Thomas Lin
Block B
04-11-22
World Literature Essay – Rough Draft
Throughout history, societies have been kept in order through laws set by the governing party.
The law is designed to ensure the successful and efficient running of the people. However, sometimes
the law must be broken for some reason. The only question is, if the reason is morally correct or not.
The term ‘moral’ is defined as the rules or habits of conduct, following the standards of what is right and
wrong. In “A Doll’s House,” by Henrik Ibsen, the main character, Nora, breaks the law by forging a
signature on a contract to save her husbands life. In “Antigone,” by Sophocles, the main character
Antigone, goes up against a royal decree set by her uncle, Creon, the King of Thebes, in order to
perform a religious burial ritual for her dead brother Polynices, who is considered a traitor and enemy to
Thebes for fighting with the invading army from Argos. While both Nora and Antigone’s actions were
against the law, the reasons behind Antigone’s was morally correct while the reasons behind Nora’s was
not. Ultimately, the actions that Nora and Antigone took had both positive and negative consequences
on themselves and others, and it also has to be noted why they decided to do what they did.
At first glance, it would seem as if Nora’s actions, forging a signature to save her husband’s life,
was the right and moral action to take, however, it is not. Nora, not wanting her husband Torvald
Helmer to discover what she, a woman, had done to save him, kept her deal with Krogstad a secret from
him. As part of the contract where Nora forged her father’s signature, she has to repay Krogstad for the
substantial sum of money that he had loaned her. Because the contract was a secret, Nora has to repay
Krogstad behind Helmer’s back, having “to scrape together a little bit here and a little bit there.” Along
with that, she also had to get some minor jobs, such as copying, and give all the income that she had
earned, to Krogstad. The fact that Nora didn’t wish for her husband, Torvald, to find out about the
contract, also puts her in a position where she can be manipulated by Krogstad. Through blackmail,
Krogstad could easily control Nora by threatening to reveal the deal he made with Nora to her Torvald
Helmer. While these things are negative for Nora, there is a positive side. While taking her husband on
the trip to Italy where he recovered from his illness, Nora managed to get a little vacation. Though her
husband was terribly sick, Nora mentioned that, “it was a wonderful trip – beautiful!” This enjoyment in
a time of dread gives us the first hint that Nora, on the inside, is unintentionally immoral, and therefore
goes on to make immoral decisions.
Though Nora’s deal affected her life afterwards quite negatively, it also affected others around
her. While Torvald’s life was saved by Nora’s actions, unknown to him, his life was also put under the
control of Krogstad, for Torvald’s pride won’t allow him to let this knowledge that Nora saved his life
get out to the public. Nora demonstrated a lack of foresight and consideration when she made her deal.
She didn’t consider the possible consequences of such a deal, on her family, and on their reputation. If
the public had come to known of her dishonorable forgery, the reputation of the family would have been
damaged. Thus, Torvald never would have been able to get a high position decent job again, one that
pays a lot of money, their children would have probably been looked down upon as Nora is by her
father’s actions. Their family would most likely have been bumped down to a lower class status, where
money is a constant problem, conditions bad, and thus the children would have suffered. Nora’s
inconsiderate choice risked the well being of her entire family over the well being of one man.
It may seem honorable that Nora was willing to take the responsibility of repaying Krogstad
upon herself, however, this does not make her actions moral. It was not right for her to think of her
husband before her own children, to put the few before the many. As a mother, Nora should think of the
futures of her children, which obviously she did not by risking those very futures in her deal with
Krogstad. Because of the fact that Nora did not stop and think to consider the consequences she would
have to go through, and more importantly, the consequences that would affect her family and their
reputation, her actions were in fact, immoral.
Unlike Nora’s immoral actions, Antigone’s actions, burying her dead brother Polynices against a
royal decree, were indeed moral. Religion had huge influence in Antigone’s time, and Antigone was one
of many who were influenced by it. Her actions, decisions, all were influenced by her religion in some
way. Her dedication to her religion also ran deep, as is proven by her actions. In Antigone’s religion, the
gods say that the family must honor the dead, by giving them a proper burial, for them to properly move
on to the next life. However, because Antigone’s brother Polynices fought on the side of Argos, the
King of Thebes, Creon (Who is also Antigone’s uncle), made a law which stated that the body of
Polynices “must be left unburied.” Antigone, being highly religious, followed the words of her gods
instead of her King, and honored her brother by burying him.
As Antigone’s actions were against the law, and demonstrated an open defiance against Creon,
she was punished by being imprisoned within a rocky tomb. Within the tomb, it seemed for Antigone
that hope was lost, so she committed suicide. Though this is a negative effect of her defiant decision, it
also served to make her a martyr for her cause – to defy the King’s unholy laws that would bar a person
from following their religion to the letter.
Like Nora’s decision, Antigone’s also affect others. In this case, Antigone’s decision lead to her
suicide, which later on lead to Haemon’s suicide, and after that, Haemon’s mother’s (Eurydice) suicide.
Where the consequences of Antigone’s actions affected herself to make her a martyr against Creon, her
actions also affected others so that their suicides made Creon open up to the realization that he’s a bad
leader. In both cases of consequence, people die, but in turn, help a tyrant King open his eyes to see
what he is like, and what he has done.
Unlike Nora, who didn’t think of the possible consequences of her actions, Antigone did.
Antigone chose to do what she did because she knew that all possible effects of her being captured and
maybe killed would lead to help aid her goals. She prevented the possibility of her sister’s suicide by
asking her not to do so, saying that she chose to die – “Courage! Live your life. I gave myself to death,
long ago, so I might serve the dead.” Antigone successfully psychologically defeated Creon’s tyranny
through her suicide and the chain reaction of suicides that followed.
Overall, Antigone’s original defiant action against Creon, to bury her brother, lead to her death,
and the death of many others. While these things can be considered negative, in turn they help spawn a
positive side by influencing Creon to become less blinded, to open his eyes. Thus, as Creon is the King
of Thebes, his change benefits the people of Thebes. Unlike Nora who decided to risk the many for the
one, Antigone’s careful choices risked the few for the many, and she succeeded. Antigone’s suicide,
Haemon’s and his mother’s suicide indirectly lead to the better well being, the benefit, of the people of
Thebes.
Nora and Antigone were both strong female protagonists in their times. Nora went against the
law to save her husband. She didn’t think of the possible consequences of her actions, dooming her own
children, which was what made her actions were immoral. Antigone too went against the law, to fight
for her religious right to bury her brother. Antigone’s actions were well thought out, but as the
consequences were bad for herself, they in turn eventually lead to the benefit of the people, this makes
her actions moral. While Nora’s actions were against the law and immoral, she did it out of good
intentions, she did what she believed was morally correct, despite the contrary. A common trait between
both Nora and Antigone is, they’re not afraid to do what they wish, even if it means going against laws
and standards set by males in their society. As strong females, they both helped to define what females
are capable of doing, and in Nora’s case, set a lesson in morality, and to always think things through
before acting upon them.