Antigone And Malala Essay

Antigone and Malala; Comparing and Contrasting Activists

Sophocles’ Antigone and Malala Yousafzai share many similarities and have many differences through their actions. As females, Antigone and Malala face many challenges in regard to the government and the rules of society when persevering in the fight for their causes. Such challenges define their characters and provide similarities between them. Within the life of Antigone and Malala, the activists are both females; thus thrusting them into a world of struggle that may be entirely avoided if they were male.

“Ismene: Rather, consider that we were born women, proving that we should not fight with men.” (Sophocles 15) In the societies of Malala and Antigone, where the societies are predominately male dominated, the ability to speak out and act is much harder for women. As activists both Malala and Antigone choose to defy their governments and societies and continue to fight for their beliefs.

“Ismene : I do not dishonor them but to do this against the state – I have no strength for it.

Antigone: Use that excuse if you like but I indeed will go and heap a tomb for my dearest brother.” (Sophocles 16)

In the story of Antigone, the ruler of Thebes, Creon, has decreed that only one of Antigone’s brothers shall be buried and the other not, as within her culture the highest form of dishonor is to not be buried. As a result of this, Antigone’s cause becomes to bury her brother, no matter what the price. Malala’s cause is far from the ability to honor a family member; she fights for women’s education. Another distinct difference between the two activists is the time period in which they live. Antigone lives in the classical era, where the Greeks fully believe that the Gods control everything, including curses (in the case of Antigone and