Antigone Essay

Josh Liu

Humanities 9

2/10/15

Antigone Essay

            In the history of civilization, one of the most critical advances has been the development of written and public laws. Laws from the government and the gods are the most powerful tools for controlling people’s desire and actions. In the ancient Greek play by Sophacles, entitled Antigone, following the government’s laws and the gods’ laws at the same time, can cause problems. After Antigone’s brother’s death, she had to bury him according to the gods’ laws, but she could not bury her brother according to the laws of Creon, the king. Antigone made her choice to follow the gods’ laws in order to honor her family. Although Creon’s laws can keep the society from disasters and chaos, Antigone demonstrates that some laws of the government are unjust, and a human must look to a higher law.

According to Antigone, the gods’ laws are eternal, and she claims that the gods’ laws are more important than Creon’s laws. Although Creon’s laws can keep the society in order, they do not pay any respect to the gods. When Haemon is arguing with Creon, he says, “You have no respect for the laws of the gods” (75). Antigone has to bury her own brother after his death. This is the gods’ law and the rule of her beliefs. However, Creon does not allow her to bury her own brother, and he says, “He did not honor his city, and the city will not honor him. That is my decree” (54). In this situation, Antigone makes her choice to go against the laws, bury her brother, and honor the gods. She says, “I will bury Polyneices. I will lie by his side when I am dead. I will be a criminal, but I will honor my family. This city will crumble one day, and its laws will disappear. But the dead will lie forever, and the gods will honor the dead” (49). Antigone thinks that the laws of the gods will protect her forever, and they are more important than Creon’s laws. The laws of the city will break one day, but the gods’ laws are eternal. Antigone stands up, honors the gods, and protects her own belief.

The argument that Antigone presents is a relevant argument for governments and citizens today. It is true that laws have power to control the behaviors of citizens. However, some laws are negative and treat people unfairly. For example, in the 1800s, when some Chinese workers first came to Canada and tried to find jobs in Canada, they were treated unfairly. Canadians thought Chinese people had diseases and they were ugly, so they could not be buried in the public cemeteries in that country. Canadians did not give Chinese people a good place to live, after there death. That decision was against people’s beliefs, so people stood up and went against that law. Secondly, in the latest laws of ISIS, women don’t get the rights they should be getting in society. Women have to stay at home every day and they cannot get jobs like men, unless there is no man doing the job. In addition, a girl can be married when she turns nine. The women under ISIS’s control are poor and helpless, they will stand up and fight for their rights one day. Last but not least, in the early 20^th century, when many Mexican workers immigrated to the United States for work, they were not allowed to bring their families with them. The Mexicans could not see their families for a long time while they were working in the U.S. When they could not bear the unfair laws any more, they stood up and told the governments that they should have the right to see their families when they were working in the U.S. Consequently, it is good to fight against and break the laws that are unjust or will bring negative effects to society. This is a powerful method to protect our rights and beliefs.