In a social order, every man including those in power is limited to some boundaries beyond which one cannot cross without consequences. Antigone
by Sophocles presents a society on the verge of self-destruction through sickness as a result of the transgressions of a king. The King of Thebes, Creon violates the cultural rites and rituals and now the whole city has to pay the price for his transgressions. Teiresias, the prophet warningly informs the king that he is the cause of the plague as a result of failing to bury his nephew, Polyneices thereby defiling the social divination. Creon’s violation to the rite of burial angers the gods, making them to refuse accepting Teiresias’ sacrifices and prayers on behalf of the city.
The Theban society teaches people cultural values and traditions like any other society through literary works such as songs to remind them about fundamental values regarding to social power. They have a hymn titled “Hymn to Man” with a chorus that elaborates that man rules the natural world and beasts while the same man is under the rule of the gods. The chorus argues that an honor to the gods elevates man whereas transgressing the “laws of the earth” and the “justice of the gods brings” causes destruction (Sophocles 175). The chorus urges people to honor the gods as well as respect the earthly laws with a promise of a reward for doing so. Similarly, it discourages people from disrespecting the gods and laws of the land as there are dire consequences to a man who commits the transgression. According to the values of the Thebes, people need to know that their life positions are dependent on the divine will.
Creon acts deaf to such warnings and commits impiety by denying his nephew a burial and instead leaves his body for animals to defile. Teiresias warns, “one that belonged to the underworld gods you have kept on this earth without due share of the rites of burial, of due funeral offerings. These acts of yours are violence, on your part (Sophocles 202). Creon assumes that Polyneices’ corpse is under his command and ignores that it is against the divination. Creon confuses the human justice with that of the immortals. He reasons that it is insulting and equally impossible to assume that the gods have buried the body themselves. According to him, it is not reasonable to have a belief of god’s honoring criminals. Creon holds on an assumption that the gods judge criminality indifferently like men do.
Antigone emphasizes that greatness is naturally temporary and man is destined to fall especially when one crosses some boundaries. Creon is repeatedly reminded that his rule has limits while the gods are immortal to last forever. The aftermath of Creon’s transgressions serves a warning to the Thebes. The transgressions of Creon are typically tyrannical as his impiety are largely compounded in his behavior of not listening to other people’s opinions apart from his own. Unlike the gods who can be merciful as illustrated in Dionysus’ cure to the city, Creon does not listen to anything and change his mind for the sake of anybody. It is such a personality that both men and the gods are unhappy with him. The ultimate price he pays is a fall of his power as the consequence of crossing the divine order boundaries.
Work Cited
Sophocles. Antigone. New York: Nick Hern Books, 2014. Print.
