Creon, the king of Thebes, has decreed that Antigone's brother, Polyneices, who was a traitor, must not be buried but let to rot and be preyed on by animals and vultures as punishment for his crimes. Antigone defied Creon's order and buries Polyneices, arguing that the gods demand that all dead be properly buried and that Creon's law violates the unwritten, eternal, immutable, and moral laws of the gods.
Here are the reasons why Antigone commits civil disobedience:
1. Religious Duty: Antigone considers it her religious duty to bury her brother, Polyneices, as she believes that the gods require all dead to be properly buried. For her, this is a matter of religious principle, and she is willing to risk the consequences to uphold her religious obligations.
2. Unjust Law: Antigone views Creon's decree as unjust and immoral since it violates the natural laws of kinship, piety, and the respect due to the dead. She believes that she has a moral responsibility to disobey such an unjust law and that it is morally right to honor the gods and her family by burying Polyneices.
3. Individual Conscience: Antigone is guided by her own individual conscience and moral principles, which she places above the laws of the state. She believes that she has a personal responsibility to act in accordance with her own sense of right and wrong, regardless of the consequences.
4. Higher Laws: Antigone asserts that there are higher moral laws, divine laws established by the gods, which take precedence over human laws. She believes that Creon's law violates these higher laws, and she is willing to defy him to uphold what she sees as the true, eternal moral order.
5. Loyalty to Family: Antigone feels a deep sense of loyalty to her family and the bonds of kinship. She believes that she must honor her brother and protect his body from dishonor, even if it means disobeying the king's law.
By committing civil disobedience, Antigone is asserting the importance of individual moral conscience, religious duty, and the power of personal conviction in the face of unjust authority. Her actions challenge the absolute power of the state and highlight the tension between individual rights and societal laws.