Antigone Civil Disobedience Essay
In the play Antigone by Sophocles, the main character defies her king and the civil law of Thebes to follow her
moral convictions. Like Antigone, many real people throughout history have suffered severe consequences
because they have chosen to practice civil disobedience or have acted upon a strong moral belief. [Remember:
Civil disobedience is the active, professed refusal to obey certain laws, demands, and commands of a
government, or of an occupying international power. Civil disobedience is commonly, though not always,
defined as being nonviolent resistance. It is one form of civil resistance. It could be said that it is compassion in
the form of respectful disagreement.]
In an essay following MLA format and using the block method, compare and contrast Antigone and a real
historical figure who commits civil disobedience. Remember to use the correct tense for either literature or
history, and remember to create a correct Works Cited for the sources that you find—including your literature
book! You may follow the outline below. This assignment is due on Friday, October 5th.
I. Introduction paragraph
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Attention getter
Transition to background information
Background information on both Antigone and historical figure
Controlling Idea
Thesis Statement
II. Antigone paragraph
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
Topic sentence
Commentary and transition to first example
Concrete Detail 1
Commentary for Concrete Detail 1
Concrete Detail 2
Commentary for Concrete Detail 2
Additional Concrete Details (and corresponding commentaries) as necessary
Closure
III. Historical Figure paragraph
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
Topic sentence
Commentary and transition to first example
Concrete Detail 1
Commentary for Concrete Detail 1 (including linking back to Antigone)
Concrete Detail 2
Commentary for Concrete Detail 2 (including linking back to Antigone)
Additional Concrete Details (and corresponding commentaries) as necessary
Closure
IV. Conclusion paragraph (this paragraph should be more than two sentences)
a. General restatement of thesis
b. Overall Commentary and Closure