Antigone

Essentially, Antigone is about the law. Does anything come before the law? Is there a higher law that can trump the laws of the land? If it goes against your principles, do you have to obey the law?

Generally, the law is there because is serves the greater good. It gives protection and enforces justice. Without the law, everyone could just do whatever they want. Normally, people would say that not following the law is wrong. But is there any time when it should be excused? Antigone feels that, as the expression goes, blood is thicker than water. Burying her brother seems to be a good excuse for her to ignore the law. She doesn't think that the law of no one being allowed to bury one of her brothers while the other got the correct ceremonies is just. To her, burying her brother and possibly losing her life is more important than obeying a law she doesn't believe is just. Antigone claims that there is a higher law that allows her to do what she believes is right even when it is deemed illegal. She believes that she would be breaking this higher law by leaving her brother's body unburied.

Is it right that she is punished for doing this? Is it fair that her brother is to be dishonored in death? There is a saying, "Do not speak ill of the dead". When someone dies, they should be remembered for their good traits, rather than their bad. No one truly knows what anyone else's reasons for things might be, so we cannot always fairly judge another's actions. I don't believe it's right to think we can declare someone as good or evil. No one is perfect, but we generally do what we believe is right. Yes, we can be wrong, but that is life. To bring in a bible reference, when a woman was found committing adultery and was brought before Jesus to be judged, he told the people that whoever among them is without sin could be the first to throw a stone (John 8:1-11). Who are we to judge others? Yes, I will admit that there are certain actions that will be judged, no matter what. A good example is murder. Murder is counted as wrong among the majority of people. There are, of course, the small majority of people who don't see it this way. Hitler is a good example. I doubt there is anyone who will call Hitler a good person. But I've always wondered, what was he thinking when he chose to kill all those people? He must have had reasons. I once heard someone say the villain is the hero in his own story. Hitler must have thought that he was doing the right thing, the rest of us just don't agree. So, yes, I am being a bit of a hypocrite because I will say that Hitler was not a good person, even though I don't believe we should judge others. To summarize this rambling, I think Antigone was right to choose to bury her brother rather than follow a law that went against her principles. I believe the law was wrong and they should have given her brother a proper burial, despite his actions. He had his own reasons for his actions that he believed were right.

To find something good in Antigone, Kreon learned of his mistake and payed for it, Antigone got her wish and died, and the audience is made aware of the fact that sometimes you just have to do what is right even when you are told otherwise. Hopefully what you believe is right truly is the right thing and isn't about hurting others. I'm not condoning breaking the law, but if it is something you are willing to risk your life for, then it might be worth fighting for.