Morally Correct Option In Antigone, By Sophocles

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In the play, Antigone, the conflict arises when King Creon decrees that Polynices is not to receive burial rights, because Polynices decided to rebel and war against the kingdom of Thebes’ (Fitts, Fitzgerald, and Sophocles 196). However, Antigone, Polynices’ sister believes that she has the moral right to give her brother a proper burial and so defies Creon. The play examines and attempts to answer the question: When is it appropriate to choose the morally correct option over the legally correct option? This is one of the most interesting and thought provoking questions that people have been struggling with, and continue to struggle with, since the creation of ordered society. Furthermore, the play, Antigone, asks us to ponder whether or not there is ever a time, in which we should disobey the law. To a Greek citizen at the time to not receive burial rights is the ultimate shame for the dead and an eternal punishment for Polynices; this punishment would be taboo and considered extremely uncouth. Moreover, as it was pointed out by Choragus, while Creon has the right to make such a law (Fitts, Fitzgerald, and Sophocles 199), this punishment oversteps his bounds as a ruler. In response to this overstep Antigone decides to disobey Creon, because she feels that Creon does not have the right to stop her from giving her brother his last burial rights…show more content…
When Antigone refused Ismene from being culpable in burying Polynices was not just because Antigone was still mad at Ismene, but also she did not want Ismene to receive any glory from the God's ((Fitts, Fitzgerald, and Sophocles 213). Antigone did what she thought was right and just according to her faith. The play questions should a king stop personal rights when it encroaches on a person’s faith, especially when the faith is not harming anyone and done by an upstanding
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