Civil Disobedience Antigone

1831 Words4 Pages

Casey Ziegler
Professor Chuska
English 102
26 March 2015
Antigone and Civil Disobedience
In order to relate the actions between Antigone and Civil Disobedience the concept of civil disobedience must first be understood. In defining the term civil disobedience, history provides the definition. According to Roy Neil Graves, a professor of English at the University of Tennessee, states Henry David Thoreau was the first individual to explain in writing the meaning of civil disobedience. Thoreau argues in “Civil Disobedience” that individuals should not allow governments to take over their moral sense and the people have a duty to avoid such corrupt infringement. Thoreau lived in Massachusetts during the time the United States was fighting the …show more content…

And yet they should not seem so: I should have praise and honor for what I have done”. (Sophocles 1814) Antigone expresses to Creon that she wants not be remembered as a traitor but more likely as a martyr. In this quote she is also declaring that god’s laws are more important than Creon’s. Often society has laws that individuals feel are immoral. Antigone decided to bury Polynices, for she was obeying the gods, even though it was declared illegal by Creon. Antigone believed that the power of the gods was greater than the power of any king. If she had obeyed Creon, she would have disobeyed the stronger power of the gods which could have had more of a devastating result on her. She believes that punishment awaits those who break the laws of god(s). Antigone shows us, through Civil Disobedience that breaking some of society’s laws is a religious responsibility to stay loyal to god’s laws …show more content…

Antigone deciding whether she should bury her brother, given the rule of Creon is thereby committing an act of civil disobedience. Antigone has so much faith that she is religiously justified to bury Polynieces. Antigone breaks the law knowing she will die which would define her as a martyr. Antigone could have struggled in a fight between her conscience and in not obeying Creon’s law’s she remained strong to her pursuit to bury her brother. In doing so, she participates in civil disobedience.

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