“You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else” (Albert Einstein). Albert Einstein, a world-renowned scientist, inevitably says that rules or laws are meant to be followed to the best ability of an individual. However, Antigone of the Greek play Antigone by Sophocles, and Marji and her family in the graphic novel Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, both intentionally disobeyed the law of their respective leaders/governments, and one of these characters is to be pardoned of his/her misconduct due to their current circumstances, intentions, and reactions to the events. Ultimately, Marji and her family is to be pardoned of their mistakes over Antigone as they lack necessities such as food and safety, are
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When her ruler, Creon, places a law forbidding the burial of Antigone’s brother, Polynieces, Antigone feels that injustice has been done to her, and decides to break the law to bury Polynieces. Instead of rebelling against the unjust decree by protesting to Creon as Marji and her family have done to the Iranian government, she intentionally breaks that law and buries her brother. She also possesses a flawed personality in her arguments to her sister, Ismene. When she describes her plan to bury Polynieces to Ismene, she shows her harshness in her words, “You may do as you like since apparently the laws of the god mean nothing to you” (Antigone, lines 62-63). Antigone criticizes and ridicules Ismene’s belief in God, making her seem that she is not loyal to God, and makes Ismene feel awkwardly just because she wouldn’t help her with her plan. Despite all the reasoning given by her sister to not peruse her plan, she is arrogant and defies any reasoning. Antigone, as a part of the noble family, also lives a much more comfortable and safer life than Marji and her family, and doesn’t experience food shortages and the constant stress of being bombed as experienced by Marji and her family in Tehran. In terms of deserving a pardon, Antigone, who is spoilt in character, overly harsh to her sister, and disobedient to her ruler is clearly edged out by Marji and her family, who live a life less secure and less noble than
When her ruler, Creon, places a law forbidding the burial of Antigone’s brother, Polynieces, Antigone feels that injustice has been done to her, and decides to break the law to bury Polynieces. Instead of rebelling against the unjust decree by protesting to Creon as Marji and her family have done to the Iranian government, she intentionally breaks that law and buries her brother. She also possesses a flawed personality in her arguments to her sister, Ismene. When she describes her plan to bury Polynieces to Ismene, she shows her harshness in her words, “You may do as you like since apparently the laws of the god mean nothing to you” (Antigone, lines 62-63). Antigone criticizes and ridicules Ismene’s belief in God, making her seem that she is not loyal to God, and makes Ismene feel awkwardly just because she wouldn’t help her with her plan. Despite all the reasoning given by her sister to not peruse her plan, she is arrogant and defies any reasoning. Antigone, as a part of the noble family, also lives a much more comfortable and safer life than Marji and her family, and doesn’t experience food shortages and the constant stress of being bombed as experienced by Marji and her family in Tehran. In terms of deserving a pardon, Antigone, who is spoilt in character, overly harsh to her sister, and disobedient to her ruler is clearly edged out by Marji and her family, who live a life less secure and less noble than