StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...

Analyzing Cause and Effect: Antigone by Sophocles - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
"Causes and Effects of Moral Conflict in Antigone" paper argues that Antigone asserts that the causes of moral conflict in the play are the complex differences in what morality is and who should define and control it. The main causes of moral conflicts are differences in duties and laws…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER96.3% of users find it useful
Analyzing Cause and Effect: Antigone by Sophocles
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Analyzing Cause and Effect: Antigone by Sophocles"

Download file to see previous pages

This study looks into “Antigone” by Sophocles which is about Antigone’s struggles with what she thinks is right versus what Creon believes is right. They have differences in what morality is about and who should define it. The play depicts the conflict between serving the state’s authority and observing one’s family duties. Creon makes a law that prevents Polyneices from having a proper burial because he is a traitor to Thebes. He declares Him I decree that none should dare entomb, That none should utter wail or loud lament, But leave his corpse unburied, by the dogs And vultures mangled, foul to look upon.

Antigone, however, is willing to defy the king, so that she can bury Polyneices. For her, her family duties come first before her duties as a citizen. She reinforces her belief to Ismene, who tries to stop her from disobeying Creon: “At least he is my brother and yours, too,… I will not prove false to him”. Antigone thinks that the laws can be damned if it means failing her brother. Another cause of moral conflict in the play is the conflict between duties to the gods and duties to the state.

Creon stresses to his son Haemon that the former’s will represents the will of the state or Thebes: “The state, I pray,/It is not reckoned his who governs it?”. As a result, people must follow him, or else political instability will occur. Antigone undermines the need to obey Creon when she prefers to follow the laws of the gods. The gods want the dead to be buried properly, so Antigone says: “Who traced these laws for all the sons of men;/Nor did I deem thy edicts strong enough,/Coming from mortal man, to set at naught”.

The gods want the dead to be buried properly, so Antigone says: “Who traced these laws for all the sons of men;/Nor did I deem thy edicts strong enough,/Coming from mortal man, to set at naught” (Sophocles 495-497). For her, mortal laws are inferior to divine laws. The causes of these conflicts are deaths, where Antigone’s death starts a cycle of death in Creon’s family. When Antigone commits suicide, Haemon follows suit. Then, Haemon’s mother kills herself too. In the end, Creon only wanted to punish one woman for her insubordination, and yet he suffered the most because all his loved ones died.

The main causes of moral conflicts are differences in duties and laws. For Antigone, her duty to her family and the gods are more important than her civic duties. Divine laws are heavier for her than man-made laws. Creon, however, insists on the paramount importance of his laws and civic duties. The effects of his decree are deaths and unhappiness. Works Cited Sophocles. Antigone. Web. 30 Jan. 2012. . Lesson 4 Journal Entry # 1 of 14 Journal Exercise 4.1: Essay Ideas Before you begin the reading for this section, brainstorm possible essay topics.

You can choose any issue, situation, or event that catches your interest. Your textbook offers some general possibilities for topics on page 752. You should list at least five possible topics. Journal Entry Some of the five possible topics I have thought about are: 1) Causes and effects of moral conflict 2) Causes and effects of being an individualist 3) Causes and effects of being a ruler 4) Causes and effects of being a woman 5) 

...Download file to see next pages Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Antigone Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5750 words”, n.d.)
Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/english/1394639-english
(Antigone Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5750 Words)
https://studentshare.org/english/1394639-english.
“Antigone Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5750 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/english/1394639-english.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Analyzing Cause and Effect: Antigone by Sophocles

Antigone, by Sophocles

Foreword: This research paper investigates the tragedy antigone by sophocles in order to figure out the main idea of it.... Antigone is an ancient Greek tragedy written by sophocles in 442 BC.... sophocles pays attention to the ethical problem of the priority of the written lows over the unwritten ones.... sophocles in his tragedy shows that people of Theban are for their princess, they consider Creon to be a monster who chooses the cruelest punishment for a young girl – to be buried alive in a chamber....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

Sophocles Antigone

sophocles Antigone Plot Summary In sophocles play of Antigone, it is a story of tragedy.... The characters in the play sophocles Creon He displays the character of a tyrant when he refuses to accept the love binding Antigone and her brother Polyneices.... Sohpocles antigone Dr.... The story is a continuation of the tale of Oedipus who after passing on, antigone and her sister decide to return back home to Thebes....
6 Pages (1500 words) Essay

Sophocles's Antigone and Euripedes's Medea

The two are antigone by sophocles and Medea by Euripides.... Sophocles Antigone was written around 442 BC and as the name suggests, was written by sophocles.... A brief description of sophocles b.... Conclusion sophocles' Antigone and Euripides's Medea Guilt once determined as legitimate should be punished in accordance with the rules set.... sophocles Antigone and Euripides Medea are two of some of the greatest tragedies that were written and performed in ancient Greek....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

Jurisprudence Issues Analysis

The story of Antigone, as written by sophocles, is that Antigone's brother, Polynices, having been declared the enemy of the state, was not entitled to a proper burial.... After this, she was imprisoned and hanged herself in her prison (sophocles).... The quote upon which this essay is based is derived from the story of antigone.... antigone decided to defy the proclamation that her brother not be buried properly, and gave him a burial against the state's wishes....
12 Pages (3000 words) Essay

Political Implications of Sophocles Book - Antigone

The paper "Political Implications of sophocles Book - Antigone" states that the various characters are found to portray different manner in which sophocles believed was the right way in which things should have been done.... An analysis of sophocles' ideas in Antigone and Plato's The Trial and Death of Socrates will be used as the reference to the analysis.... In his book Antigone, sophocles explores on the punishment which disobedient people in Thebes, the kingdom of Greek....
4 Pages (1000 words) Research Paper

Oedipus the King and The Importance of Being Earnest

More than twenty centuries separate the most famous of sophocles' tragedies and Wilde's comedy of manners, yet we are still able to perceive these two masterpieces as belonging to the same culture, having common origins and conforming to the same esthetic rules.... (sophocles,...
6 Pages (1500 words) Book Report/Review

Philosophy and literature- Antigone by Sophocles

Ismene is also faced with a hard decision to make when confronted by antigone to lend a hand in burying their brother Polyneices.... Unlike antigone, Ismene decided to stick by the rules of the government, only to latter feel the weight of the cause of action taken by antigone, which makes her willing to die with her.... With the love of a brother and the need to do right, antigone then decides to go against the ruling of the king and decides to bury her brother....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

Antigone - a Play by Sophocles

This paper "Antigone - a Play by sophocles" focuses on one of the three greatest Theban plays created by the distinguished playwright of ancient Greece.... Antigone depicts the same magnitude of concern and sacrifice that is submitted by sophocles by drawing out the powerful character and personality of the protagonist of the story i.... All these tragedies reveal sophocles's observation of the political and social system of his times as well as his deep insight into the nature and emotions prevailing in the heart of women, who leave no stone unturned to fulfill their obligations towards their blood relations because of the unconditional sentiments they contain for their family members, and even put their life at stake in order to save the life and honour of their blood relations and lovers....
6 Pages (1500 words) Research Paper
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us