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The question of what is right or legal had been always a subject of discussion. What is right can be defined as subjective which, is based on people’s understanding of morality, ethics, and values and what is legal as objective which, is based on people’s understanding of the laws of their community or nation. What is legal does not mean it is right and what is right should not be illegal. It is why sometimes people do what they think to be right even if the law considers those ethics or morals to be illegal. Antigone was in this situation where she decided not to obey the law and did what she thought was morally right. What would be the difference if Antigone decided to do what is legal and leave his brother on the field of the battle to be eaten by animals. Could she live with that moment and life like something terrible never happen to her? Sophocles brought us the sense of morals and values as well as laws and Antigone was determined to do what is (legal) instead of what is (right). With some exceptions, we should do what is legal because it has been decided by the authority and to avoid consequences and punishment that might result from it.
What is right is a personal judgment. Morals and ethic are not written laws but they are applied like laws because people have been doing them for many years and they are passed doing from generation to generation. People decided that some behaviors are not acceptable. Therefore it derived from here the sense of ethics and moral goodness. Antigone lost her two brothers on the same day. Creon, the king of Thebes buried one of the brothers, which is normal because most dead people are buried or burned depending on people’s religions and on what they believe. This has always been what we see people do for their loved ones because they loved them and care for them. This is why Antigone states, ”My brother, and yours, though you may wish he were not here. I will never be found to be his traitor.” (Sophocles,3). Here Antigone was talking to her sister Ismene about the decision that the king made about their other brother whom he decided not to bury and forbid everyone not to it so and what they should do for their brother. According to the king, Antigone’s brother was a threat because he invaded his own country and all threats should be treated the way that the law states. Despite that this was an order, Antigone decided to go against it and found all possibilities to make it happen. Antigone believed that she had the right to do it and nothing can stop her.
Laws, rules, and regulations are made to protect people’s general safety and ensure that every individual’s right is fulfilled. Therefore it is an obligation to obey them because laws bind all individuals living in a community or nation. Antigone was warned by her sister that she was going against the law and doing that it is not beneficial for her. Ismene states, “To bury him you mean, when it’s forbidden? Oh hard of mind!When Creon spoke against it!.We will perish terribly if we force law and try to cross the royal vote and power. And that since we are subject to strong power we must hear these orders, or any that may be worse.” (Sophocles, 3). Antigone herself said to her sister the law forbid them to do it but she was more worried about her moral duty than her legal duty. Antigone believed that God is the only one who can make a decision about herself which she considered to be fair. She also believed that God will never hurt her and her loved one, so only humans can hurt each other or make a decision that favors one another. This is why she said,”For me it was not Zeus who made that order. Nor did that justice who lives with the gods below mark out such laws to hold mankind. Nor did I think your orders were so strong that you, a mortal man, could over-run the god’s unwritten and unfailing laws. Not now, nor yesterday’s, they were always live, and no one knows their origin in time.” (Sophocles,15). Antigone was very clear about her devotion to God more than the King.
We should do what is legal because, without laws, everyone can do what they want such as harming others, killing other people, and doing illegal things such as fraud and selling drugs. In addition to legal consequences and punishment, laws ensure that all individual right and general safety are fulfilled. However, in some cases, laws are difficult to apply to a person that you love. This is why people prefer to suffer or die than obey some laws that they think will change the rest of their lives. Antigone knew that what she was doing was illegal but she preferred to suffer from the consequences of her actions instead of living with chagrin and remorse for the rest of her life. She was feeling sad after losing her two brothers but seeing one of his brothers abandoned in the forest was too sad for her.
Right and legal are two different things that often brought issues when it comes to applying what is (legal) instead of what is (right). What is legal is from the authority in place, which is an obligation for every living citizen to obey, whereas, what is right is a conclusion based on people’s sense of morality, ethic, or justice. Antigone disobeyed the law and did what she thought she had the right to do. She believed that what she should do to please God is superior to what she is supposed to do for her nation, which is love and obedience. Unfortunately, she suffered from her acts, which cost her, her life.
Work Cited
- Sophocles, Antigone. Translated by Elizabeth Wyckoff, The Complete Greek Tragedies: Sophocles I, University of Chicago Press, 1969.
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