Why does Antigone Kill Herself? a Study on Divine Laws and Personal Integrity

Antigone's Suicide: Context and Implications

“Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live” (Cousins). Instead of preserving life, Antigone decides to stay true to her inner qualities that make her, her. Backtracking a bit, Sophocles’ Antigone is about a young maiden who suddenly loses both her brothers, Eteoclês and Polyneicês in a bloody war. Polyneicês has invaded Thebes to overthrow Eteoclês, and the battle between the brothers ultimately leads to their deaths, meaning that burials will be necessary for them to go on to the afterlife.

However, Antigone’s uncle, Creon, the new king of Thebes only gives Eteoclês a burial since he deems Polyneicês to be a traitor that attacked his homeland. He even goes so far as to announce that anyone who dares to bury Polyneicês will be put to death. Ever the unwavering, courageous, and fiery character, Antigone chooses to honor Polyneicês even though her actions fly directly in the face of Creon’s so-called justice.

Although Polyneicês did invade his Thebes to fight his brother, the king’s decree to leave him unburied so that he can not have an afterlife is too much. Even Creon himself reconsiders his decision at the end when both the seer, Teiresias and the Chorus of Theban Elders acknowledge the logical reasonings in Antigone’s response to her brother’s death. Antigone’s response to her brother’s death was not only honorable and brave, but it teaches young readers to take a step back and see the bigger picture when making life decisions.

Antigone's Unwavering Loyalty

Antigone’s faithfulness justifies her response to her brother’s death, because she is making decisions based on loyalty and not to maintain her image for others. “He is still/ My brother; yes, and thine, though thou, it seems,/ Wouldst fain he were not. I desert him not” proves that she wholeheartedly cares for Polyneicês and shows her unwavering loyalty to put family above everything else (52-54). Without a doubt, Antigone believes she has a right to bury her own blood brother, and she drives this point home when she says, “What right has [Creon] to keep me from mine own?” (56).

She never questions where her loyalty lies and is sure that her family is something that Creon can’t control. For most people, choosing between life and death is hard, but for Antigone it is different. When she decides to bury Polyneicês, she is focusing on the bigger picture of honoring her brother and keeping her morals straight instead of worrying about the consequences of burying him.

The Tussle Between Divine and Mortal Laws

Antigone’s response is clearly more appropriate, seeing that she was technically following the laws, just that they weren’t Creon’s laws. Most people believe God to be above man and Antigone is no different. Zeus and the other gods gave mankind rules to bury people so that they can cross into the afterlife, yet Creon’s decree goes against that. Seeing the obvious discrepancy Antigone states, “Yes, for it was Zeus who gave [the laws] forth,/ Who traced these laws for all the sons of men,” and she views them as “the laws of God that may not change” (493-494, 498).

When she says these lines to Creon, she very clearly relays that people should be following God’s rules and should not announce decrees that go against God’s rules. The laws of a holy spiritual being is obviously above any of man’s laws, making Antigone’s reaction more understandable. Also, it shows her logical side in looking ahead and seeing what’s to come in the afterlife if she chooses to honor Zeus’s laws instead of Creon’s. Creon’s response to Polyneicês’ death was less acceptable, seeing that both the Choragus and the seer, Teiresias try to convince him to take back his actions.

Wisdom’s Voice: Choragus and Teiresias

When Creon asks the Choragus if he is asking him to yield, the Choragus responds with, “Without delay, O king, for, lo! they come,/ The God’s swift-footed ministers of ill” (1269-1270). The Choragus urges Creon to go bury Polyneicês and release Antigone fast for God’s wrath is going to come down from heaven soon and will harm him/the people he cherishes if he doesn’t act quickly. The Choragus even proceeds to tell Creon bluntly, “Release the maiden from her cavern tomb,/ And give a grave to him who lies exposed” (1266-1267).

By saying this, the Choragus is telling Creon that he was wrong in not properly burying Polyneicês, and is ordering him to take back his own words and do something that he forbade his people to do. Even the blind Teiresias is able to see the wrongness of Creon’s response and warns him about the consequences that are swiftly and surely approaching. “And now you keep’st from them,” the seer says, expressing that Creon is disrespecting the gods; “The Gods below, the corpse of one unblest,/ Unwept, unhallowed” (1229-1230). Both the Council of the Thebian Elders and the seer, the two wisest characters in this play deem Antigone’s response to be more appropriate. That in itself speaks for quite a lot and says a thing or two about the wisdom that can be seen in Antigone’s decision.

All in all, it can be observed that Antigone’s response was better fit for this situation. Not only because it honors her brother, Polyneicês, but because it honors God’s laws. Even the Choragus and Teiresias believe Creon’s decision to be flawed, and convinces him give Polyneicês a proper burial, like Antigone was trying to do in the first place. Additionally, Antigone shows that the there is righteousness in seeing the bigger picture and dying for honor, instead of just following the rules that are laid out in that moment. Although Antigone faced an end unfitting for someone courageous and caring like her, Sophocles taught us from her decision to stay true and loyal.

References

1. Cousins, Norman. “Life Quotes.” BrainyQuote, Xplore, www.brainyquote.com/topics/life.
2. Sophocles, Antigone, translated by E.H. Plumptre. Vol. VIII, Part 6. The Harvard Classics. New York: P.F. Collier & Son. 1909-14; Bartleby.com, 2001. www.bartleby.com/8/6. October 4, 2018.      

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