Antigone Vs Creon

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Antigone vs. Creon: Who is Right? Many people that have read Antigone have mixed feelings about what to think of Antigone’s actions versus Creon’s actions. Antigone, written by Sophocles is a story of a brave young girl named Antigone who defies her future father-in-law, King Creon by giving her brother, Polynices a proper burial when she is forbidden to do so. Speaking in 1955 about the Future of Tragedy, Albert Camus stated: “Antigone is right-but Creon is not wrong”. This is true because Antigone followed her religious beliefs and gave her brother a proper burial, but Creon is not wrong for forbidding Antigone because the people of Thebes needed a strong steadfast leader to set a good example and rule the city. Below ground burials is part of Theban traditions. They express respect for family and reverence for the gods. Antigone was devastated when Creon made it clear that he did not want Polynices to receive a proper burial because he was a traitor to the city. She did not want to leave her brother’s body exposed and left rotting in the sun, eaten by birds and stray dogs. She tells Creon, “ ‘I intend to give my brother burial. I’ll be glad to die in the attempt, --if it’s a crime, then it’s a crime the God commands”. Antigone is a strong believer in her faith. She is willing to die for her brother. She feels that every person has the right to have a proper burial no matter what. Speaking to Creon, she said, “ ‘isn’t a man’s right to burial decreed by divine justice? I don’t consider your pronouncements so important that they can just overrule the unwritten laws of heaven”. It is disgusting for dead Thebans to be left lying above ground and exposed to ravaging weather and scrounging wildlife. It also is vindictive since the dead so exposed must seek entry as disfigured and dismembered bodies into the Underworld of the afterlife. Creon does not want
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