Antigone’s father, Oedipus, was banished from Thebes, for his transgression of the gods’ laws against incest. The family was a sacred structure, instilled for the protection and endurance of the race of man. At his departure, Oedipus informed his sons, Polynieces, and Eteocles, that they would inherit the throne of Thebes, but would have to share it. After Eteocles’ term of rule was ended, he refused to give up his power and caused Polyneices to assemble an

On May 2,1970, National Guard troops were called to Kent, Ohio, to suppress students rioting in protest of the Vietnam war and the U.S. invasion of Cambodia. The next day, scattered protests were dispersed by tear gas and on May 4, classes resumed at Kent State University. By noon on this day, despite a ban of rallies, some two thousand people had gathered on the campus. “National Guard troops arrived and ordered the crowd to disperse, fired tear gas, and advanced against the students with bayonets fixed on their rifles. Some of the protestors refused to surrender, and responded by taunting the troops” (A&E) Shots were then fired without warning and twenty-eight guardsmen released their weapons toward the group of protestors. As a result four students were killed and many others were injured

Antigone stood up for what she believed in, as a result her actions were frowned upon. Being sentenced to death was not something she feared, Antigone was truly a martyr to her society. Antigone knew what she wanted and was not willing to compromise, even if it meant death. In the same way, the students of Kent State University were brave, proud, and dignified. These two tragedies not only teach us about the importance of life and one’s own convictions, it proves that foolish pride ends in destruction. Above all, life is not worth living at all ,if it means living life without

Some topics in this essay:
Polynieces Eteocles, Kent University, , A&E Shots, President Nixon, Looking America, University Nixon, Kent Ohio, Polyneices“ Ismene, Likewise Nixon, guard troops, sentenced death, ancient greece, kent university, antigone takes, tear gas, kent shootings,