FREE ESSAY ON ANTIGONE WITH KOHLBERG'S PRINCEPLES

ANTIGONE WITH KOHLBERG'S PRINCEPLES

Categorizing Humanity
People with different views of the way humanity and its laws function reach certain
stages of moral development. Kohlberg presents us with these stages of moral development.
The individual is categorized under his or her moral priority and the way he or she would
handle unexpected situations. In Sophocles' play, Antigone, characters illustrate
Kohlberg's moral development principles. 
Ismene embodies Kohlberg's pre-conventional stage throughout Sophocles's play Antigone.
In Kohlberg's first level of moral thinking, physical consequences of an action determine
its goodness or badness regardless of the humane meaning or value of these consequences.
This pre-conventional stage is conveyed through out the play in Ismene. Ismene depicts
the question of what is right and what is wrong according to its punishment and
consequences. She follows the laws of Creon for she believes her morals cannot possibly
be compared to that of a king. She fears the penalty for her actions and acts on her own
best interest. Society tends to stay with authoritarian law because they feel the law is
above their beliefs and they are powerless against it. Even when Antigone comes to Ismene
and asks for her assistance she mocks Antigone for her idiocy to defy the supreme law,
Ismene states "And do what he has forbidden! We are only women, we cannot fight with men,
Antigone! The law is strong, we must give in to the law In this thing, and in worse"
(Sophocles 750). Ismene fails to realize that there is a greater cause beyond Antigone's
breaking of the law, Antigone is trying to accomplish something regardless of the law,
and Ismene is oblivious to her actions. The law has overwhelmed society and society's
social orientation. Society has to grow out of the pre conventional stage and needs to
put obedience and punishment behind for a greater cause. Society has to realize man's
faults and realize that there is a greater universal decree, greater than any other
created by man. Ismene symbolizes society's ignorance and social orientation to
authoritarian law.
Creon has surpassed Kohlberg's first stage of moral development, however his outlook on
life has only limited him too the main concepts of conventional morality. The second
stage of moral thinking is characterized by an attitude which seeks to do what will gain
the approval of others. This stage is oriented to abiding by the law and responding to
obligations of duty by abiding by the law. Creon is one who responds to his duties and
obligations to the fullest, however uses the law as his only support. Creon is not a man
of reason but a man of law and order. Creon follows his law to the fullest as if it were
his only refuge to his problems, and even when Creon's own son Haimon states "I beg you,
do not be unchangeable: Do not believe you alone can be right. The man who thinks that,
turns out empty" (Sophocles 773), Creon with pride and dedication to the law believes his
son is corrupt and wants Antigone only for the "pleasures" she provides for him, and
fails to realize his son's growing maturity. Creon on the other had, is unable to realize
his faults and believes "law and order" is the only way people can be ruled. Creon tries
to please his followers and commit to his obligations but fears if he lets Antigone go
free for disobeying the law his public image would diminish. Creon's tragic error is his
pride, he believes by taking Antigone's life he will have everything, ironically his
pride has destroyed
his humane self and destroyed his life as well. What was once everything is now nothing.
Creon's pride and arrogance weighed him down from blossoming in to the post-conventional
stage and becoming more intuitive to, not just to mans law, but universal principles as
well.
The state of principled conscience is reached only by Antigone who has reached beyond law
and order to a greater superiority. Kohlberg's post-conventional stage is based on
respect for universal principle and responding to demands of the individual conscience.
Antigone has realized man's error and is determined to violate the law even if the
consequence of her actions means death. Antigone is able to see beyond "Law and Order"
and the approval of others, she is able to find her own moral beliefs and put them over
authoritarian rule. Antigone states that "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 a weakness against itself" (Sophocles 763). Antigone compliments
Creon for his strong dedication to the law, but also reminds him that she is following
the supreme law, which Creon seems to ignore. She follows her moral beliefs but also
respects man's law. However Antigone is mature enough to realize the limitation to these
laws and when they should dealt with. Society cannot seem to break away from the lower
stages of moral development and enter the post- conventional stage. Society is content
with their conditions in life and feels no need to trouble with the law, so therefore
living life unchanged. Antigone is trying to prove that if the law is radical in some
cases and must be dealt with no matter what the outcome Antigone symbolizes the utmost
prestige in the social order with her ability to reach beyond authoritarian rule to a
greater level of morality.
Kohlberg has made a path which society must follow to grow out of its immature self and
enter the morally correct world. In Kohlberg's three stages of moral reason, the levels
of maturity and principles of growth are integral in the characterization of the
individual. Society has yet to grow out of the pre-conventional stage and enter the
conventional and post-conventional stages. As long as society accepts ad obeys
authoritarian rule out of fear of punishment social order shall always remaine the
pre-conventional stage.