commandment, but followed the sacred/religious laws. Antigone is mourning over the loss of her brother. She thinks that he is important enough to be buried. Ismene wants to follow the law. This is seen in line 64, “I will bury the brother I love”- Andre’s and line 58, “It is the dead, not the living, who make the longest demands.”…
Questions A: 1. Antigone is distraught since her uncle, Creon, banned the burial of Polynices, her brother. 2. Ismene does not want to break the law. She also mentions that she is a woman, so she cannot cope with men.…
Ismene tries to persuade Antigone to obey King Creon’s edict, because if she fails to comply, she will be stoned. Antigone does not care, she desires to bury her brother, because she feels she is entitled to honor him. “Say I am mad and give my madness rein to wreck itself; the worst that can befall is but to die an honorable death.” Antigone would rather face death, and die honorably, than desert her brother. Ismene denies Antigone’s request to help her, because she feels that it is to risky, and does not want to defy King Creon’s…
Ismene, Antigone’s sister, is seen a somewhat fearful person. When Antigone asks Ismene to come with her to bury their brother, she refuses. Ismene’s and Antigone’s conversation is heated while they are discussing each other's options,“He is my brother. And he is your brother, too.” “But think of the danger!…
Antigone has lost both of her brothers in the civil war and is confronted with a difficult choice. Antigone honors her fallen brother and is willing to risk losing her own life and the life of her sister Ismene. Antigone is the sister of Polyneices and she believed the right thing to do for Polyneices was to give him a proper burial. She new she would be breaking Creon's law , but she was not going to let him…
Ismene is the name of the daughter and half-sister of Oedipus, daughter and granddaughter of Jocasta, and sister of Antigone, Eteocles, and Polynices. Ismene is the main character in the play Antigone, one of many and since she is a major player she needs to have a lot of personalities in order for not to be stale or boring. Ismene is blessed with the most thrilling of traits believing that you are nothing more than what society demands. “We must remember that by birth we’re women and as such, we shouldn’t fight with men". She is scared of breaking the social norm.…
Ismene proved that she felt guilty about not helping her sister bury their brother, but Antigone…
First of all, Antigone, in the beginning of the play, argues to Ismene about the burial of their brother. Antigone says that “‘[she will not] insist’” (line 83) on following Ismene when she tells Antigone to not bury Oedipus. Antigone already makes her decision to bury her brother in the first place, and all Ismene does is creates a sense of conflict that does not change Antigone’s actions anyways. Even if Ismene is not there to argue with Antigone, Antigone already knows her reasons of burying her brother. One may say that Ismene’s presence emphasizes Antigone’s determination, but Antigone is already going to bury her brother against the law.…
When Ismene tries to convince Antigone to abandon her plans to bury Polyneices, she says “You ought to realize we are only women/ not meant in nature to fight against men/ and that we are ruled, by those who are stronger” (Ant. 66-73). Antigone knows her position in Thebes as a woman with little power, but the fact that she chooses to ignore it ties in with her extreme mentality. Antigone’s attitude toward burying her brother reveals a prideful and stubborn personality along with an unwillingness to compromise. This attitude shows the rigidity of Antigone’s ideals and shows that one must have a willingness to listen, and the moderation, to accept what cannot be done. In addition, as Antigone is led off to the cave to die, she finally understands the consequences of her actions and says, “What law of God have I broken?/Why should I still look to the gods in my misery?/Whom should I summon as an ally?…
In the article Sophocles’ Antigone and Family Values, author Rush Rhem goes into detail about the significances of family values in Antigone. In the article it shows evidence that Ismene believes that her family has done so much harm to Thebes Antigone, and herself should follow any laws placed before them. Antigone’s beliefs differ from Ismene with that she feels as if she has a moral obligation to go against the law and lay her brother to rest. Perhaps the missing message in the play Antigone comes from a Kantian perspective. Antigone’s decision to go against the law and give her brother a proper burial is a motion of freedom.…
Antigone is determined to bury Polynices even though an edict was passed stating that no one was to give the dead prince a proper burial. She whole heartedly believes that her decision to bury him is justified and she is above Creon’s law because she is doing it out of love. When Ismene begs her to give up and says that her plan is madness, Antigone states “No one will ever convict me for a traitor” (Sophocles 362). She chooses to defy the city in order to satisfy her personal goals. She proudly claims to know what justice is; what is right and what is wrong.…
Nobody encourages her to defy Creon’s orders and provide a proper burial for her brother, but rather, it is a decision that results from Antigone acting in accordance with her free will. When Ismene tries to convince Antigone that burying Polynices is not worth the risk and punishment of death, Antigone replies, “You have your excuses. I am on my way / I will raise a mound for him, for my dear brother” (Antigone 94-95). In this instance, Antigone is effectively taking a stand for what she believes in as she values family ties and loyalty as well as the virtue of courage.…
The law is strong, we must give in to the law In this thing, and in worse. I beg the Dead To forgive me, but I am helpless: I must yield To those in authority. And I think it is dangerous business To be always meddling.”. Ismene states that not only is Antigone being outrageous by going against the laws of the state aka Creon’s law but in addition she is a woman! This clearly is a death sentence and Ismene sees that Antigone’s stubbornness will bring no good not to the city nor to her family.…
You have just said the new law forbids it.” Antigone responds to Ismene, “He is my brother and he is your brother, too.” This clearly show Antigone isn’t afraid to break the law for doing what she thinks is right. On the other hand, her sister…
Ismene’s sacrifice is disregarded by both Creon and Antigone, causing her “major shift” in character to be useless. When she confesses to aiding Antigone in her crime, Antigone reprimands her and tells her to turn away as, “[you] shall not lessen [my] death my sharing it.” (Sophocles 439) Antigone is intent on taking on the blame for the crime on herself, refusing to allow her sister to take even part of the punishment. Creon ridicules both girls, telling the Chorus that “One has just now lost her mind; the other, It seems, has never had a mind at all.”…