PUBLISHED WRITING 1 - "Written Law Vs Moral Law"

        “Laws and principles are not for the times when there is no temptation: they are for such moments as this, when body and soul rise in mutiny against their rigor ... If at my convenience I might break them, what would be their worth?”  

                                                                        - Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre  

 

         

Written Law Vs Moral Law 

Antigone is the eldest daughter of Oedipus. After Antigone’s brothers die in the battle for power, Creon forbids burial of Polyneices because he betrayed his own country and led a rebellion. But Antigone decided to bury him according to the religious burial laws because of her love, respect and loyalty towards her brother. She not only went to bury her brother but also told Ismene to disclose her act to the world. Antigone tells Ismene, “oh, oh, no! shout it out. I will hate you still worse for silence-should you not proclaim it, to everyone” (Antigone, lines 99-101). It states that Antigone was ready to die for a moral cause and does not want to conceal it for any reason. This tells us the brave and straight forward nature of Antigone.

Antigone’s major intent is to be true to god and her religion. “I shall be a criminal-but a religious one” (Antigone, lines 84-85). According to Antigone, the honor of her brother Polyneices and her family was important. Even though Antigone is braking the civil law given by her king Creon, but still she is following the religious law. She may be going against her king Creon, but she believed that if her actions are sincere and moral then she believes that god’s grace would be showered upon her. Antigone believes that religious laws of burial are far more important and sacred than civil law. She is not afraid of death by going against the king and she is willing to die to satisfy her conscience.

Creon might be a powerful ruler in the country for taking decisions and creating laws but he is nowhere compared to god. His decision to leave Polyneices body unburied is strictly against the religious laws. “I did not believe your proclamation had such power to enable one who will someday die to override God's ordinances, unwritten and secure"(Antigone, lines 496-499). These lines indicate the faith in god which Antigone has. She believes that god’s ordinances are above any moral’s proclamations. Her loyalty and faith lies towards god and her own self rather than civil law. She believes religious laws remains forever, and no man can instantly change them or control the penalties or downside surrounding them.