The tale of Antigone is a tragedy, one that clearly demonstrates that might does not always make right. Despite being written more than 3000 years ago, the central dilemma in Antigone is one that remains highly relevant to contemporary society and individuals. For in the conflict between Antigone and King Creon is wrapped the larger conflict between the individual and the state. Antigone is outraged that King Creon has declared that her warrior brother cannot receive a proper burial. An enemy of the state, her brother is denied such a burial by King CreonÆs dictate. Despite his dictate, Antigone buries her brother in defiance of King CreonÆs law. As such, Antigone is sentenced to death and dies for the principles she believes in, ones that go against the StateÆs laws.
When Ismene, AntigoneÆs sister, does not have the heart to bury her brother in defiance of the law, Antigone volunteers to bury him herself. As she informs her sister, ôI know that I please where I am most bound to please,ö (Sophocles, 463). Unlike Ismene, who admits she has ôno strengthö to ôdefy the state,ö AntigoneÆs actions are based on her belief that what she does is in accordance with a higher law than state law. Antigone maintains that in burying her brother, she is obeying the higher law of the Gods. She views CreonÆs law as unjust, so she willingly invokes his wrath to obey the laws of the Gods, which she feels are more just and take precedence over CreonÆs laws.
There are some critics who believe that Antigone, despite her sense of a higher justice and law, is wrong to go against State law or the laws of Creon. Many feel this way because they maintain that without State law society would dissolve into chaos as individuals chose to do whatever they felt like doing. This is why Antigone must face the consequences of disobeying CreonÆs law, despite her belief that she is doing the right thing. However, critic Joseph Gerhard maint...