Antigone

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Antigone
The play Antigone was written by Sophocles in 426 B.C. The play is basically about the woman known as Antigone who wanted to bury her brother even though this had been outlawed by the Thebian king, Creon. The king believed that his word was law and that no one had the authority to question him even though the issue seemed justified or not. Antigone, however, dares to challenge him knowing that the consequence of her actions might be far-reaching. Though the poem was written over 2,000 years ago, the themes in the play seem to resonate so well with many of the events happening in the current World we live in. Some of the prevalent issues in the play that are still relevant include the role of women vs women in the society and civil disobedience.
The theme of civil disobedience is seen when Antigone decides that the decree against burying her brother was unjustified. She then decides to bury her brother even after being warned by her sister Ismene. She believes that her brother deserves a decent burial and is ready to all she can to ensure that this happens. According to her, his body was to “lie in the fields, a sweet treasure for carrion birds to find as they search for food.” (Sophocles, Npag) She believed that she is totally justified to break the law as she did although she would be guilty of a serious crime. She basis her argument on the belief that laws would only be superior if they came from the gods and not man. She says that “It was not Zeus who gave forth.

” (Sophocles, Npag). To her, it was only the laws of God which may not be changed “nor can man assign” them. This shows that she was justified to go against what she believed was unfair or unjustified as long as it came from man. Due to her action, she is brought before the king to face her trial after which the king notes that her punishment would only be death. However, she believes that her death was not a big issue as long as she accomplished her task in the end. “This death of mine is of no importance; but if I had left my brother lying in death unburied, I should have suffered. Now I do not.” (Sophocles, Npag).
Antigone’s actions were a clear example of civil disobedience which is the act of failing to obey certain laws or requirements that one feels are unjustified or unfair. This is quite common in the current World especially in countries where democracy is not quite mature. Sometimes, governments impose laws that victimize a group of people for no particular reason. In such times, it becomes quite justified to revolt against such laws either through protests, sit-ins, and boycott among other activities. However, there are usually consequences for civil disobedience and those who engage in the act must be ready for any eventuality. They may be shot in the demonstrations, jailed or heavily fined.
The other issue common in the current World is the different gender roles. Antigone’s actions reveal how women were viewed and treated in the society during that time. When she was about to bury her brother, Ismene warns her that “’we were born women, we should not strive with men’. It means that they have no justification or right whatsoever to question what men did or said. The king, Creon felt intimidated when he realized that it was a woman who had broken the law and that she was quite courageous even after doing the act. His belief was that no woman would rule against him while he lived. A woman had no justification to tell him what was good and what was not. The discrimination against women is still prevalent. There are huge wage differences in various industries and organizations, there are still instances of sexual harassment, and promotion for women is still way low when compared to men.
Works Cited
Sophocles. “Antigone (Full Text).” Genius. Web. 23 Apr. 2018.