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Anna Kirwan
Professor Curran-Kondrad
Twice Told Tales
September 29, 2013
Gandhi and Antigone
Gandhi and Antigone share very similar characteristics. Gandhi was in South Africa for
about twenty years, fighting against discrimination. Antigone was willing to be stoned to death,
just so her brother could have a proper burial. Both characters braved many dangerous threats to
do what they thought was that right thing. Antigone and Gandhi both showed strength in the face
of opposition, had the ability to speak truth to power, and had intense passion.
Throughout my research of Gandhis work, he has gained even more admiration from me
than he previously had. I knew basics about Gandhis work, but I never knew all of the amazing
things he did to accomplish his goal. After reading Antigone, I realized that the two characters
shared very similar traits, and I wanted to compare them. Gandhi is known by many to have
been a peacemaker, however very few people know details about his work. I was surprised how
little I actually knew when it came to Gandhis work, and was compelled to share his amazing
qualities.
Gandhis strength in times of hardship was one of his most impressive qualities. In the
year 1930, Gandhi led a protest known as the Salt March. This March was to protest the Salt
taxes on people from India. Throughout the march there were countless arrests, and people were
hit by police. Whenever one was hit or arrested, another protester took their place. In the book,
The Story of My Experiments with Truth, Gandhi said, But sword we had none. We scarcely had
the nerve and the muscle even to receive sword-cuts. (187). What Gandhi meant was that he and

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his followers were weak and had no weapons, however they were still going to stand up for
themselves. Even though there were so many forces pushing back against Gandhi, he pushed
forward in protest without flinching. The Salt March is a prime example of Gandhi showing
strength in the face of opposition.
Antigone also shows strength in the face of opposition in many occasions in the book. In
the book Three Theban Plays, Antigone says to her sister, Save yourself, I dont grudge you
your survival (Sophacles 88). When Antigones sister asked what she could do to help, that was
Antigones response. Knowing that she would not survive, she told her sister to save herself.
The strength she needed to deny help knowing she would die alone is unimaginable. Antigone
knew what the right thing to do was, and remained strong on her path to justice.
Gandhi also was not afraid to bring his concerns straight to the person in charge.
Speaking truth to power was something Gandhi did very well at. Even though he was quiet and
shy as a child, Gandhi left home at eighteen to go to London to become a lawyer. Gandhi spent
the next twenty years working to better Indians' rights in South Africa. During the first three
years, Gandhi learned more about Indian grievances, studied the law, wrote letters to officials,
and organized petitions (Rosenberg 1). He did not physically speak truth to power, however he
did it in ways that were just as if not more effective than simply protesting. Using documents
and petitions is a way to be truly heard by the government, and Gandhi knew this.
Antigone voiced her truths to power in a more physical way. One truth she wanted to
state was that she believed her brother should have a proper burial. Instead of having a
discussion with Creon, she took it upon herself to bury him, full well knowing the consequences.
When being questioned by Creon after the act, Antigone said, Nor did I think your edict had
such force that you, a mere mortal, could override the gods (Sophocles 82). Antigone has no

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problem saying what she feels, even to the man who is in charge, and could order her killed. She
refers to him as a mere mortal when he sees himself as a higher power than others. Antigone
spoke truth to power in a way that many would not consider.
The passion Gandhi had towards reaching his goal was enough to make a person stop and
think about what they were doing with their own life. At age sixty-four, Gandhi retired from
politics. Gandhi came out of retirement five years later when the British viceroy brazenly
announced that India would side with England during World War II, without having consulted
any Indian leaders (Rosenberg 4). Even though he had already accomplished so much, and was
almost seventy years old, he was so passionate about his work, he began working again.
Antigone was equally as passionate about doing right by her family, whether they were
living or deceased. Antigone would have died for her cause, she even stated, And even if I die
in the act, that death will be a glory (Sophocles 63). Both she and Gandhi risked their lives to
do what they thought was the right thing. It is passion like this, which astonishes many, and
helps them accomplish their goals.
Antigone and Gandhi both showed strength in the face of opposition, had the ability to
speak truth to power, and had intense passion. Both of these people were motivated by different
causes, but did many of the same things. Antigone and Gandhi both acted out of passion and
determination instead of wondering what the consequences would be. This world would be a
very different place if more people fighting for a good cause found their voice and took action
like Antigone and Gandhi did.

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Works Cited
Gandhi, M. K., and Mahadev Haribhal Desai. The Story of My Experiments with Truth.
Ahmedabad: Navajivan, 1927. Print.
"Mohandas Gandhi." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2013.
Rosenberg, Jennifer. "Gandhi." About.com 20th Century History. N.p., 3 Feb. 2010. Web. 30
Sept. 2013.
Sophocles. Three Theban Plays, Antigone, Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus. Trans Robert
Fagles. New York: Penguin, 1984.