In Antigone, Sophocles poses the question on what constitutes morality. By creating two sisters, Antigone and Ismene, opposed in thought on whether to bury their brother, Sophocles addresses the question of which sibling is truly acting morally. Through examining the play, one can determine that morality is simply based on one’s personal perceptions and beliefs. In Antigone, Ismene and Antigone exhibit contradicting perceptions of law thereby allowing both characters to formulate their own definition of principle. To Antigone, law is a divine creation enforced by the Gods, but to Ismene, law is the decree of the state and its rulers. Despite following their own will and subconscious, neither character can be labeled amoral since their individual perceptions of law vary.
When Antigone first implores her sister to help in burying their brother, Ismene promptly resists. Disinclined to disobey the king, Ismene remarks that she “has no strength to break laws that were made for the public good.” In these words, Ismene illustrates her beliefs that the king’s decree is the ultimate law that governs order as well as her life. Focused on the order set down by Creon, Ismene bases her decisions on her fear of the fatal punishment of death. Even though Ismene is justified in her rejection of partaking in acts that would undoubtedly lead to her demise, Ismene’s bull-headed sibling, Antigone, belittles her until she is finally driven to reverse her position.
Unlike her sister, Antigone views law as the rule of the Gods. Despite knowing the punishment for burying her brother, the strong-minded Antigone challenges Creon’s decree insisting that “it was not God’s proclamation” and therefore it was invalid. Antigone, solely focused on the merits she will receive in the afterlife as she upholds her family’s honor, unwaveringly welcomes the punishment of death, for to her the “final Justice that rules the world below makes no such laws” allowing her act without fear or regret. Resolute in her beliefs, even after her sister reassesses her position and decides to face punishment with Antigone for a crime she did not commit, Antigone demeans Ismene declaring that Ismene “shall not lessen [her] death by sharing it.”
Even though it may appear as if one character is amoral, Ismene by not agreeing to defend her family honor and bury her brother, or Antigone for belittling her sister even after she has agreed to take punishment, neither can be branded dishonorable since they perceived law different. To Ismene, violating the law would result in her death while to Antigone, it would simply elevate her in the afterlife.
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3 comments:
Suchita, nice blog entry. I enjoyed how you hypothesized that the conflict between Antigone and Ismene was a mere consequence of their possessing of different opinions on law. This makes both characters righteous and helps to emphasize that what's really important is how one adheres to his or her personal values. Good job!
Sukinachita--I agree that morality is indeed based on personal perceptions and beliefs. The problem in evaluating it, then, is to see on what assumptions those perceptions and beliefs are based on. When they touch on the greater good, on the reverence for all human life, on the brotherhood of the human race, on our responsibility to care for and benefit one another, then I'd say they form a superior morality to one based on the belief that life is just a form of competition in which the goal is to come out on top.
What do you think?
Sukinachita--I agree that morality is indeed based on personal perceptions and beliefs. The problem in evaluating it, then, is to see on what assumptions those perceptions and beliefs are based on. When they touch on the greater good, on the reverence for all human life, on the brotherhood of the human race, on our responsibility to care for and benefit one another, then I'd say they form a superior morality to one based on the belief that life is just a form of competition in which the goal is to come out on top.
What do you think?
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