Essay on God Versus Man in Sophocles Antigone - 2094 Words

God Versus Man in Antigone Throughout Sophocles’ drama, Antigone, there are many themes that can be traced. One of the most predominant themes is god versus man, which appears not only in Antigone, but also in many of the classic Greek tragedies written in Sophocles’ time. Choragos: There is no happiness where there is no wisdom; No wisdom but in submission to the gods. Big words are always punished, And proud men in old age learn to be wise. (158) The quotation above serves as the moral for this tragedy, which includes an illustration of the theme as it was applied to the play. In the drama, Antigone, the theme of the inner struggle between allegiance to human law versus divine†¦show more content†¦She justifies her blatant disregard for the King’s law by commenting, Antigone: But I will bury him; and if I must die, I say that this crime is holy: I shall lie down With him in death, and I shall be as dear To him as he to me. It is the dead, Not the living, who make the longest demands: We die for ever†¦ (140). Antigone feels that her crime is a display of respect for her dead brother, and her intentions were, in no way, criminal. Antigone’s love for her brother and her reverence for the gods wishes help her to overcome her fear of punishment for her actions. She makes the final decision to go through with the preparation of her brother’s body and his burial after coming to terms with her religious beliefs and their prevalence over Kreon’s demands. A sentry catches her in the process of covering her brother’s body with dirt, and brings her before Kreon. Antigone openly admits to her actions, as seen in the following passage: Kreon: And yet you dared defy the law. Antigone: It was not God’s proclamation. That final Justice That rules the world below makes no such laws. Your edict, King, was strong, But all your strength is weakness itself against The immortal unrecorded laws of God. They are not merely now: they were, and shall be, Operative for ever, beyond man utterly. (146) Antigone arguesShow MoreRelatedChoices That Mean Life or Death In Antigone1381 Words   |  6 PagesDeath In Antigone The play Antigone was penned by Sophocles, a Greek writer, sometime in the late 440s B.C. This Greek tragedy uses a combination of literary elements in order to grab the reader’s attention. Two such elements are theme and conflict. Most importantly, Sophocles’s Antigone deals with themes, such as the conflict of family versus state, the conflict of individual versus government, and the conflict of human versus divine lawsRead MoreDivine Law And Ismene By SophoclesAntigone827 Words   |  4 PagesMrs. Sicotte English II 21 November 2017 Antigone Test Sophocles’ Antigone sheds light on some questions some of these include, as question one says, human laws versus divine laws, and loyalty to the family versus loyalty to the state. 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