Antigone - Human Law Vs Divine Law

1071 Words5 Pages
Antigone – Human Law VS Divine Law Through Antigone, Anouilh and Sophocles explore the idea of Human Law VS Divine Law, and how they affect the characters directly and indirectly throughout the play. Both authors express this through the way the characters experience and express their isolation. In both Anouilh’s and Sophocles’ versions of Antigone, the beliefs of Divine Law and Human Law directly lead characters to emotional isolation. Antigone believes in Divine Law throughout the entire play, which leads to her emotional isolation from Haemon and her fate. Creon believes strictly in Human Law throughout the play, which leads to his emotional isolation. Haemon is caught in the crossfire between Antigone’s belief in Divine Law, and Creon’s belief in Human Law, which results in his emotional isolation from Creon.

Throughout the play, Antigone believes in Divine Law to the extent that it leads to her emotional isolation from Haemon and her own fate. Antigone`s firm belief in Divine Law leads to her emotional isolation from her own fate, demonstrated by the quote: “You are mistaken. I never doubted for an instant that you would have put me to death.” (Anouilh, 45) This quote shows the general and “at-ease” way in which Antigone speaks about her death, showing how she has emotionally isolated herself so that her death would not bother her. Antigone’s strong belief in Divine Law results in her emotional isolation from her fiancé, Haemon, and the hopes and dreams that she once shared with him. Antigone says to Haemon, “If you please, Haemon, go now. It’s the only thing left that you can do for me if you still love me,” (Anouilh, 32) right after they finish talking about their dreams and excitement about getting married and having a son together. This quote shows that because Antigone “knows” she is going to die because of her strong belief in the Divine Law, she is
Open Document