Free Custom «Antigone vs. Julius Caesar» Essay Paper

The two books by Sophocles Shakespeare are similar in a number of ways. Through the study of literature culture found in both Antigone and Julius Caesar, the reader is let to discover for discover what was of real concern. In Antigone we read a story of a young woman who was in search for meaning to her life within the rules that were stipulated by the adults and the government who was represented by King Creon (William, 1998). On the other hand, we find that the story of Julius Caesar, according o the interpretation of the English Renaissance by Shakespeare, is a story about a group of citizens who are questioning the grab for power by one man. We find that both the plays are based on the concept of individual freedom and their action versus the laws stipulated to protect the welfare of the community in the city or state.

The books allows us to wonder why characters who seemed so selfless at first encounter are first to rise once the something falls. The books seam to allow their characters to act as if they have seen the repercussion of their actions. Sophocles and Shakespeare have employed this convention such that Creon and Julius Caesar had risen at the expense of other characters. They therefore have two very similar characters. In Antigone we find that the nobleman, Creon, is claiming the thrown after his nephews who were heirs to Thebes killed one another in the battle field. Presuming that the population was going to find him inadequate to rule, he laid out strict rules so as to keep the people under his control (William, 1998). We realize that Creon wants Thebes the king to prosper and grow and is very willing to do anything within his power to achieve this but through the chain of events, he kills his entire family.

 

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Consequently, Brutus who is a senator in William Shakespeare's play is claiming the life of Julius Caesar the main character so as to preserve Rome since Rome was his country and home. Brutus puts aside the love he had for his comrade Caesar; so as to do what he felt was the best. It is from here that we can note that both these characters, Creon and Brutus are clearly compelled to do what they feel was preeminent for their country (Sophocles & Gustav, 2000).

The characters Creon and Brutus are brought out to have shared high position in their respective governments. They are straggling to maintain power and some level of control over their subjects. And we realize that both the two, when faced with the danger of losing control over their subjects are turning to unjustified courses of action. It is evident that Creon is threatening death to anyone who defied his rule when he feared that mass hysteria would follow. This is similar to Brutus, who while less extreme, found out that when there is an overly ambitious ruler who is threatening Rome, the only possible answer was death. The two characters are created by the two play wrights to resort to the actions with true zeal and completely believe in their cause. We find sincerity in them which makes them share the same beliefs in whatever they were doing. The country's well being was the only thing that the play wrights put in their main character’s minds (Sophocles & Gustav, 2000).

We can also find out that the drive for excellence found in all areas of life, like honesty is depicted in both Brutus and Creon. This is based on the idea that each character had an open mind with the citizens in their cities and from the way they dictated their decisions. We realize that when Brutus comes to the people with the body of Caesar, he does not claim innocence, but ask the plebeians whether he has offended anyone. On the other hand the law that Creon employs over his people is straightforward. It states that do not disturb the body of Polyneices. We realize that the citizens of each play were torn between accepting the truth of what each man offers to the country and justice for murder. Additionally, Creon on one hand was respected by some of his populous. It is brought out in this line which states that once Creon was a man worthy of envy, of my envy, at least. This is because he saved the city of Thebes from her enemies, and attained the throne of the land, with all a king's power. The lines continue to list his qualities as a guided right. We find out that Creon’s race bloomed with good children. But he says that when a man forfeits joy he does not count his life as life, but only a life trapped within a corpse (lines 1233 -1240) (Gassner & Quinn, 2002). Brutus swayed half of his community as well. When he allows Antony to speak at Caesars funeral, only few remained loyal.

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It is eminent that the tragic flaw of both characters in the two plays was taking the wrong roads to get to the right direction. Each has justifiable causes that make us conclude that the ends justify their means. The characters were only trying to save what they stood for, their country which ended with when Brutus met death by his own sword but Creon is left to ponder on the loss of loved ones. Because the characters are occupied by the need to have the best for their nation, they are consumed by their means to uphold their cause. Despite the fact that their virtue brings their death, Shakespeare and Sophocles make us to mourn their unnecessary deaths (Gassner & Quinn, 2002). We conclude that might does not always make things right even though it often wins, at least temporally but over right.