Heroes in The Play Antigone

Introduction

In the play, Antigone by Sophocles, Antigone, like Malala Yousafzai, knew what she was going to do and did not let anyone prevent her from accomplishing her goal. The conviction and attitude that there's a broader sense of justice outside established rules, seen in Malala, is also evident in Antigone when she believes that the laws of the gods are much more significant than Creon's decrees. Although Creon had proclaimed that Polyneices would not be buried, Antigone pursued her values and buried him, fully aware of the risks and consequences of her actions. The courage and determination that Antigone displayed are also evident in Malala's story. Not only were they around the same age and gender, but they achieved something that most individuals in their society might not have had the bravery to do. Both Antigone and Malala were willing to put their lives at risk and take a stand for what they believe in and what was morally justifiable.

Heroes in The Play Antigone

Malala Yousafzai is a young woman who stood up against forces more powerful than herself but refused to be silenced because she believed in something larger than any opposition could challenge. Malala believes that everyone, especially girls, ought to have the opportunity to be educated; she perceives it as a fundamental right for everybody to be able to read, write, and think critically. In her Nobel Peace Prize speech, Malala said: "The terrorists tried to stop us and attacked me and my friends who are here today on our school bus in 2012, but neither their ideas nor their bullets could win" (Yousafzai, 2014). The government and terrorist groups did—and even still do—not see things this way and have done everything in their power to censor her just as Creon tried to silence Antigone.

Malala is optimistic and open-minded much like Antigone; she could not understand why young girls should be deprived of education just like young boys receive. Her government viewed women much like Creon viewed them in Antigone, yet both women believed that change was possible and could bring about opportunities and benefits in the end. Alike in personality, both Antigone and Malala are very stubborn and refuse to back down without a fight. For example, Antigone declares: “Very well: when my strength gives out, I shall do no more” (Sophocles, line 75), while Malala states: “This is where I will begin, but it is not where I will stop. I will continue this fight until I see every child, every child in school” (Yousafzai, 2014).

Conclusion

Both Malala and Antigone are heroes—strong, independent women who stand up for causes bigger than themselves because they know that ultimately change is inevitable. They pave the way for people to start looking at things from different perspectives. Even as a fictional character from ancient Greece, Antigone was ahead of her time as a feminist figure long before such theories were widely discussed. Meanwhile, Malala fights during an era when women already have educational opportunities; she seeks to amplify the voices of thousands of girls worldwide so that no girl will ever again be denied the chance for a proper education.

References:

• Sophocles. (n.d.). Antigone.
• Yousafzai, M. (2014). Nobel Lecture: "One child, one teacher". Retrieved from https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/2014/yousafzai/lecture/