Divine Authority vs Human Authority Antigone vs Creon

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Divine Authority vs Human Authority
Antigone vs Creon

Divine Authority versus Human Authority is a major theme throughout the play of Antigone, which was written by Sophocles in the mid-5th century before christ.
The play Antigone was written for the purpose of entertainment, and provides a metaphorical insight into the moral dilemma of Divine Authority, and its relation to Human Authority.
Divine authority versus Human authority is the conception that religious laws and practices should take precedence over the authority of the state or vice versa.
“That order did not come from God. Justice, that dwells with the gods below, knows no such law.” - pg. 138
Each aspect is represented by two different characters; Antigone and Creon.
Creon represents the aspect of human authority by decreeing that Polynices should not be buried due to opposing him in the conflict over Thebes, while Antigone represents the aspect of divine authority by claiming that Polynices should be buried, as dictated by the gods because “we have only a while to please the living, but all eternity to love the dead.” (Antigone------>Ismene P128)
As the play goes on, characters such as Haemon and Teiresias further attempt to convince Creon that he should release Antigone and bury Polynices.
Sophocles’ views on the matter are shown through the chorus, ‘for what presumption of man can match thy power, O Zeus... This law is immutable, for mortal greatly to live is greatly to suffer,’ and Creon’s actions after he is persuaded to relent( he goes to bury Polynices before he rescues Antigone).
This shows that Sophocles had the view that divine authority had precedence over human authority.
This aspect of the play is of interest to present day society as it touches on topical and controversial issues such as civil union between homosexual people.
If we had the same beliefs in the present
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