Hypothetically, if one is posed with the situation to choose between two instances, personal or core benefit would be the determinants. Then, as everything plays out, one may start to regret the choice they made, and unfortunately a point of no return can be reached. In Seamus Heaney’s The Burial at Thebes, this type of conflict is ever-present throughout the play, affecting a series of characters. One woman, Ismene, whose sister Antigone is sentenced to death for treason, struggles with this dire situation, being forced to choose whether or not to abide by the king Creon. Not knowing which decision is right, Ismene’s opinions are in flux, but as Antigone’s death draws closer, she switches her stance from obeying the law to defending her sister.
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After the death of her two brothers, Ismene’s sister, Antigone, vows to bury one brother, Polyneices, who fought on the opposing side of the war. However, with a recent law that legally forbids the action, Ismene finds herself in disbelief when her sister still wishes to follow though with her idea. Upon hearing Antigone’s proposal, Ismene is distraught, torn between supporting her sister and conforming to the law. She argues that “we must do as we’re told” (10), insistent that Antigone is being rash, almost pleading with her to realize that burying Polyneices is irrational. She cares deeply for Antigone, and only wishes to stay by her side, but Ismene eventually admits that she is “not strong enough to defy the laws of the land” (11), demonstrating that if she had the courage, she would comply with Antigone unquestionably. She does not want to risk dying, or defy the king, even if it means leaving her sister behind. Ismene exposes her inner conflict upon realizing that although she wants to support Antigone, she does not wish to break the law in the
After the death of her two brothers, Ismene’s sister, Antigone, vows to bury one brother, Polyneices, who fought on the opposing side of the war. However, with a recent law that legally forbids the action, Ismene finds herself in disbelief when her sister still wishes to follow though with her idea. Upon hearing Antigone’s proposal, Ismene is distraught, torn between supporting her sister and conforming to the law. She argues that “we must do as we’re told” (10), insistent that Antigone is being rash, almost pleading with her to realize that burying Polyneices is irrational. She cares deeply for Antigone, and only wishes to stay by her side, but Ismene eventually admits that she is “not strong enough to defy the laws of the land” (11), demonstrating that if she had the courage, she would comply with Antigone unquestionably. She does not want to risk dying, or defy the king, even if it means leaving her sister behind. Ismene exposes her inner conflict upon realizing that although she wants to support Antigone, she does not wish to break the law in the