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Examples Of Civil Disobedience In Antigone

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The play Antigone, written by Sophocles in 441 BC, showcases contrasting ways humans believe they should live their lives. Just like in our lives, personal beliefs affect us and others around us. Not everyone agrees on what the excpetional precepts should be based on. Antigone expresses opposing virtues among characters. Sophocles illustrates the impact of a superior belief in civil obedience, in the Greek gods, and a persons’ loyalty to their family and ancestry. In the end, only one opinion of authority and power is decided morally correct. The significance of civil obedience is a reoccuring theme in the play. Headstrong rulers and impetuous subjects support it. The main conflict revolves around the questions of natural laws versus human …show more content…

A few characters, like Antigone, believe this from the start. Conversely, it takes another character, Creon, a great loss to come to this realization. The root behind the story of the play is Antigone’s yearning to tribute her family. Both of her dear brothers are killed and only one gets a proper burial. How is Antigone supposed to be okay with this? She isn’t. So, Antigone goes against civil law and authority to give her brother the appreciation he deserves. When she is caught by the sentry and Creon, she does not contest her conduct. At first, both Antigone and Ismene are accused of the burial and both set to be punished. Antigone takes all of the blame and does not let her sister suffer from her choices. Creon gives Antigone multiple opportunities to excuse herself through familial bonds but she refuses. She accepts the chastisement because she is proud of her dedication to her family. She exclaims: “But I will bury him; and if I must die, I say that this crime is holy: I shall lie down” (Prologue.55-56). Family is more important than everything, even more important than law. Antigone risks her life just to give her brother an honorable burial. She stresses the importance of familial bonds until her death. Creon comes to this realization once his actions cause his family to be taken from him. His son and wife die and he is nothing but crushed and remorseful for being so harsh to Antigone. Creon recognizes that he is nothing without his devotion to his

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