Lens and Artifact from Letter from Birmingham Jail and Antigone - Term Paper Example

(Lens and Artifact) from "Letter from Birmingham Jail" & "Antigone" Introduction Cases of civil disobedience are well illustrated by Martin Luther King and Antigone in their stories. Both these characters are portrayed going against the law and this attracts come kind of criticism which amounts to some legal forces. These two characters argue that they are fighting for human rights which they feel have been denied to them. MLK is against the kind of inhumanity practiced to the Negros. He argues that there have been several bombings in Birmingham than other parts of the nation. He also argues against the racism signs that are place with the merchants in their shopping areas. On the other hand, Antigone is arguing against King Creole’s decision to disown one of his brothers Polyneices and yet his other brother Eteocles is given a decent burial. According to her this is unjust. For this reason the two decides to engage in civil disobedience. This is expressed when MLK responds to the whites critics in form of a letter and informs them that he is not sorry for the kind of civil unrest taking place in Birmingham but he argues that the White rulers had not given them any option (Martin Luther King 457). On the other hand Antigone also confesses to breaking the highest law against King Creole but she says that it is unjust to dishonor his brother. She pleads that she be given the chance to bury his brother. This paper is going to analyze several instances civil disobedience and analyze their perceptions Martin Luther King and Antigone MLK writes a letter to the clergy men while he is in jail in Birmingham. MLK argues that he has to respond to his critics who he calls outsiders. The outsiders are the government who are criticizing his letters which are aiming at fighting for the freedom of the Negros. MLK argues that black residences and communities are experiencing bombings and he cannot seat and watch this happen in his capacity as the head of the clergymen. Civil disobedience is demonstrated when MLK writes, “you deplore the demonstrations taking place in Birmingham but your statement, I am sorry to say, fails to express a similar concern for the conditions that brought about the demonstrations”. The author of this letter further says that, “it is unfortunate that the demonstrations are taking place in Birmingham but it is more unfortunate that the city’s white power structure left the Negro community with no alternative” (Martin Luther King 458). These is an indication of the civil unrest in the city and MLK does not fear to say that he is responsible and supports the idea of the civil disobedience but it’s a fight for justice for the Negros. MLK is determined to bring justice to the Negros. Similar reproach is portrayed by Antigone when she defies the Kings orders and decides to bury his brother’s body. King Creole had made a decision that Polyneices body not to be buried but her sister Antigone is determined to give his late brother final respect. Polyneices and Eteocles were brothers who played a leadership role in Thebes. When Eteocles died the King offered him a decent honorable burial to show respect to his leadership qualities. Antigone does not see the reason why his other brother Polyneices does not deserve a decent burial despite being a ruler in that kingdom. Antigone gathers around the palace and brings her sister Ismene and tells her about the king’s orders. Antigone asks her sister to help her burry their brother. This is a sign of civil disobedience. Antigone a woman is willing to defy the king’s orders despite knowing the consequences. The consequences of defying the king were punishable by death. This kind of civil disobedience is expressed in both instances when MLK and Antigone defies their rulers orders and are willing to go a long way to fight for their justice. Incidences of civil disobedience is expressed when Jocasta tells Antigone that, “remember we are women who should not struggle against men. We should not just be humiliated because we are ruled by someone stronger who must be obeyed because of his strength” (Rosenfield and Duff). The two women agree that King Creole has powers and his strength does not permit any form of mistreatment. The same sentiments are expressed by MLK when he says that it is unfortunate that there is unrest in Birmingham and he is not sorry since the white rulers have left them with no other option. Antigone goes ahead and defends her reason for defiance as dishonoring the gods. According to Antigone failing to bury his brother will be an act of dishonoring the gods and the dead. Antigone believes that the dead will be spending more time with the dead than the living ones and for this reason they deserve and allegiance. Moreover, the Greeks had a belief that a soul does not just enter into its place of rest without a decent burial and for this reason Polyneices deserved a decent burial. Both Antigone and MLK are reacting against broken promises. According to MLK there was a meeting between the whites and the Negros and they all agreed that justice will be served when the merchants remove all the racism signs and respect the Negros and also stop the bombings in Birmingham. However, nothing changes later and the Negros is forced to retaliate. MLK writes, “As weeks and months went by, we realized that we were the victims of broken promise. A few signs briefly removed returned the others remained”. Antigone too feels that a certain promise has been broken. Antigone believed that a former ruler deserves a decent burial so that his soul can enter into the final resting place. In addition to this, why did his other brother receive a decent burial while the other one is not going to get it. These are broken promises to these two proponents which is leading them to engage in civil disobedience. According to King Creole obedience is following rules and regulations irrespective of whether they are right or wrong or whether they follow the norms of the society. King Creole’s general principle of serving the state first is irreproachable. According to the King a man who attacked his city showed disobedience and for this reason, he decides that Polyneice’s body should be left to rot and eaten by dogs and birds. Both MLK and Antigone believe that they are just in terms of what they are fighting for. MLK believes that the Negros desire to have a decent life and be respected otherwise they are forced to retaliate. According to Antigone justice is to see his brother offered a state burial just like his other brother Eteocles. Antigone also believes that the reason why his brother’s body was not touched by any dog or bird was because it was justly being preserved by the gods. MLK and Antigone are fighting against injustices done to them which are well expressed in these two stories. Both MLK and Antigone are seen engaging in dialogue are instances of arrogance are expressed in their dialogues. This is resulting from the unjust laws set by the leadership. When Antigone is brought before King Creole she confesses that she has broken the highest law. However, the King says that even though they she is her niece but that will not prevent the law from taking place. The King says that her insolence has no bounds and that Antigone did not only break the law but she is also bragging of it. MLK gives a representation of just and unjust laws. MLK argue that they diligently agreed to follow the Supremes Court decision of 1954 which ordered segregation in public schools. MLK argues how people can follow some laws and others are not followed. According to him there is just and unjust laws. Luther argues that he was the first to advocate for the just laws because it is legal and moral in the first place. Luther quotes St. Augustine who says that unjust law is no law at all. For this reason a just law is manmade and is in tandem with the moral law of God. On the other hand unjust law is not in accordance with the moral law of God. King Creole is also exploring injustices. This happens through the dialogue with Antigone. Conclusion According to rational thinking MLK and Antigone arguments represent justice. They are fighting for the justice of the others. This paper has discussed incidence of civil disobedience in the dialogue presented by MLK and Antigone. MLK expresses civil disobedience in form of a letter while Antigone gets the chance to express her disobedience to the King in person. This paper has also distinguished between just and unjust laws. This paper concludes that unjust law does not follow the moral laws of God. On the other hand this paper concludes that justice is only enforceable when it is in tandem with the code of ethics of manmade laws as well as the moral laws of God. Works Cited Martin Luther King, Jr. A Letter from Birmingham. NAACP in Charlotte, NC,: NAACP, 1963. Rosenfield, Kathrin H. and Charles B. Duff. Antigone: Sophocles Art, Hölderlins Insight. Aurora, CO: The Davies Group, Publishers, 2010. Read More