PUB 1- Antigone

                 “When we stand up for what we believe in—for whats right—there is always a chance that we risk the very things we fight for: our safety, our lives, our freedom. But if we stand down, the risk is definite” (Kelseyleigh Reber). This quote describes the very motive for the antagonist of the play, Antigone. Antigone is a character who you would describe as courageous and brave.  Antigone values family and loyalty even though she defied the king by burying her brother Polyneices. She may have been going against what the written law was, but to her she was doing what was morally correct. Creon has authority but Antigone believes he is unfit to be king and doesn't understand whats actually important when it comes down to it.

Antigone was making a scene of her actions to make change for the future. It was brought to attention that she did not really commit an actual crime by burying her own brother after he died heroically in battle. When Antigone finds out about the death of her brother, she states “ I myself will bury him. It will be good to die, so doing. I shall lie by his side, loving him as he loved me; I shall be a criminal, but a religious one”(Sophocles 1132). She understands the consequences for giving her brother a proper burial and accepts them, even though she disagrees with it. She's willing to die in honor of her acts of defiance showing how brave and heroic she was. 

Antigone believes what she's doing is what the gods would want which is more important than any written law. When speaking to Creon, Antigone states “I did not believe your proclamation had such power to enable one who will someday die to override gods ordinances, unwritten and secure”(Sophocles 1142). Creon may be “King” but he was passed down the power. He was never truly a leader who did something to earn his position in the first place. The people of Thebes respected Antigone because her actions were truly out of generosity. Haemon, Creon’s own son also took Antigone’s side throughout the play. Him, as well as others believed she committed her actions through good intentions and didn't deserve to die for it. The tragedy of Antigone’s fate even caused Haemon to take his own life.

Creon’s actions only took place prior to this situation because the people of Thebes were scared of him. They would listen to him and the written laws because thats all they knew. When Antigone came and tested the authority of the king, it shed a light on how the people of Thebes truly wanted to live and be ruled. Antigone was more than just girl who rebelled against the king, she showed heroic characteristics and faith for the gods. She defied all stereotypes and traditional ideas of women in greek society. Women of this era had no voices and authority. Antigone’s actions created a change for the future strongly which relates to a person in the post-modern world, Martin Luther King Jr. He was the leader of the African-American civil rights movement but more importantly he made a change in history. He helped stop segregation and gained more rights for African-Americans. Martin Luther King was also going against what was natural and even lawful during that time. He stood up for something he truly believed in which is what Antigone had done.