'To Break Or Not To Break In Sophocles Antigone'

Celone Verna
English 101.2652
Professor. Van Slyck
October 4, 2011

To Break or Not to Break?

All through the play of Antigone, written by Sophocles, Antigone believes in the supremacy of religious law and tradition. Although Creon has proclaimed to the city that the traitor, Polynices, should not be buried, Antigone insists on following the religious law requiring that females bury the deceased of their family. Antigone’s pride ensures that she will die rather than renounce her beliefs or loyalty towards her brother, thereby brining further tragedy to herself and others.

Antigone is a young uncompromising and determined woman who believes that “we have little time to please the living but all eternity to love the dead” (Sophocles
128). which demonstrates the loyalty she ha for her brother Polynices.
She has made a firm decision in burying her brother and no one can tell her otherwise. Antigone’s motivation from beginning to end is the unconditional love and devotion she has for her brother, Polynices. This is what brings her to her final courageous decision in accepting full responsibility for her actions and acknowledging that execution is the penalty for anyone who disobeys the royal decree. Antigone begins to have a conversation with her younger sister, Ismene, explaining how she will go about burying her brother, Polynices. At one point she asks Ismene if she can help her lift the body. Ismene apologizes and replies, no, because she will be going against her uncle King Creon’s orders and is aware that execution is the punishment. Antigone isn’t so pleased with the answer and replies, “Is he not my brother, and yours, whether you like it or not? I shall never desert him, never” (Sophocles 128). In other words, she doesn’t mind dying. She refuses to betray Polyncies and will not leave him
above ground exposed to the elements, dogs and birds but will rather grant him a proper burial. Ismene attempts to talk sense into her sister Antigone, but Antigone is already firm about her decision. Antigone explains to her sister that death isn’t a burden to her, "I will bury my brother; / And if I die for it, what happiness! / Convicted of reverence - I shall be content / To lie beside a bother whom I love" (Sophocles 128). Antigone is stating how she’s committing a crime worth committing because it is morally right and will be more than honored to sleep in peace with her brother, Polynices.

Uncompromising and determined are not the only words that describe Antigone; she is also very passionate and courageous.
Throughout the play Antigone demonstrates how strongly she feels about her religious beliefs. She is driven by her religious beliefs through the play and will not let the rules of a man overpower God’s. When Antigone is brought to face her uncle, King Creon, she admits that she knew what she was getting herself into. Astonished, King Creon says “and you still went and disobeyed my orders anyways?” (Sophocles 138). Antigone replies, “Yes, that order did not come from God. Justice / that dwells with the gods below knows no such law. / I did not think your edicts strong enough / to overrule the unwritten unalterable laws / of God and heaven, you being only a man” (Sophocles 138). Antigone is explaining that she will not obey an order that came from a human being just like herself. Although she may seem rebellious she makes it clear that she will never disobey a religious law or tradition no matter what the punishment is. Of course to everyone she seems stubborn and daring but to her it isn’t the case it’s actually the complete opposite. Antigone believes in her heart that what she’s doing is right because in her religion when a family member dies you owe them a proper burial. King Creon says to her not only are you alone but unashamed and she explains to him that she has no shame in burying her brother. It was a decision she made. Antigone says "If this is
God 's will, I shall learn my lesson in death; but if my enemies are wrong, I wish them no worse punishment than mine" (Sophocles 150). She accepts that what she has done is wrong according to the state laws but according to religion it isn’t. She lets everyone know that if she is wrong then to forgive her courageous ways because she will learn her lesson but if all the people who are against her are wrong for them to go through the torment she went through. Antigone has a great deal of respect for the traditional ways and will continue to respect them for as long as she lives.

Ultimately it is apparent that Antigone’s dedication was the reason she made the dangerous decision in dying for what’s believed to be right. I believe Sophocles admires Antigone the same way I do because it’s almost impossible to not admire her. Even though her sister, Ismene, didn’t help her with the burial she was in no shape or form ashamed to stand next to Antigone in time of her trial. Similarly King Creon’s son, Haemon, disagrees with his father’s unaccommodating ways, which in a way is showing admiration for Antigone. Haemon understands Antigone because she also doesn’t see eye to eye with King Creon. She goes through hell and back before actually dying just because she had her own beliefs and would not be in peace unless she gave her brother what he deserved traditionally. Sophocles is explaining the values of the Greek world through Antigone’s eyes. Each character has a specific role and personality in which demonstrates how each person has a different view in situations and how there was no balance in agreeing and disagreeing. Antigone’s part in the play reveals how loyalty and religion played a huge role in situations and sometimes state laws overpowered religious laws. It was your decision on whether you believed in the supremacy of the king or if you believed in God. Death however could have been the outcome.

Work Cited

Sophocles. Antigone. In The Theban Plays. Trans. E.F Watling. London: Penguin, 1974.