At the beginning of the movie, Isme exhibits self-preservation when she does not want to help Antigone bury their brother, Polynieces. She values her own life above honorably burying her dead kin. Their other brother, Eteocles, deserved an honorable burial according to the king since he was not a traitor. The king decrees that Polnieces be left to the wild animals to devour because the gods willed it. Antigone is not worried about preserving her own life because she feels like she has a higher calling to respect the dead, especially when it is your own family. She knows by burying Polynieces she could be ordered to be put to death by the king who is also her uncle. However, she feels there is an unwritten law given by the gods which is greater than his law that the dead should be buried. The king is in a position to where he is supposed to govern the city by its laws which is not to bury the enemy near the city. Obviously, he is valuing the law over his family because Isme, Polynieces, Eteocles, and Antigone are his nieces and nephews.
The story is very comparable to the trial of Socrates. Socrates felt like his philosophizing was a service to the gods. The city of Athens accused him of creating new gods and corrupting the minds of the youth. He is placed on trial and sentenced to death because of the charge.
Socrates, like Antigone, chose death over not obeying the laws of the city because they valued their own beliefs. In both stories, there could have possibly been room for compromise. It was noble that the King and the city of Athens were trying to enforce the laws of the land. However, it appeared they did not even consider the views of Socrates or Antigone. In fact, the King regrets his decision to sentence Antigone to death after she has already died. It is not clear whether the city of Athens deemed their decision appropriate after Socrates died.
Justice is when there is harmony between society and individuals. In the story of Antigone, it seemed like the death of Antigone caused more chaos than harmony. By the time the King realizes he had been stubborn in the sentencing, his son, wife, and niece have committed suicide. It seems it would have been more just to give Polynieces some type of burial. If the King had decided to bury him, so much of his family would not have died. Like Antigone, Socrates was no longer living harmoniously with Athens because he was convicted of disobeying their laws. Socrates never made new gods; he just had different views of the gods Athens served. It seems Athens framed him and caused chaos by trying him. It was the city of Athens against Socrates at his trial. Because the city deemed his actions unjust, he was killed even though he did not technically disobey the law.
The story is very comparable to the trial of Socrates. Socrates felt like his philosophizing was a service to the gods. The city of Athens accused him of creating new gods and corrupting the minds of the youth. He is placed on trial and sentenced to death because of the charge.
Socrates, like Antigone, chose death over not obeying the laws of the city because they valued their own beliefs. In both stories, there could have possibly been room for compromise. It was noble that the King and the city of Athens were trying to enforce the laws of the land. However, it appeared they did not even consider the views of Socrates or Antigone. In fact, the King regrets his decision to sentence Antigone to death after she has already died. It is not clear whether the city of Athens deemed their decision appropriate after Socrates died.
Justice is when there is harmony between society and individuals. In the story of Antigone, it seemed like the death of Antigone caused more chaos than harmony. By the time the King realizes he had been stubborn in the sentencing, his son, wife, and niece have committed suicide. It seems it would have been more just to give Polynieces some type of burial. If the King had decided to bury him, so much of his family would not have died. Like Antigone, Socrates was no longer living harmoniously with Athens because he was convicted of disobeying their laws. Socrates never made new gods; he just had different views of the gods Athens served. It seems Athens framed him and caused chaos by trying him. It was the city of Athens against Socrates at his trial. Because the city deemed his actions unjust, he was killed even though he did not technically disobey the law.