This is a Greek tragic play that explains the moral and ethical dilemmas. The play unearths the ethical dilemma existing between the proponents of the human law and the strict adherents of the law of gods. Since the two laws are different, one had to choose only one law to follow and in the process, making a decision as to what was right or wrong was so critical (Rose et al. 220). The paper delves deeper into the moral and ethical dilemma present in the play, the actions that explain the existence of the dilemma and the societal beliefs which influenced the conflict of opinions.
The Ethical dilemmas, actions, and societal beliefs
There are many instances in the play that portray a sharp conflict between the two main characters; Creon and Antigone. One, the sentencing of Polynices, the brother of Antigone and Ismene, to death is one that both Antigone and King Creon agree with. However, the king feels that Polynices acted against the state and against the human law to kill his only brother and therefore, does not deserve any burial(Sophocles 2018). On the same breadth, Ismene, Antigone’s sister, feels that the law of the land forbids burial of people who commit treason and acts against the human law. Looking at Antigone straight in the eye, Ismene asks, according to Feldshuh et al. (8), “What? You would bury him—when a law forbids the city?”
The dialogue between Antigone and Ismene points to the moral dilemma in which Ismene finds herself in. On the one hand, Ismene feels the pain of losing a brother and leaving his body to be feasted on and mutilated by the birds. On the other hand, she knows what would befall her if she agrees with Antigone to bury the body. In the situation, Ismene turns out to be fickle as she cannot decide whether or not she is in support of the burial. When the law enforcers finally find out that Antigone is guilty of trying to bury Polynices’s body, she says, “I did it, yes, if she consents, I share the guilt, the consequences too (Feldshuh et al. 27) .” In spite of the fact that Antigone is a symbol of religion and her resilience for the law of the gods is unquestioned, she finds herself in a moral dilemma as she fails to know whether it is right or wrong for her to die for what she believes in. When Creon finds her guilty and eventually sentences her to death, she shouts back to the Chorus with a lamenting voice saying that had she had children or her father dead, she would let them molder and that she should not have chosen a case to cross the state’s decree. The confession comes as a surprise to readers who hold Antigone in high regard especially in matters religion.
Two, Creon's skepticism comes to a test, and an ethical dilemma opens when, for once, Creon listens to the voice of reason. Creon has been portrayed as a cruel king who is feared by everybody. In fact, Creon has no limitations when it comes to execution of people he considers enemies of the state. After ordering for the body of his nephew to be left unburied for his act of treason and defiance of the state, Creon feels the pressure of hard times and tries to allude the sufferings to his actions. At one time, King Creon tends to believe that the gods, whom he has no respect for, are punishing him and wonders if it is right to obey the gods. He admits to his dilemma when he says,” Oh it’s hard, giving up the heart’s desire…but I will do it—no more fighting a losing battle with necessity (Feldshuh et al. 54)." However, it does not take long before King Creon changes his mind and continues with his ways of governing the city.
Three, there is an ethical dilemma that the people of the city find themselves in. King Creon’s actions seem not to go well with the people who are so afraid to say a thing to the King’s ears. The King, after successfully sentencing Antigone to death, sends his son to get what the people have to say about Antigone's brutal murder. The act of the king sends a clear message that he has a moral struggle in his mind and somehow feels that he might have done a morally incorrect thing and that the people can resent. True to his mind, the reply that Haemon, his son, brings to him explains how people hold him in low regard.
According to Feldshuh at al( 33), Haemon tells the father, King Creon, that, “It is for me to catch the murmurs in the dark, the way the city mourns for this young girl. ‘No woman,’ they say, ‘ever deserved death less, and such a brutal death for such a glorious action.” When the king gets such sentiments from a trusted mouth, he gasps for breadth but immediately wears his cruel face. In s much as he might not utter a word in support of the people, the play brings out the ethical dilemma in the king's mind. Besides, the peoples' glorification of Antigone's actions explains the conflict of belief among them. The people believe in the existence of the traditional beliefs, but for fear of execution, they opt to play by Creon's dictatorial rules.
Finally, the family relationship ethical dilemma is evident between Ismene and Antigone. Despite the close family ties that Creon enjoys with Antigone, he does not seem to have much of a problem punishing Polynices and Antigone provided their actions have been tested against the laws of the land and fail such test. However, Ismene seems to have an ethical dilemma given that the Antigone's actions would land both of them in trouble. At the same time, Ismene's love for her sister pushes her to collude with Antigone for disobeying the state. Antigone, according to Feldshuh et al. ( 8-9), having realized how indecisive the sister is, says to Ismene that, “Anyone who dares attempt the act will die by public stoning in the town.” Ismene, on the other hand, answers, “If things have reached this stage, what more could I do, poor sister, either to untie it or bind it tighter?” The use of the knot metaphor shows the indecisiveness in Ismene’s mind as what is wrong and what is right.
Conclusion
Sophocles’ Antigone shows ethical dilemmas between Antigone and King Creon, Ismene and Antigone, Ismene and the state and finally, Internal dilemmas such as Creon’s indecisiveness as to whether following the gods would make him win all wars against the enemy. The play focuses on the ancient Greek tradition where the laws of the land were so much respected just as those of the gods. However, the conflict between the superiority of the laws often brought belligerence among residents as portrayed between Antigone and King Creon.
Works Cited
Feldshuh, David, Dan Booth, and Jeffrey Rusten. "Antigone (script, video segments, and commentary)." (2003): 1-66
Rose, J. L. "The problem of the second burial in Sophocles' Antigone." The Classical Journal 47.6 (1952): 219-251.
Sophocles.Antigone. YouTube,15 Feb. 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDNGSDz3KYE
