Analyzing Cause and Effect: Antigone by Sophocles - Essay Example

This study looks into “Antigone” by Sophocles which is about Antigone’s struggles with what she thinks is right versus what Creon believes is right. They have differences in what morality is about and who should define it. The play depicts the conflict between serving the state’s authority and observing one’s family duties. Creon makes a law that prevents Polyneices from having a proper burial because he is a traitor to Thebes. He declares Him I decree that none should dare entomb, That none should utter wail or loud lament, But leave his corpse unburied, by the dogs And vultures mangled, foul to look upon.

Antigone, however, is willing to defy the king, so that she can bury Polyneices. For her, her family duties come first before her duties as a citizen. She reinforces her belief to Ismene, who tries to stop her from disobeying Creon: “At least he is my brother and yours, too,… I will not prove false to him”. Antigone thinks that the laws can be damned if it means failing her brother. Another cause of moral conflict in the play is the conflict between duties to the gods and duties to the state.

Creon stresses to his son Haemon that the former’s will represents the will of the state or Thebes: “The state, I pray,/It is not reckoned his who governs it?”. As a result, people must follow him, or else political instability will occur. Antigone undermines the need to obey Creon when she prefers to follow the laws of the gods. The gods want the dead to be buried properly, so Antigone says: “Who traced these laws for all the sons of men;/Nor did I deem thy edicts strong enough,/Coming from mortal man, to set at naught”.

The gods want the dead to be buried properly, so Antigone says: “Who traced these laws for all the sons of men;/Nor did I deem thy edicts strong enough,/Coming from mortal man, to set at naught” (Sophocles 495-497). For her, mortal laws are inferior to divine laws. The causes of these conflicts are deaths, where Antigone’s death starts a cycle of death in Creon’s family. When Antigone commits suicide, Haemon follows suit. Then, Haemon’s mother kills herself too. In the end, Creon only wanted to punish one woman for her insubordination, and yet he suffered the most because all his loved ones died.

The main causes of moral conflicts are differences in duties and laws. For Antigone, her duty to her family and the gods are more important than her civic duties. Divine laws are heavier for her than man-made laws. Creon, however, insists on the paramount importance of his laws and civic duties. The effects of his decree are deaths and unhappiness. Works Cited Sophocles. Antigone. Web. 30 Jan. 2012. . Lesson 4 Journal Entry # 1 of 14 Journal Exercise 4.1: Essay Ideas Before you begin the reading for this section, brainstorm possible essay topics.

You can choose any issue, situation, or event that catches your interest. Your textbook offers some general possibilities for topics on page 752. You should list at least five possible topics. Journal Entry Some of the five possible topics I have thought about are: 1) Causes and effects of moral conflict 2) Causes and effects of being an individualist 3) Causes and effects of being a ruler 4) Causes and effects of being a woman 5)