Micro-activity #6: Antigone

In the reading, Antigone is being disobedient because she  believes that there are unjust laws, and that she has a moral duty to disobey a law that contradicts what she thinks is right. This is particularly the case when the law of the city contradicts the customs of the people and the traditional laws of the gods. Antigone’s decision not to follow Creon’s decree against giving Polynices a proper burial is therefore an example of civil disobedience, or a refusal to obey the law on moral grounds .Eteocles and Polynices, the two brothers of Antigone, both die after fighting in the Theban civil war. While Eteocles was honored as a hero, Polynices receives a harsh punishment by Creon, the new king. Creon believes Polynices is a traitor, and does not deserve to have a proper burial. Despite the king’s proclamation, Antigone vows to bury her brother’s body. She disobeys the state laws, and is not afraid to speak up for her moral act. Creon is furious at her disobedience and decides to punish her to death. The main conflict revolves around the questions of natural laws versus human laws. Creon insists that everyone must listen to his orders. Being the king of the country, he makes the laws, and everyone must obey him. On the other hand, the citizens of Thebes also live up to god’s laws which have been embedded deeply in their culture. Not giving a proper burial to a person is immoral and against traditional beliefs. This becomes Antigone’s greatest motivator. She wants to avenge her brothers. In my opinion ,she is seen as a hero because all her wrong doings are for just cause. The play really helped emphasize her sorrow bacause  I was able to see the emotion on the face of the actor who portrayed her. I was able to visualize how much her brothers meant to her.