Read the excerpts from "The Royal House of Thebes" and "The Story of a Warrior Queen."

Question

Antigone and Ismene heard with horror what Creon had decided. To Ismene, shocking as it was, overwhelming her with anguish for the pitiful dead body and the lonely, homeless soul, it seemed, nevertheless, that nothing could be done except to acquiesce [to accept without protest]. She and Antigone were utterly alone. All Thebes was exulting that the man who had brought war upon them should be thus terribly punished. "We are women," she told her sister. "We must obey. We have no strength to defy the State." "Choose your own part," Antigone said. "I go to bury the brother I love."

–"The Royal House of Thebes"

"Is it not better to be poor and free than to have great wealth and be slaves?" she [Boadicea] asked. "And the Romans take not only our freedom but our wealth. They want to make us both slaves and beggars. Let us rise. O brothers and sisters, let us rise, and drive these robbers out of our land! Let us kill them every one! Let us teach them that they are no better than hares and foxes, and no match for greyhounds! We will fight, and if we cannot conquer, then let us die—yes, every one of us—die rather than submit."

–"The Story of a Warrior Queen"

How do the archetypes in these passages support the universal theme that one's values are worth risking one's life for?

Both Antigone and Boadicea are warriors who decide to go to war for what they believe is right.
Both Antigone and Boadicea are heroes who go to battle against their enemies.
Both Antigone and Boadicea are heroines who choose their values over their lives, knowing they may die in the process.
Both Antigone and Boadicea are villains who transgress the law in order to fight for their values.

Answer 1

The archetypes presented in these passages support the universal theme that one's values are worth risking one's life for in the following way:

Both Antigone and Boadicea are heroines who choose their values over their lives, knowing they may die in the process.

In "The Royal House of Thebes," Antigone embodies the archetype of a classic hero who defies societal norms and governmental authority for the sake of her moral duty to honor her deceased brother. Her determination to bury him despite the punishment reflects her belief that familial loyalty and justice transcend the laws of the state.

Similarly, in "The Story of a Warrior Queen," Boadicea inspires her people to fight against oppression for their freedom and wealth. She rallies them with the conviction that it is better to fight and potentially die for their values than to live as slaves. This passionate declaration exemplifies her willingness to risk her life and the lives of her followers for the sake of liberation and autonomy.

Together, both characters exemplify the archetype of the heroine advocating for justice, autonomy, and personal values, showing that true valor lies in prioritizing one's convictions even at the cost of life.