Term Paper on "Sophocles Antigone"

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[EXCERPT] . . . .

Sophocles Antigone

In Sophocles play Antigone, human law is contrasted with love, and in this case the strong divine love and sense of duty Antigone has for her family. The play also concerns itself with divine love opposed with man's reliance on the law for order and justice. In Antigone law is not better than or more evil than love, and love is not better than the law. However both are presented as oppositional, represented in the thoughts and actions of the two main characters, Creon and Antigone. Creon represents human law as that which maintains order and righteousness on earth, and Antigone asserts that divine law and subsequently love should overcome human law in the face of controversy. The play also addresses love as a side effect of being human and a necessary aspect of humanity, but also emphasizes mans reliance on the law for order and justice. The play reveals how sometimes love and law oppose one another, which in this case results in tragedy.

Analysis

Love and law are contrasted as opposite ends of the spectrum in Antigone. Neither is wrong nor right however, rather love is portrayed as representative of that which is human, and law is represented as something humanity needs to maintain order. Hegel (1991) suggests that the tension existing between Creon and Antigone is the result of "higher laws" or divine intent (1). Further he asserts that existence in itself is "an empty task" and that people will go through periods of activity without opposition but also periods where opposition occurs as necessary for history (Hegel 1).

His ideas suggest that both Antigone and Creon were one-sided and too stubborn but both hel
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d good points that must be considered; that divine love is just as important as law is to mankind's health and well being (Hegel 1). For Hegel Antigone was the ultimate representation of a tragic collision between love and law, a conflict between "one-sided positions" each of which held valid points and represented some good (Gonzales 1). Both Antigone and Creon at times are correct, but Creon must defend human law by defying divine law and love and Antigone defends the diving but must defy human law to do this (Gonzales 1). In this respect the play almost represents a battle of good against good (Gonzales 1).

Creon attempts to overcome Antigone's assertion that love should dictate mankind's actions throughout the place. He for example, in the play tries to turn Antigone's loyalty, suggesting that Antigone's brothers made her father unhappy and that her brother Polynices was actually a cruel and vicious voluptuary (Tan 1). Too "cowardly" to imprison his own son, Creon suggests that Oedipus let his son join the army, however asserts that Polynices then proceeded to attempt to kill Oedipus. Creon further suggests that Eteocles is no better, a gangster at best also attempted to usurp his father's authority (Tan 1).

Creon establishes one essential fact regarding law in the play, that "society does depend on a central authority for all that law brings is of benefit" (Bethune 1). His beliefs are valid, but so too are Antigone's that suggest divine law and therefore love should dictate mankind's behavior.

Antigone takes up… READ MORE

Quoted Instructions for "Sophocles Antigone" Assignment:

This paper should ONLY track the idea of "law vs. love" in the play Antigone. It is VERY important that ONLY this specific idea is tracked and CRUCIAL to zero in on this single argument throughout the essay and not deviate.

There should be extensive references and quotes from the play with proper MLA citation style. Also, there should be two quotations from Hegel's views of the play within the essay: "In the view of the Eternal Justice, both were wrong , because they were one-sided, but at the same time both were right" (Hegel).

The thesis statement (or argument) should be stated VERY clearly and very early assuming that the reader has read the literary work. The thesis should be arguable, concrete, and engaged with the text. The thesis should then (as mentioned above) be supported with evidence from the text.

A conclusion should be offered that asserts the value of the thesis: why is it important. The conclusion MUST also inquire into the effect that this specific thesis (argument) has on the overall play.

How to Reference "Sophocles Antigone" Term Paper in a Bibliography

Sophocles Antigone.” A1-TermPaper.com, 2005, https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/sophocles-antigone-play/971984. Accessed 3 Jul 2024.

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[1] ”Sophocles Antigone”, A1-TermPaper.com, 2005. [Online]. Available: https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/sophocles-antigone-play/971984. [Accessed: 3-Jul-2024].
1. Sophocles Antigone [Internet]. A1-TermPaper.com. 2005 [cited 3 July 2024]. Available from: https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/sophocles-antigone-play/971984
1. Sophocles Antigone. A1-TermPaper.com. https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/sophocles-antigone-play/971984. Published 2005. Accessed July 3, 2024.

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