Sophocles Antigone - Essay Example

Sohpocles antigone Dr. Martin Luther king Jr. an African American social activist and the President of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference was arrested again in April 11, 1964 and sent to the Alabama prison. While in prison, he wrote a response letter to the eight white clergymen of the Alabama state. The letter addressed the issues of the Negroes of the Alabama state and the reasons for his intervention. The King’s relentless efforts to end segregation, racism and unjust held him directly responsible for stirring up the black for protests and demonstrations, which occasionally led to his arrest. No matter how many times Martin got arrested, his quest for equality and just for the black society was still relentless. The letter written by Martin not only does it talk about the deprived rights the black Alabamians but also the reason as to why he is being held up and the reason for his action. Dr. King’s main reason for his arrest was leading an illegal demonstration on the Alabama streets. The eight Alabama clergymen had stated that Dr. King’s intervention to the Alabama Negroes woes was, in fact,” unwise and untimely” let alone a state he did not belong and they even went as far as calling him an “outsider “. Martin Luther King replied to them saying “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” (Martin). He was a social activist and a relentless crusader who preached peace, fairness and equality everywhere he was. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly (Martin) and this is the sole reason for his arrest. He says that wherever there is injustice, he will see himself there and on the frontline, he will protest against the inhuman ways. So, he clearly acknowledges that the reason for his arrest is the protests and his methods of fighting segregation policies. Dr. King was also arrested for mobilizing the black community in the state of Alabama by telling them that freedom and justice could not wait and that the best idea was to demand. Martin has also written a book “Why we can’t wait” a book describing to the people that freedom has to be demanded and snatched from the unjust white people. Martin has also explains that he is an active social activist and there’s nothing wrong with being concerned with the welfare of the black community all across the country. He says that anyone who lives in the United States can never be an outsider…[1] king shows his grief and says the demonstration in Alabama had to take place and that he and the other black people had no choice. The clergymen in the state of Alabama did not approve the pressure created by the protest and demonstration in the streets that has been a result of dr. king mobilizing the black community. Although according to the clergymen the demonstration whether peaceful or not was considered unjust and against the law. But martin argued that whether it is in the law not to do so or not, as long as it was against the moral standards or deemed to disagree with the law of the bible, it was wrong and needed to be stopped and that it had to be done as soon as possible. The letter consists of the famous saying that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” and is also supported by Ewart Gladstone “justice to long delayed is justice denied”.   A contrast and comparison between Dr. King and Socrates Just the way Dr. King will be remembered for his famous letter that was written while in the prison, so will Socrates be remembered for his philosophy. Dr. king’s famous letter will be remembered because of his bravery and his willingness to give up all that he has in order for the black community in the united states of America and not only the Alabama get freedom. Socrates on the other hand also gets to be remembered by the Greeks for his fighting for them all in the efforts to restore just to the ones with just. Socrates lived in the long gone era way before the birth of Christ while Dr. King lived in the 19th century. Irrespective of the age appearance, the both of them work towards a common goal. Socrates though way back in the era still knew of justice and was willing Both the Crito and the letter from Birmingham are masterpieces of the literary jobs of these two incredible individuals. The two incredible works of art have been written by these two powerful individuals to express the suffering of the people that they are representing. Dr. King literally allows him The masterpiece of Socrates and Crito has been laid as a dialogue while the letter of Luther King is in a letter form. Socrates and Crito indulge in a conversation as they try to convince the other. On the other hand, Luther’s letter is just a direct reply to the eight clergymen of Alabama, and it is based on explaining his reasons in coming to Alabama and his actions of leading the protest. Both the pieces have the same roots; they both talk about unjust laws. Socrates talks about the unjust that is happening to the Greek people while martin talks about the unjust that occurs in the Alabamians and both of them have been implemented in the law. They seem to be depriving the people and since it is an implantation of the law. Both Socrates and dr. king believe in God. Dr. King states that all laws no matter where, as long as they are not in line with the moral agreements or god’s statements, they are wrong. Socrates also tells that he does not know of the God’s of the arena but he is the most religious of them. Dr. Martin Luther king gives logical explanations as he wills to go around, bend and even ignore rules in order to prove the point, while Socrates follows the law to go through the act of bringing just to the people of Greek. Dr. King is using extreme methods to pass a point. Dr. King uses this method because he knows of the sight. This is because of the saying by Ewart Gladstone justice too long delayed is justice denied”, it propels him to use extreme methods because following the law seems too slow and slow is like being deprived according to Ewart Gladstone. In fact, just like independence achievements during colonialism, he actually knows that getting it is through demanding it. They both understand that freedom fighting is life threatening but both of them indulge in it. Sophocles Antigone Plot Summary In Sophocles play of Antigone, it is a story of tragedy. The story is a continuation of the tale of Oedipus who after passing on, Antigone and her sister decide to return back home to Thebes. Their brothers had been prophesied to that they would kill each other in a struggle to control the kingdom of Thebes. Antigone and her sister decide to go back home in order to save their brothers from the events prophesied. They intended to help their brothers to avert the prophesy. Antigone and her sister Ismene find it is too late to save their brothers in that, they have already died during the tussle for the Thebes and their uncle Creon had taken over the throne. In this event, the new king Creon had banned the burial of one of their brothers Polyneices saying he was a traitor while glorifying Etocles and afford him a respectable burial. Antigone learning this wants to burry her brother though Creol had outlawed this warning of the death penalty to whoever tries to bury him. Antigone despite the caution of her sister, goes on ahead and buries her brother and is soon arrested and put to prison to be executed. Creole questions her about the act and she does not deny burying her brother which makes Creole angry and he comes to a conclusion that she was assisted by her sister ismene. She tries to agree falsely to the charges wishing to die with her sister and Creole decides to lock detain them both in prison. Haemon is creoles son and Antigones lover. He is loyal to his father but tries to get the king to change his verdict on Antigone but they end up disagreeing. Antigone is taken to a cave while Ismene is set free. Creole is warned that he faces the wrath of the gods by condemning Antigone and not burying her brother. This prompts him top ask for the advice and he is instructed to free Antigone and bury her brother. The story ends in tragedy as a messenger reports that Antigone and Haemon had taken their lives. Eurydice, the kings’ wife also kills herself adding more grief to the king. The king sees his actions had caused all this and learns that the proud are disliked by the gods. The characters in the play Sophocles Creon He displays the character of a tyrant when he refuses to accept the love binding Antigone and her brother Polyneices. He disobeys the gods’ laws and instead follows the ones made by man. In one instance, Creon persecutes his niece for false crime. The laws that he imposes about the body of Eteocles to be buried with dignity while the Poltneices’s body to be dumped portrays him as a harsh lawmaker. As the king, he follows the laws to the latter even when he faces opposition. Antigone She is brave displayed when she declares to bury Polyneices body against Creon’s orders. Her loyalty, which caused her downfall, is so intense that she sacrifices her personal life for the sake of family devotion. As the woman character, she campaigns for the girl power by trying to clash with the new king Creon. She also has a strong personality in that she does what is right despite the consequence. Ismene Ismene is loyal. This is shown when she offers to die alongside her sister when she was being condemned. She is also sensible in that she tries to dissuade her sister Antigone from putting her life in danger by burying their brother. She is also devoted in that she decides to follow her sister in her quest to go back to Thebes. Comparing and contrasting Antigone and Crito In the comparison and contrast of Antigone and Crito, both have a belief in making a point that one does so with convictions whereas one lacks it. Antigone considers providing her life for the family, the gods and Theban folklores. Crito contrasts that notion by regarding it more efficient to make positions outside of prison and without awaiting death condemnations. Crito defends life as requiring to be saved at all charges and assurances as significant after the safeguarding of one’s individual existence. Antigone considers that synthetic laws must complement with the superior god-given customs, rites, justice, traditions, and ethics. On top of that, Antigone regards loathing of a natural life as concluding with death. Therefore, Antigone advocates for both the loyal and disloyal Theban dead to be provided with a decent burial. Antigone too thinks about the consequences of her activities in terms of the passage through life into death. Crito on the other hand, proposes that in moral matters, the few wise should be followed and not the opinion of the public. Public opinion advocate for retaliating evil for evil unlike the few wise who evade harming anyone. According to Crito, disregarding the laws leans toward harming the city. Read More