to the underworld. In Creon’s refusal to bury the body of Polynices, he has not given the soul of Polynices his rightful passage into the Underworld. Not only does this contradict the feelings of the people of Thebes, it also contradicts the practices that have been taking place as a part of Greek battles since the …show more content…
When one dies and is then consequently buried by their families it not only completes a spiritual process of passing the soul to the underworld it also fulfills a moral responsibility that the death creates. It is a not just a part of the “Greek Way” to bury the body of a soul who has passed on it is also part of a moral tradition that is felt across all cultures. It is not always a way to allow the soul to pass into the afterlife it is more times than not a way to give the body a peaceful exit and bring the body back to where it had originally come from, the earth. It is a process of putting the body to peace which is owed to all human beings which does not always consist of burial. It can consist of burial rights like the ones that Antigone performed on Polynices the first time that she had visited the body. It can consist of cremation, a funeral, or very low-key ceremony to honor the dead. Giving the body a place to rest and a place to find peace is important across all cultures. By not burying the body of Polynices, Creon disrupted a human ritual, not a ritual just felt by the Greeks, but a ritual of honoring the body that is felt by all people of every walk of life on this planet. Creon, a mortal being, does not have the right to usurp the authority of the