Antigone Vs Kreon Essay

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In Sophocles Antigone, Antigone is in a dilemma between her principles and following the order of King Kreon. Being the loyal and moral sister, Antigone rebels against Kreon’s decision and gives her brother, Polynices, the proper burial he deserves, despite Kreon’s death penalty for anyone who disobeyed his commands. In Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail he explains that he disobeyed the laws that were unjust through nonviolent protests because they were laws that oppressed African Americans and he believed in equality for all. Both Antigone and Dr. King stood up for the rights they believed were morally correct by defying laws and they both suffered for these choices. Antigone stood up against Kreon by burying her brother but when Kreon punished her for her actions she took her life and left it …show more content…
King more sympathetic than Antigone.
In Sophocles Antigone, Antigone’s morals made her believe that Kreon’s order of burying her brother was unjust. Indeed, the loyalty that Antigone has for the Gods and her brother eventually lead to her suicide. The tragedy focuses on civil disobedience, specifically, Antigone’s defiance of King Kreon. Kreon forbids the people of Thebes from burying Polynices, a man whom he believes is a traitor. But Antigone believes this is immoral and wishes to give him the burial he deserves. She first asks her sister, Ismene, for help but she refuses as disobeying Kreon will lead to trouble and “extravagant action is not sensible.” Frustrated with her sister’s excuses, Antigone remains determined to bury her brother—“I must please those down below a longer time than those up here, since I shall lie there always” (lines 74-76). Antigone’s loyalty lies with her brother and
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