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Creon By Sophocles Antigone: The Balance Of Life

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The Balance of Life
Black and white. Life and death. Darkness and light. Passion and reason. Many opposites exist in the world. Each of these opposites hangs on a balance, which can tilt either way based on the world around it. Reason and passion, also known as logic and emotion, are two of the major forces in the world today. Sophocles, the ancient greek philosopher, believed that reason should hold a larger importance over passion in choices, despite following emotions being the norm, and today the same belief still holds.
In Antigone, Sophocles cleverly weaves his view of logic holding greater importance over passion. The two main characters, Antigone and Creon, destroy their own lives because of their decisions affected by emotion and their …show more content…
Antigone discards all rational thoughts and moves forward with a heart full of determination. Repeatedly, Antigone is offered the chance to admit to breaking the law and disobeying authority. Even so, she refuses, “It was not God’s proclamation. That final Justice that rules the world below makes no such laws” (II.66-67). This emotion driven choice will lead to her sentence to be executed and eventually took her own life. Antigone’s choice causes Creon to abandon his own reason. Creon, King of Thebes, is passionate to uphold the laws of his state and to enforce that “whoever is chosen to govern must be obeyed, in all things” (III.48-49). Antigone defies the authority of Creon as the king and refuses to back down from her decision. This causes Creon to fly into a fit of anger, “this girl is guilty of double insolence, breaking the given laws and boasting of it” (II.92-93). In this rage, Creon disregards all logical reasons for Antigone’s act and sentences Antigone to be executed. Many urge Creon to rethink his decision and make a more reasonable choice as Antigone’s familial piety did play a part in her actions.

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