When Two Stubborn People Dispute, Nothing Gets Solved

In literature, characters tend to persuade other characters to change their minds to alter the outcome of the situation. This form of persuasion can be seen in the characters of Plato’s Crito and Sophocles’ Antigone. In Crito, Crito is trying to help Socrates escape from prison. In Antigone, Ismene hopes that she can keep her sister from giving their brother a proper burial. Also in Antigone, Haimon tries to convince his father Kreon not to execute Antigone as a punishment for her crime. Although these characters hope to convince others in reconsidering their decisions, the way in which they go about it is not successful in changing their minds.

Plato’s Crito is a scene from The Trial and Death of Socrates in which Crito tries to convince Socrates to escape from prison. In a previous dialogue Socrates was put on trial and charged with corrupting the youth with his knowledge, charging fees for teaching and not believing in the same gods as the people of Athens. The jury found Socrates guilty of the charges and sentenced him to death. At this point Socrates sits in jail awaiting his execution when Crito comes along. Crito begins his argument by telling Socr

Antigone and Ismene’s argument is between civil and moral laws. Antigone states to her sister, “dishonor what is honored by the gods,” to prove that not burying him would be against the word of the gods (Antigone 77). Antigone follows moral law that is written by a higher power than Kreon. The gods give these moral laws and Antigone believes that the gods have more power than the state. Ismene feels that Kreon’s words are more overpowering than the words of the gods. In response to Antigone Ismene states, “What, bury him? When it’s forbidden to the city?” and “…Against Kreon’s express command?” (Antigone 44,47) Ismene’s views do not concur with those of Antigone’s. Ismene likes to follow the laws and does not believe in breaking them. Antigone believes that family comes first regardless of the consequences. Morals are something that are born within a person and stay with them throughout their life. Antigone’s morals cause her to put family first even if it goes against the laws of the state. Ismene lacks these morals and as a result she tends to side more with civil law. She obediently follows civil laws and she doesn’t understand people that break them. Ismene does not give pardons for family if they choose to break these civil laws. These sisters are on different wavelengths and cannot find a way to meet in the middle.

ates that if he were to not escape his death, “many people who do not know you or me very well will think that I could have saved you if I were willing to spend money, but that I did not care to do so” (Plato 44). Crito is obviously thinking for ways to better himself and not in the good welfare of his friend. Crito also comments on how the majority would frown upon both of their actions. Socrates responds by saying that the opinions of the majority are not of any concern to him. The people he cares for are of the minority because they “will believe that things were done as they were done” (Plato 45). One can deduce that Socrates is not a selfish man and does not think about what’s good for him, but rather what’s good for how his actions reflect the minority. Socrates appeals more to interpersonal relationships and following the laws than to Crito’s argument that it is okay to break the laws because of the outcome. In this instance Crito approaches the situation poorly because Socrates does not believe in the argument he i

Some topics in this essay:
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