Antigone Research Paper

Henry Thoreau believed that a law was wrong. This law was to pay taxes for voting. Antigone also believed a law was wrong. Except, her law was personal and directed toward her family.

Antigone performs an act of civil disobedience by doing what the gods ask of her instead if what the king said to do. Antigone showed public defiance because of her disagreement to Creon’s law. However, she did this in a public, peaceful, but active way. Her goal was not hurt or chasten Creon, but to refuse something that she felt was not right. Henry believes by his god/gods of what is right. Henry Thoreau did what he thought was right by not paying the poll taxes, which resulted in him being put in jail. Antigone did what she thought was right and was sentenced

The first difference involved their religious beliefs. Antigone’s motivation to bury her brother revolved deeply on her beliefs in the Greek God’s teachings. On the other hand, Thoreau’s motivations rested more on his moral beliefs than religious ones. “The State, having thus learned that I did not wish to be regarded as a member of that church, had never made a like demand on me since” (Thoreau 11). Another difference involved the final outcomes of Thoreau and Antigone’s civil disobedience. Antigone was able to create an understanding on Creon’s part of his offense. Thoreau, on the other hand, recognized the injustices in his society. He did not seem concerned with his role in changing the government. Thoreau’s main reason for his civil disobedience had to deal with him refusing to take part in laws that he felt was morally wrong. His mission was not in purpose to change those laws. However through their similarities and differences, Antigone and Thoreau placed a basis for any forthcoming acts of rebelliance. Henry Thoreau and Antigone stood up for what they believed in by opposing unjust