Antigone, the ancient play by Sophocles, addresses a universal conflict that is as relevant today as it was thousands of years ago. The conflict between church and state or faith and government is seen every day in the media, most recently in the refusal of Catholic Church to offer health care plans that cover birth control and family planning for their employees. Sophocles addresses the two viewpoints through the dispute between Creon, the King of Thebes, and his determined niece Antigone. By the end of the poem it is obvious that both parties are at fault for their unwillingness to compromise.
             The conflict arises after Antigone's brothers, Eteocles and Polynices, have killed one another in combat while warring over the right to rule Thebes. With the heirs to Thebes dead, Antigone's uncle Creon takes the throne. As the new ruler, Creon feels he should show the people that is just and that his word in law. Creon's proclaims that no one may bury the body Polyneices, for he is a traitor who fought against state. Antigone immediately plans to disobey this law and is infuriated that her uncle would deny her brother proper burial rights. She tells her sister Ismene, "...a city-wide proclamation, rumor has it forbids anyone to bury him, even mourn him. He's to be left unwept, unburied, a lovely treasure..." (33-35).
             While it is her duty to follow the law of the state, Antigone expresses two reasons for her refusal. The first is that her noble family deserves respect and honor. When trying to convince Ismene to help her bury their brother she declares, "soon you will show yourself as noble both in your nature and your birth, or yourself as base, although of noble parents" (44-46). Her second reason for burying her brother is that denying Polynices burial will be an outrage to the gods. Of the burial, Antigone states, "I have longer to please the dead than please the living here: in the ki...