In Sophocles' Antigone, Creon refers to a "covenant of spears" as a metaphor for the necessary allegiance of a society to its ruler. At first he feels that his authority must be proven absolute, and in an act of pride he attempts to forbid the proper burial of an enemy. In doing so, Creon goes beyond the limits of the world of nomos to enter the world of physis and finds himself confronted with the natural limits of political authority. Creon's “alliance of spears” then takes on a new meaning from an enlightened position. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get an Original EssayIn order to fully understand the issues that exist in Antigone, one must first become aware of the circumstances that placed Creon in his position as power. Creon came to the throne through a disputed birthright and has limited experience as a leader. As a result, Creon is an insecure leader, conscious of the image he projects. He lets his choir know: “No man has a mind that can be fully known, in terms of judgment, until he governs and makes the law; only then can it be tested in the public eye. His decision to forbid an honorable burial for Polyneices was made hastily but required that it be carried out, since any renunciation of his decree would demonstrate weakness and indecision. As the Watchman suggests, “doubts make every plan seem bad.” Creon endorses a harsh and tyrannical political line in order to demonstrate his authority over Thebes. Unfortunately, Creon ventured beyond the realm of human law that he had the right to govern and entered the realm of natural law; a domain dictated solely by the gods. The spheres of natural law and human law seem known and respected in Thebes, but some still dispute this. The initial speech between Antigone and Ismene reveals this ambiguity. In a vain attempt to dissuade Antigone from defying Creon's decree, Ismene declares: "We are women and we do not fight with men. We are submissive to them because they are stronger, and we must obey this order, even if it hurts us more. This statement indicates that Ismene believes that her patriarchal society is the result of a natural law that cannot be broken; she represents the typical citizen who reluctantly accepts the whims of a dictator. Antigone, on the other hand, is aware of the “deep shame and dishonor” that her parents left her; feeling that she has little to lose, she is ready to defy the law. At first glance, it seems that the main conflict of the play is between Creon and Antigone, but Creon's decision to interfere with Polyneices' burial puts him in direct conflict with the unwritten. law of nature. So, in reality, the main conflict of the play concerns Creon and his own position on the depth of his political authority. Antigone is simply a voice of justice who does not want to give in to Creon's unjust proclamation. Antigone represents the subconscious or repressed opinions of the average citizens of Thebes. This image of Antigone as a repressed individual is only compounded by the fact that she is a woman in a deeply patriarchal society. Although Creon holds the power to demand whatever he wishes, he cannot influence anything beyond human control. An example of this can be seen in the area of ​​general social opinions. There is no need for Creon to consider the opinions of his citizens in a dictatorship like Thebes; Creon's "alliance of spears" remains effective as long as everyone follows.