Foils In Sophocles Antigone

The fight for the good life begins with a single event. A word out of turn, an act of protest and overall, a continuous support of ones’ morals. Throughout their life, one is ingrained with morals up until the final breath they take. Antigone violates Creon’s edict and fights for the rights of her brother Polyneices and goes against the word of the law. Martin Luther King Junior (MLK) fights against racial inequality and lobbies racial views with acts of civil disobediences. Both Antigone and MLK acted against laws they believed to be unjust. Their own life experiences and the morals they grew up with influenced where the fine line of right and wrong stands. In Sophocles Antigone and MLK’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail, I am going to

Antigone too was a hero, however, in a different way. While displayed a message, she did good, and had purpose, it was all slightly different than Gilgamesh. Antigone stood against the King, Creon, her uncle, who ruled tyrannically. With this, her message shared some parallel to Gilgamesh, suggesting that if a Tyrant is in power, change is needed. She criticized her uncle for not being a king of the people, as he made it illegal to bury one of her brothers. Despite Creon being king, she expressed, “But he’s no right to keep me from what’s mine” (Antigone line 60). Antigone actively expresses that being a king does not give one absolute right over every person. Through this, she is able to send the a message that, there are humanly rights one can not

Moreover, Antigone’s ability to follow her own beliefs results into the heroicness and tragic death of Antigone. Antigone is from a royal family and has the power to do what she believes in. She believes in following traditions and exercises that power when she says, “I will bury him, and if I must die, I say that the crime is holy: I shall lie down With him in death, and I shall be as dear To him as he to me” (694). Antigone follows her beliefs in following tradition and by doing what she feels is best. Antigone does this because she knows she is doing the right thing and knows that she will be repaid in some way. Furthermore, Antigone justifies her actions by telling the reasons that motivated her to do it to King Creon. She refuses to give in to the beliefs of King Creon and continues to think her own separate way. Antigone takes a stand to Creon when she says, “ Think Death less than a friend? This death of mine Is of no importance, but if I had left my brother Lying in death unburied, I should have suffered. Now I do not. You smile at me. Ah Creon , Think me a fool, if you like, but it may well be That a fool convicts me of folly” (709). Antigone believes what she is doing is correct and proves that to Creon , but he is still not convinced. It is important for Antigone to do what she believes is so that she will be pleased and satisfied with the outcome. Antigone’s ability to pursue her goals and to what she wants

For instance when Antigone tries to persuade her sister to bury their brother, Ismene believes she cannot break the law. In response, Antigone passionately declares, “Make your excuses! I shall go and heap up earth into a tomb and bury him, my dearest brother” (80-81). Her anger and disbelief that her sister will not help fuels this fiery argument, as it does when she speaks with Creon. Her rage and determined nature only ignites the disagreement between Creon further because he is of the same nature. If she instead remained a bit calmer, Creon and Ismene could have realized the truth to her beliefs without feeling threatened or personally attacked. Furthermore if Antigone had taken their adherence to man-made law into account, her argument would have been more effective and more appealing to her audience. Rather than attempting to understand her adversaries, she disdains their reasoning and only accepts her own, which only hurts her act of civil disobedience and its reasoning.

Antigone’s argument with her sister about her plans to defy the king is the scene that opens the play. From the start, she appears certain that burying Polynices will restore justice when she says, “even if I die in the act, that death will be a glory (Sophocles 86).” She was so sure of the immorality of Creon’s law that she was willing to go to any means necessary to keep her brother from becoming a cautionary tale. In the philosophical statement made by Martin Luther King Jr., he says that, “An individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law.” Antigone stood alone in defending her brother's honor, and did not waver from her beliefs at any point. She went to great lengths in order to convey her belief that Creon had been unfair in the conviction of Polynices. In doing so, she attempted to awaken the consciences of the other Thebans and prove to them that even though Creon was their leader, they had the ability to voice their concerns about

The first step in Martin Luther King Jr.’s nonviolent campaign is collection of facts to determine whether injustices are alive, which is what Antigone does when hearing about the death of both of her brothers.

Sometimes the law is not on our side and we have to choose whether to abide by the government’s rules, our religious beliefs or our personal morals. In Antigone, Antigone decides to disregard the law and do what she, and the vast majority of the people in the city, believe to be right. From the onset of the play, we are shown that Antigone does not fear authority and is wholeheartedly willing to die for her brother. Antigone says, “At least he is my

In the play Antigone, written by Sophocles, writes a story about how one person's action has the abilities to affect everyone around them. The main character Antigone openly admits that she dislikes how Thebes is being run. Even though she is alone on her beliefs, she strongly disagrees with Creon decisions, and wants the world to know her deeds. Antigone's deeds end in her inevitable death, but in her passing achieves her objectives. The writer uses her to show how much a single person can affect society, but also shows one must endure the sacrifice to achieve progress. Throughout the story we find the characters must stand by what they believe in and face the consequences to ensure change.

Like Creon, Antigone also never falters in standing up for what she believes in. Although Creon fights for stubborn pride, Antigone is trying to promote what is right and shows her higher reverence for God’s law rather than for Creon’s laws. In the eyes of the townspeople, Chorus, Choragos, and Haimon, Antigone is sacrificing herself to give her brother Polyneices the rightful honors due to the dead. Many side with this brave, honorable girl because she would rather suffer persecution and even death rather than give into Creon’s illogical demands. In the play, the chorus says about her, “You have made your choice, Your death is the doing of your conscious hand”. Antigone knew of the consequences before she acted and in doing so she chose her fate. At the time, she pleaded her sister Ismene to help her bury Polyneices but was rejected. Despite being alone in trying to rebel and perhaps she may have been afraid, Antigone goes out of her way and puts her life on the line to bring her brother respect.

Antigone defies the law of King Creon to honor her brother with a proper burial. She willingly goes against the King to follow the law of the gods’ regardless of the consequences, doing what she believes is right. Similarly, Martin Luther King travels to Birmingham to march and protest the injustices towards Black people because he believed it is the right thing to do. Although Antigone was not afraid to die for what she believed in, Martin Luther King’s method of civil disobedience was more effective because Antigone failed to promote negotiations and just accepted her punishment freely. King believed that to properly have a nonviolent approach towards injustice you must be able to speak peacefully to gain understanding for negotiation. Urging people to create tension in the form of civil disobedience to promote awareness of the injustices.

It takes a lot of courage to stand up and defend an action or idea that is forbidden by society. This is what Antigone does in Sophocles' story Antigone. She clearly disobeys King Creon's order that no person should bury Antigone's brother, Polynices, which is punishable by penalty of death. In this case, is Antigone's decision the correct one? Her actions affect many of her other countrymen negatively because they cause problems within the royal family, disagreement among the people and directly relate to the death of three people including her own.

For instance, Antigone had many chances to obey the law or her own familial bonds. Antigone chooses to obey family, and bury Polynices even though burying breaks Creon's law. Antigone pleads to Ismene to help, when she says no, Antigone responds, “But as for me/ I will bury the brother I love” (Prologue. 192). Antigone is willing to break Creon's authority as a family means much more to her, this presents her as selfless. Along with breaking the law, Antigone also risks execution for that crime. Once Antigone learns of her punishment after Creon discovers her, she decides if burying her brother was worth it. After Creon warns Antigone again she says, “This death of mine/ is of no importance; but if I had left my brother/ lying in death unburied, I should have suffered. / Now I do not” (Scene II. 208). Antigone shows the courage that even death won't scare her from her goals. Antigone chooses family, even in the face of the capital punishment. Sophocles show Antigone as a lion-hearted being by denouncing Creon’s will and burying her brother. Through Antigone’s actions, Sophocles show how he favors family over authority.

Family is very important and is shown through the many ways in society. That family will often be more important than the authority or law. The tragic Greek play, Antigone written by Sophocles. Within Antigone, Sophocles presents many situations where characters are forced to face their feelings of law or family. Throughout Antigone, Sophocles proves his strong devotion to family, even more. Sophocles presents these through the actions of Antigone, Creon, and Haemon with the choices that they make throughout the play. For instance, Antigone had many chances to obey the law or her own familial bonds. Antigone chooses to obey family, and bury Polynices even though burying breaks Creon's law. Antigone pleads with her sister to help, but when she says no, Antigone responds, “But as for me/ I will bury the brother I love” (Prologue. 192). Antigone was willing to break Creon's authority as a family means much more to her, this presents her as selfless. Along with breaking the law, Antigone also risks execution for that crime. When Antigone learns of her punishment, after Creon discovers, Antigone decides if entombing her brother was worth it. Following Creon's warning, she says, “This death of mine/ is of no importance; but if I had left my brother/ lying in death unburied, I should have suffered. / Now I do not” (Scene II. 208). Antigone shows the courage that even death won't scare her from her goals. Antigone chooses family, when in the face of the capital punishment.

2nd ed. New York: St. James Press, 1995. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 22 Mar. 2011.

As the play transpires Ismene’s courage is revealed through her standing by Antigone’s side while she receives her punishment of execution. Although Ismene wasn’t opposed to honoring her brother she tried to convince Antigone not to go against the law “We are ruled by more powerful people and must obey them… I yield to those who walk with authority.” (Page 15), this shows the people of Thebes fear to disobey the king.