Antigone is a tragic tale that centers on honor, justice and morals. The story takes place in Thebes soon after the city has been attacked. The movie begins with Antigone and Ismene being devastated after their two brothers killed each other in battle. Antigone tells Ismene how the new ruler, King Creon, is going to provide an honorable burial for Eteocles, but leave Polynieces unburied for the vultures to pick apart for his betrayal to Thebes. The Ancient Greeks held the honor of their cities in very high regard. The fact that Polynieces attacked the city that gave him his life was appalling to King Creon. King Creon based his decision off of divine law and what Zeus would want for betraying ones homeland and brother. This basis can be compared to Socrates' argument that he must obey the gods and his divine sign. King Creon believed he stood for justice and was doing the right thing by following the gods rule, yet in Euthyphro Socrates came to the conclusion that something is not right or just, just because the god commands it.
On the other hand, Antigone sees honoring her family and her love for her brother as the right thing to do. Antigone tells Ismene that she is going to give Polynieces a proper burial even if it goes against the King's command. Antigone also bases her decision on the unwritten law of the gods because she thinks it is higher in power than the King's edict not to bury her brother. After Antigone buries Polynieces he is unburied by the King's soldiers and they catch Antigone at the burial site when she returns to her brothers side a second time.
King Creon sentences Antigone to death without any deliberation. Haemon, King Creon's son, stands for reason and tells his father that others can be right too and one should not be so fast to judge. He tells his father how the city sees Antigone as noble, but they are too afraid to speak out against the King's verdict. This situation is similar to the trial of Socrates in that all parties on both sides say they believe in the gods and base their decisions off them, yet they all have differing views of what is right. Antigone believed she was following the rules of the gods and standing for the justice of her own blood. King Creon also believed he was following the god's laws and stood for the justice and values of the state. Socrates claimed to be obeying the command of the god and stood for all that is right and good (i.e. virtues, truth, fairness and justice). The jurymen in Socrates' trial accused him of being impious and used the justice of the laws to sentence Socrates to death. In both cases neither side showed any flexibility in what they saw as right and just. There is an ethical dilemma in that what is just is not always morally right and one should use reason to determine this rather than basing decisions solely off the gods command.
On the other hand, Antigone sees honoring her family and her love for her brother as the right thing to do. Antigone tells Ismene that she is going to give Polynieces a proper burial even if it goes against the King's command. Antigone also bases her decision on the unwritten law of the gods because she thinks it is higher in power than the King's edict not to bury her brother. After Antigone buries Polynieces he is unburied by the King's soldiers and they catch Antigone at the burial site when she returns to her brothers side a second time.
King Creon sentences Antigone to death without any deliberation. Haemon, King Creon's son, stands for reason and tells his father that others can be right too and one should not be so fast to judge. He tells his father how the city sees Antigone as noble, but they are too afraid to speak out against the King's verdict. This situation is similar to the trial of Socrates in that all parties on both sides say they believe in the gods and base their decisions off them, yet they all have differing views of what is right. Antigone believed she was following the rules of the gods and standing for the justice of her own blood. King Creon also believed he was following the god's laws and stood for the justice and values of the state. Socrates claimed to be obeying the command of the god and stood for all that is right and good (i.e. virtues, truth, fairness and justice). The jurymen in Socrates' trial accused him of being impious and used the justice of the laws to sentence Socrates to death. In both cases neither side showed any flexibility in what they saw as right and just. There is an ethical dilemma in that what is just is not always morally right and one should use reason to determine this rather than basing decisions solely off the gods command.