Wrong vs. Right

Sarah Scheidel

ENGL 2200

There is always a constant struggle between what is right and what is wrong. Throughout history, some of the most prominent figures in government and literature have toyed with this decision.  Is it right to honor what is true to you or is it right to honor the law? Which situation is considered wrong?  In Antigone's case, she stayed true to herself and disobeyed the law set forth by Creon.  I greatly admire Antigone for burying her brother because, in the end, the afterlife is all that matters.  She may be considered a traitor on Earth, but in the afterlife she will be honored by her brother and the gods for risking her own life in order to obey an older tradition created by the gods.  I thought Creon was unjust and cruel; it seemed like he was attempting to assert his power as the new king.  I also firmly believe that a person should not act in such a manner just because everyone else is doing it.  If something goes against your sound moral compass then you should stick up for your beliefs just as Antigone did.  In this play written by Sophocles, I find Ismene to be a very weak character; she lacks a backbone.  She is a submissive woman who blindly obeys the law.  Ismene is content with the fact that women do not possess a voice in society; they are more or less servants.  I find it very difficult to sympathize with the sister of Antigone, mainly because Antigone herself has such a strong personality much like me.  I enjoy reading about the strong female character who is independent and voices her opinion in a classy fashion. She is not afraid.  I find these qualities to be refreshing and interesting.

The Epic of Gilgamesh-Becoming Human

As I read this epic I could not help but recognize the significance of certain actions that were performed without hesitation because they were customary of the culture of that time period.  In today's society the majority of religions label sex out of wedlock to be a "sin" even though most people just overlook it.  In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Enkidu becomes "civilized"when a harlot takes his virginity; they spent six days and seven nights together.  It was around this point in the story that certain biblical features began to stand out to me.  I, by no means, wish to relate everything I read to the Bible, however, there were points in The Epic of Gilgamesh that sounded rather familiar.  First, Enkidu was free, blissfully happy, naive and animal-like. He ran with the creatures and knew nothing of the outside world.  This reminded me of the story we've all heard thousands of times: Adam and Eve.  They, too, were blissfully happy, unaware of their nakedness similar to Enkidu being unaware of his own animal appearance.  When Adam and Eve let in sin, their world changed for the worse.  When Enkidu had sex with a prostitute for "six days and seven nights" (another familiar biblical phrase), we recognize his loss of innocence. He becomes human; he can no longer run with the animals.  From then on, Enkidu's life is somewhat downhill.  He meets his other half, Gilgamesh, who introduces Enkidu to a new world---civilization.  Enkidu gets drunk off wine and experiences emotions that he never knew before the harlot. Along the quest to kill Humbaba, Enkidu is overcome with anxiety and nervousness, feelings one usually wishes to not experience.  He helps Gilgamesh kill a god, which represents man's slow transition from obedience to free will. Humbaba was killed in order to expand Uruk's territory and glorify Gilgamesh.  This fact is still prevalent in today's society; habitats are destroyed to put up office buildings and people walk on each other in order to get ahead in life. Personally, I have enjoyed reading this epic so far because there are truths found in the story that are still present today.