Martin Luther King Jr., one of the most prominent African-American civil rights leaders, said: “A man who is not willing to die for something is not fit to live. » In the play Antigone, Sophocles uses the rebellious characters of Antigone and Haimon as they resist Creon's authority and risk their lives for their own respective beliefs. Similar to the rebellious characters in Antigone, in Chinua Achebe's novel Things Fall Apart, Nwoye and Okonkwo disobey authority and express their own opinions. Achebe and Sophocles use characters who challenge authority to reveal the importance of standing up for one's beliefs, regardless of the consequences. Antigone risks her own life to bury her brother, therefore, she goes against Creon's edict that Polyneices should not be buried; she thinks Polyneices deserves to reach the afterlife. Antigone said to Ismene: “I will bury him myself. If I die for that, so much the better: I will stay with him, my brother; and my crime will be devotion” (Sophocles 23). Antigone is willing to risk her own life by disobeying the king's authority; She defends her religious belief that Polyneices should be buried. Kreon tells Antigone before committing suicide: “I will not encourage you. You have been condemned” (Sophocles 57). Kreon believes that Antigone's crime is serious and that righteousness should be used to justify her crime. At this point in the play, Antigone realizes that she will be put to death, but she does not regret her act of loyalty. In Antigone's last speech before committing suicide, she exclaims: "Land of Thebes, city of my fathers... see what I suffer at the hands of my mother's brother for an act of loyalty and devotion" ( Sophocles 57). Here, Antigone addresses the leaders of the nation and states that they should notice middle of paper......ath. Through the character of Haimon, Sophocles reveals the importance of remaining true to one's beliefs regardless of the circumstances. In Antigone and Things Fall Apart, readers are left with glaring lessons of injustice that, if left unchecked and unchallenged, will never change. Achebe and Sophocles provide characters who go against the norms and traditions of society for the betterment of humanity. Throughout history, leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Susan B. Anthony have helped bring about a fair balance for humanity. Individuals who represent opposing viewpoints shape and change the course of history; without such risk-takers, life may never progress for the good of humanity. Works CitedAchebe, Chinua. Things are falling apart. New York: Anchor Books, 1994. Print. Sophocles. Antigone. Trans. Richard Emil Braun. New York: Oxford UP, 1973. Print.