"The Law Is the Law": an Analysis of Law and Justice in Antigone and Trifles
"The law is the law":
An analysis of law and justice in Antigone and Trifles
Néstor Díaz
Dr. Rosa Vallejo
INGL 3012 LI1
March 19, 2011
"The law is the law": an analysis of law and justice in Antigone and Trifles
“Objection!” The lawyer acts quickly in an attempt to disallow a certain piece of evidence. He or she considers the evidence unjust and opposes its use. The lawyer’s opposition may bear fruit in the form of a rejection to said piece of evidence. Much like a lawyer opposes an unjust piece of evidence, the protagonists in Sophocles’s Antigone and Susan Glaspell’s Trifles oppose the law, since they consider it unjust. Their opposition bears fruit as well: the characters end up breaking the law. Yet while their actions are crystal clear, the characters’ motivations are somewhat foggy. Why do they consider the law unjust? What determines the justice of a law? Both Sophocles' Antigone and Susan Glaspell's Trifles coincide: the characters feel the law is unjust because it goes against tradition and unwritten law, and/or takes away something they cannot recover. If the concepts of justice and law are to be explored, it is only logical that base definitions be established for these concepts. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, justice is :
2. a : the quality of being just, impartial, or fair b (1) : the principle or ideal of just dealing or right action (2) : conformity to this principle or ideal : righteousness c : the quality of conforming to law
3. conformity to truth, fact, or reason
Based on this definition, justice will be interpreted as the ideal of righteousness or right action, based on truth, fact or reason. The concept of justice has been defined, but what about law? Once again, the Merriam-Webster dictionary will serve as a guiding light. According to said dictionary, law is:
1. a (1) : a binding custom or practice of a community : a rule of conduct or action prescribed or formally recognized as binding or enforced
An analysis of law and justice in Antigone and Trifles
Néstor Díaz
Dr. Rosa Vallejo
INGL 3012 LI1
March 19, 2011
"The law is the law": an analysis of law and justice in Antigone and Trifles
“Objection!” The lawyer acts quickly in an attempt to disallow a certain piece of evidence. He or she considers the evidence unjust and opposes its use. The lawyer’s opposition may bear fruit in the form of a rejection to said piece of evidence. Much like a lawyer opposes an unjust piece of evidence, the protagonists in Sophocles’s Antigone and Susan Glaspell’s Trifles oppose the law, since they consider it unjust. Their opposition bears fruit as well: the characters end up breaking the law. Yet while their actions are crystal clear, the characters’ motivations are somewhat foggy. Why do they consider the law unjust? What determines the justice of a law? Both Sophocles' Antigone and Susan Glaspell's Trifles coincide: the characters feel the law is unjust because it goes against tradition and unwritten law, and/or takes away something they cannot recover. If the concepts of justice and law are to be explored, it is only logical that base definitions be established for these concepts. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, justice is :
2. a : the quality of being just, impartial, or fair b (1) : the principle or ideal of just dealing or right action (2) : conformity to this principle or ideal : righteousness c : the quality of conforming to law
3. conformity to truth, fact, or reason
Based on this definition, justice will be interpreted as the ideal of righteousness or right action, based on truth, fact or reason. The concept of justice has been defined, but what about law? Once again, the Merriam-Webster dictionary will serve as a guiding light. According to said dictionary, law is:
1. a (1) : a binding custom or practice of a community : a rule of conduct or action prescribed or formally recognized as binding or enforced