Term Papers on Antigone

Term Paper Title	Antigone
# of Words	904
# of Pages (250 words per page double spaced)	3.62

Antigone

In Ancient Greece, new ideals surfaced as answers to life’s complicated questions.  These new beliefs were
centered on the expanding field of science.  Man was focused on more than the Gods or heavenly concerns.
A government that was ruled by the people was suggested as opposed to a monarchy that had existed for
many years.  Freedom of religion was encouraged to be exercised in city-states.  These new ideals, though
good in intentions, often conflicted with each other creating complex moral dilemmas.
Such was the case in Antigone a play written by Sophocles during this era of change.  In the play, Antigone
and Creon battle a philosophical war dealing with the controversy of the Greek ideals.  They both based
their actions on their beliefs of what is right and wrong.  The conflict arose when the ideals that backed up
their actions clashed with each other, making it contradiction between morals.
Antigone’s side of the conflict held a much more heavenly approach, as opposed to the mundane road that
Creon chose to follow.  Antigone feels that Creon is disregarding the laws of heaven through  his edict.
After she is captured and brought to Creon, she tells him “I do not think your edicts strong enough to
overrule the unwritten unalterable laws of God and heaven, you being only a man.”  Antigone’s staunch
opinion is one that supports the Gods and the laws of heaven.  Her reasoning is set by her belief that if
someone is not given a proper burial, that person would not be accepted into heaven.  Antigone was a very
religious person, and acceptance of her brother by the Gods was very important to her.  She felt that “It is
against you and me he has made this order.  Yes, against me.”  Creon’s order was personal to Antigone.
His edict invaded her family life as well as the Gods’.
An important ideal in Ancient Greece was the belief that the government was to have no control in matters
concerning religious beliefs.  In Antigone’s eyes, Creon betrayed that ideal by not allowing her to properly
bury her brother, Polynices.  She believed that the burial was a religious ceremony, and Creon did not have
the power to deny Polynices that right.  Antigone’s strong beliefs eventually led her to her death by the
hand of Creon.  Never, though, did she stop defending what she thought was right.  As Creon ordered her to
her death, Antigone exclaimed, “I go, his prisoner, because I honoured those things in which honour truly
belongs.”  She is directly humiliating Creon by calling his opinions and decisions weak and unjust.  She
also emphasizes “his prisoner,” which tells us that Creon’s decision to capture Antigone was his...

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