Creon's Choice In Sophocles Antigone

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Antigone, the main character in Sophocles’ play Antigone, was faced with a troublesome decision. Creon, the antagonist of the story and the king of the Thebes, forces upon Antigone a very difficult choice. She must choose rather to bury her dead brother and obey laws of the Gods or obey the laws of men and leave him to rot. Antigone’s brothers Eteocles and Polyneices agreed to share the throne when their father died. Eteocles was to rule over Thebes and then give Polyneices a turn. But Eteocles banished Polyneices under his rule. They battled each other, killing one another in the process. Their uncle Creon, upon inheriting the throne, believed that Polyneices was a traitor and that only Eteocles should be honored with a great funeral. While on the other hand he declared that Polyneices’ corps would be left on the street to rot. Saying that if anyone were to tamper with the body it would be considered a federal crime.…show more content…
She also believed that one could not pass into the afterlife until a proper burial. So thus she believed it was the Gods will and law that her brother be buried. In many ways she was right to defy the king’s authority. In her mind she placed the law of the Gods above the laws of men saying, "The laws of the gods have been, will be, and continue to be.” She knew that the laws of the gods should be put first. Even above the law of men, which should be followed only in accordance to the laws of the Gods. For this reason, Antigone felt that what she was doing was right; even if it meant committing a crime that would most likely get her killed. She went against the king to obey what she believed in was right; which in many ways can be considered

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