Antigone, the tragic heroine in her namesake play by Sophocles, is no Juliet. She is kick-butt awesome because she is in no way passive or overdramatic. Well, let me explain:
Antigone is the daughter of Oedipus. Yes, that Oedipus. She still lives in Thebes, which is under the rule of Creon, her uncle. Recently, her brothers killed each other for the control of Thebes. One was supported by Creon and was given a respectful burial fit for someone of his status. The other brother, however, is left to rot on the battlefield and Creon declares that no person shall give a proper burial for him because he was a traitor. Antigone, though, feels like this law is immoral and goes to bury her brother anyways. She is caught by the guards and brought to an angered Creon, to whom which she lays the following verbal smackdown:
"I disobeyed because the law was not
The law of Zeus nor the law ordained
By Justice, Justice dwelling deep
Among the gods of the dead. What they decree
Is immemorial and binding for us all.
The proclamation had your force behind it
But it was mortal force,"
Antigone's words towards Creon raises questions for us all. Which is the higher power. laws made by man or laws made by morality? If they come in conflict, which do we heed by? The tragedy in Antigone lies in the fact that the heroine was punished for doing the right thing, the right thing that most people believed in but were too scared to uphold. I feel that this play's message is echoed by the voices of the Civil Rights and Women movements: when the law is morally wrong, do not be afraid to stand up for your beliefs.
Antigone is the daughter of Oedipus. Yes, that Oedipus. She still lives in Thebes, which is under the rule of Creon, her uncle. Recently, her brothers killed each other for the control of Thebes. One was supported by Creon and was given a respectful burial fit for someone of his status. The other brother, however, is left to rot on the battlefield and Creon declares that no person shall give a proper burial for him because he was a traitor. Antigone, though, feels like this law is immoral and goes to bury her brother anyways. She is caught by the guards and brought to an angered Creon, to whom which she lays the following verbal smackdown:
"I disobeyed because the law was not
The law of Zeus nor the law ordained
By Justice, Justice dwelling deep
Among the gods of the dead. What they decree
Is immemorial and binding for us all.
The proclamation had your force behind it
But it was mortal force,"
Antigone's words towards Creon raises questions for us all. Which is the higher power. laws made by man or laws made by morality? If they come in conflict, which do we heed by? The tragedy in Antigone lies in the fact that the heroine was punished for doing the right thing, the right thing that most people believed in but were too scared to uphold. I feel that this play's message is echoed by the voices of the Civil Rights and Women movements: when the law is morally wrong, do not be afraid to stand up for your beliefs.