In the never-ending battle between the ideas of individual freedom and social responsibility, individual freedom is the victor. This clash can be seen in Antigone's trials in Sophocles' Antigone, Emerson's "Self Reliance", and Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience." Though these writers convey the same idea, they are expresses in many different ways. Emerson wishes all to care about themselves to show their individualism. Thoreau and Sophocles both articulate that one should make their own decisions not let the state ruin their lives.
             In Antigone, Sophocles shows his wanting of disagreement with the monarch. Polyneices, Antigone's brother, revolts against Thebes and wishes to overthrow Creon. Polyneices is killed in the battle and left to rot on the battlefield. Antigone is outraged at the decision by the over-bearing monarch to disgrace her family. She plans a disregarding of the edict and a proper burial for her brother. Ismene does not believe in the unlawful action and warns her sister. "You ought to realize we are only women." (Line 70) Antigone thinks of her sister as a disrespectful sibling. Antigone does not want to scar her family's legacy any more but Ismene just does not see that. Ismene does not show her individualism but Antigone earns for everyone to see her civil disobedience. "I will bury him myself. It will be good to die, so doing." (Lines 82-83) Antigone has no fear for death because she feels that what she is doing is right and she will not be punished in the heavens for it.
             The monarch in Antigone is Creon. He believes in himself more than anything else. He believes that no one should be treated different especially women when it comes to punishment. Creon is set on the idea of social responsibility. He believes that a citizen should do all that is in his grasp for his country. He sends men to watch Polyneices's body and to keep his law fro...