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Rules In Society In Fahrenheit 451 And Antigone

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A rule is a set of explicit or understood regulations or principles, governing conduct within a particular activity or sphere. Rules are necessary to maintain peace and order in a society. Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, and Antigone, a play by Sophocles, portray events in which rules in societies may be rightly imposed or broken under certain circumstances. In Fahrenheit 451, a futuristic society has assigned firemen to burn books in order to rewrite history, and a naive adolescent attempts to uncover the truth behind it. In Antigone, a king has denied the right for a woman to bury her brother, and she seeks help from her sister. Rules in societies will always be challenged or broken, it is human nature, but not without punishment. In …show more content…
Both of her brothers fought in a war, one for Thebes, and one against. They killed each other in battle and King Creon honored the one that fought for Thebes with a proper Greek burial, but has forbidden anyone to bury Polyneices, the brother who fought against him. “But Polynices, a dishonored corse, (so by report the royal edict runs), no man may bury him or make lament -- Must make him tombless and unwept.” Antigone believes it is her duty to give him a proper burial, and if she fails to do so, she believes his soul will wander. She views that family is more important than the law, because if she disregards King Creon’s decree and buries Polyneices, she will face …show more content…
Antigone feels that it is their duty as sisters of Polyneices, to bury him, and not leave his soul uncovered. Ismene denies Antigone’s offer because she thinks the circumstances are to grave. “We must obey his orders, these or worse. Therefore I plead compulsion or worse.” Ismene believes they cannot contend with Creon because they are weak women, and she does not want Antigone and her to perish, because they are the only ones left in their royal bloodline. Ismene tries to persuade Antigone to obey King Creon’s edict, because if she fails to comply, she will be stoned. Antigone does not care, she desires to bury her brother, because she feels she is entitled to honor him. “Say I am mad and give my madness rein to wreck itself; the worst that can befall is but to die an honorable death.” Antigone would rather face death, and die honorably, than desert her brother. Ismene denies Antigone’s request to help her, because she feels that it is to risky, and does not want to defy King Creon’s

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