Richard C. Jebb argues that Antigone by Sophocles is centered around two opposing principles. These two principles are written and moral law. Creon represents written law by forcefully ordering his state to follow his orders. Antigone represents moral law by opposing Creon’s orders because she doesn’t believe they are ethical. There are several examples showing written vs. moral law throughout the play to support Richard C. Jebbs claim.
The main conflict between written and moral law began after Creon’s reign as the new ruler started. Creon ordered that the brother of Antigone, Polyneices, would not receive a proper burial after his death. Antigone felt so disrespected by this order that she felt it would be morally wrong on her part if she allowed her brother to not be buried. Her feeling this way was proven after she informed her sister Ismene of the news by saying "There it is, and now you can prove what you are: A true sister, or a traitor to your family (Antigone 25-27).” This shows that Antigone felt she would be a traitor to her own family if she didn’t give her brother a proper burial. Not only did Antigone say this, but she actually followed through on giving her brother the burial she felt he deserved. When Creon was informed that Antigone buried Polyneices, he asked Antigone if she confesses to doing so. After confessing without hesitation, Antigone explained her actions by saying, "I dared. It was not God’s proclamation. That final Justice that rules the world below makes no such laws. Your edict, King, was strong, but all your strength is weakness itself against the immortal unrecorded laws of God (Antigone 356-361).” This quote explains Antigone’s thought process. The reason she rebelled against Creon was because she believed his orders went against God whom is the most powerful judge of morality a religious person has.
On the other hand, Creon believed written law was necessary to keep control over his people. Creon fully expected his orders to be followed, as any power hungry King would, with no questions asked. He made it clear that he believed this when he instructed Polyneices to not b buried by saying, "This is my command, and you can see the wisdom behind it. As long as I am King, no traitor is going to be honored with the loyal man. But whoever shows by word and deed that he is on the side of the State,––he shall have my respect while he is living and my reverence when he is dead. (Creon 174-178).” This meant for as long as Creon was King, no one may go against what he says or else they will not have his deference. Another example of how serious Creon was about written law was how he backed up what he announced about anyone disobeying him. Antigone disobeyed him and after she was caught he gave an order to his servants that was, "Bring the woman out! Let her die before his eyes! Here, this instant, with her bridegroom beside her! (Creon 621-622)." He went as far as ordering his own niece to die which shows how much he valued written law.
Sophocles certainly centered Antigone on the conflict between written and moral law. The two main characters both wholeheartedly believed their own decisions were perfect even though they utterly opposed one another. Creon showed he was representing written law by ordering his own family member to die for disobeying his commands as King. On the contrary, Antigone showed she valued her own moral law over Creon’s written law by going against him and willingly dying by doing so. Therefore, it is evident that Sophocles focused on those two principles.
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