e. It encompasses the idea of a society and community with laws, and that those laws are necessary for everyones well-being. Kreon evokes a Positivist attitude by shunning any morally appropriate notions brought on by his kinship with Polyneices, and pursuing a stance that he sees as politically necessary for the good of the society. This is the underlying reason for his decision to forbid the burial of his nephew. He believes that if he succumbs to feelings of love, then he will be deemed weak and therefore weaken his city-state. This position becomes apparent when he utters the lines if I see disaster marching against our citizens I shall not befriend the enemy of this land. For the state is safety. When she is steady, then we can steer. Then we can love (224-229). This ultimately sums up the Positive law belief that society always comes before self, that once the society is safe, then you are permitted to allow for yourself. With each philosophy located at opposite ends of the social spectrum, a dilemma is unavoidable when the two face each other. This is the backbone for the entire plot of Antigone. On one side is Antigone, who pursues her self-righteous beliefs whole-heartedly and without question. On the other side is Kreon, who acts in response to what he believes is best for the society. Both characters are justified in their behavior. It is their motives that set them apart from each other. Antigone knows that she will suffer personal anguish if she does not carry out her actions. But if I had let my own brother stay unburied I would have suffered all the pain I do not feel now. And if you decide what I did was foolish, you may be fool enough to convict me (572-574). She acts in her own personal interest, concerned for her well-being. She believes that her motive is one that should be accepted, that love for a brother could never be viewed as foolish. Kreon, on the other hand, makes his decisions as a king ...
