The Power of the Individual
The play Antigone, by Sophocles, demonstrates how an individual's actions can affect a society as a whole. Antigone adamantly disagrees with the way Thebes is being ruled by Creon. Though she is only one person she does not let that deter her. She actively fights against Creon's rulings, and wants her actions publically proclaimed. The ramifications for what Antigone does are dire, and she must withstand them. Though the repercussions end in her death, Antigone does ultimately achieves her goal. Sophocles uses Antigone to show the power an individual can have on society, but only if they are willing to pay the price. Through Antigone and Creon's actions we see that one must take a stand for what she believes in, not waver from her position, and endure the consequences in order to enact change.
Antigone firmly believes that divine law is superior to man's law. Creon on the other hand, is concerned only with maintaining power, which leads him into trying to force Thebes to abide by his laws instead of the God's laws. When brothers Polyneices and Eteocles die fighting each other, Polyneices is declared the rebel and Eteocles was considered to be protecting the city. In order to discourage rebellion Creon decides that Polyneices body will not be given proper burial rights. He prohibits the citizens from burying Polyneices and following divine law with the threat of death. However Antigone does not let the law of Creon, a mere mortal, stand in her way. At the beginning of the play while speaking with Ismene, Antigone declares: "No one shall say I failed him! I will bury my brother -- and yours too, if you will not" (lines 45-6). Ismene provides a sharp contrast to Antigone, she is unwilling to bury her brother because she fears breaking Creon's laws and the wrath that will incur. Antigone is taking action and publicly supporting her beliefs. Antigone buries her brother in an effort to oppose Creon's declaration not allowing people to follow divine law. Though Antigone may have had multiple motives for burying her brother, her main motive becomes clear when she tells Creon: "It was not Zeus who published this decree, nor have the Powers who rule among the dead imposed such laws as this upon mankind; Nor could I think that a decree of yours -- A man -- could override the laws of Heaven" (lines 450-4). Antigone informs Creon that she has done nothing wrong, because the laws of man do not "override" divine laws. Through burying her brother, Antigone is trying to show Creon that the is overstepping his authority by trying to impose laws that go against the heavens and that humans must submit to divine power. Antigone has taken action, but this alone has not accomplished her goal. She must continue to fight for her beliefs to make Creon change how he rules.
The next thing Antigone must do is stand by her actions and make it known why she did what she did. After the guard that brings Antigone to Creon finishes informing Creon of Antigone's deed, Creon asks her if she admit or denies that she did the things the guard is accusing her of. She could have said she had nothing to do with it, said she had no idea what the guard was talking about, but instead she replies: "No, I do not deny it. I admit it" (line 443). Antigone is standing by her actions. Creon gave her an out by asking her if she was innocent or not, but she did not take it. She stood by her beliefs though it was not the easy thing to do and proudly admitted to her actions. Creon is incredulous that Antigone would purposefully disobey his law, when the punishment was death. Antigone takes this chance to inform Creon of why she did what she did saying: "Was I to stand before the gods' tribunal for disobeying them, because I feared a man? I knew that I should have to die" (lines 459-460). Antigone is telling Creon that she knows she will have to die for breaking his law, yet she is willing to accept that because it is not her life is not what is of utmost importance to her but her cause. She could not bear to stand in the court of the gods for having followed mans law instead of divine law. This is Antigone's way of showing Creon that she is convinced of the importance of following divine law, and that she will stand by and lobby for her beliefs no matter the consequences.
Antigone fiercely voices her position, and continues to support it when Creon questions her. Now Antigone must face the severe repercussions for what she has done, and it is only after she does that Creon changes. Antigone does not shy away from the consequences of her actions, while she is being taken to the cave where she will die, she says: "Now they drag me to death. Never again, O thou sun in the heavens, may I look on thy holy radiance! Such is my fate and no one laments it" (lines 878-881). Antigone has accepted the consequences of her actions and is prepared to face them. She knows it is her "fate" and not even she "laments" it. If Antigone had given into Creon and begged him for forgiveness Creon never would have seen the error of his ways. After Creon punishes Antigone Creon begins to question himself. Hameon has already accused Creon of acting tyrannically. Teiresias also enters, telling Creon that the gods will not accept their offerings because of Polynices unburied body, and all in Thebes will suffer if Creon remains stubborn. Creon finally starts to realize the offense he is committing towards the gods and works to correct it. A messenger enters and tells Eurydice that he "went with Creon up to the hill where Polyneices' body still lay, unpitied, torn by animals. We gave it holy washing, and we prayed to Hecate and Pluto that they would restrain their anger and be merciful" (lines 1196-1200). Creon has buried Polyneices and asked the gods to forgive his error in judgment. In this way Antigone has accomplished her goal. Antigone's aim was for Creon to realize that divine laws are more important than the laws of man, and to bury her brother. Though Antigone ends up dying, she has achieved both her objectives. She does what she thinks is right and is able to change the way Creon rules which consequentially changes Thebes as a whole.
Through the courage of her convictions Antigone teaches the power of an individual. She takes a stand against Creon, heroically burying her brother, and does not hesitate to back up her actions with powerful words when questioned by Creon. She endures her punishment, and ultimately accomplishes all her goals, though she does not live to see it. Antigone inspires individuals to change the world. Her character makes one think they can affect their community. This is vital to the way society functions because there are always ways to improve it, and without individuals to engender that change society would never make any progress.
"What we can learn from the play" is the de facto prompt for feedback purposes. The persuasive essay is best in this scenario, because one is seeking to make specific assertions based on discursive interpretations about certain, select events that are taken from the play. In other words, what we can learn from the play is ultimately reducible to a set of assertions. A well conceived response would consider the play in its totality, then it would reflect upon how it relates to the present situation, finally it would cull those parallels which, by present norms, are deemed unconventional, counter-intuitive, or thematic. Then, one would choose lessons that would be well supported by an analysis of the parallels. Having identified appropriate lessons, one would tailor the content of the essay to provide sufficient appropriate evidence in the form of elucidatory examples that are both representative of the play in general and credible sources in support of the lessons.
