Comparing Thoreau's The Apology And Civil Disobedience

The Apology and Civil Disobedience are two famous literatures that depict the principles or basic premises of Socrates and Henry David Thoreau, respectively. The Apology, however was written by Plato based on his depiction of Socrates’ defense speech when he was put on trial for “corrupting the youth and impiety.” Principles found in Socrates’ speech to the men of Athens (jurors) can be compared and contrasted to principles of Henry David Thoreau which can be located in his essay, Civil Disobedience.
In Thoreau’s Civil Disobedience, he says, “ The only obligation which I have a right to assume is to do at any time what I think right.” Both Socrates and Thoreau seem to agree with the principle that humans are obligated to do what they believe
is morally right based on their conscience as opposed to what the law dictates it to be correct or not.
Socrates would most likely agree with that principle based on a statement he said in his defense speech: “Death is something I couldn’t care less about, but that my whole concern is not to do anything unjust or impious. That government, powerful as it was, did not frighten me into any wrongdoing.” Socrates, however, would disagree with Thoreau’s principle that when a country is ran unjustly, the people should refuse to follow the law and rebel and revolutionize. Socrates would disagree to this principle of Thoreau’s because although Socrates knew he was being accused unjustly and the men of Athens have voted him guilty, Socrates calmly accepts the verdict without trying to “rebel and revolutionize.” For Socrates, he understands that the government is treating him unjust due to him doing what he believes is morally right based on his conscience. However, Socrates doesn’t try to fight back violently but stoically accepts his verdict.