Ismenon's Response To Antigone

Ismene and Antigone both believed differently on the proper course of action following their brother’s death and the order against his burial. Both of their brothers died when they simultaneously killed each other- however king Kreon only allowed Eteokles to be buried honorably while Polyneices would not be buried. This is because Polyneices invaded Thebes with the hope of taking the throne from his brother. This act caused Kreon to consider him an enemy and criminal who deserved no respect or proper burial. Though both sisters were naturally grieved by this, they had opposing responses. Antigone’s argument for burying Polyneices proved to be superior through her skillful use of persuasive elements and logic. Antigone tried to gain her sister’s support through various persuasive methods. She appealed to her sister’s love …show more content…
She considered her family to be more important than what the king declared or what the punishments would be. She hoped that her sister would also remember her devotion to her family and therefore conclude that Antigone’s endeavor was the right response to the king’s order against Polyneices’ burial. She also appealed to the more universal claim of the greater picture of the dead and the gods. She said that because the dead are forever it is better to please them than those on earth- in this case king Kreon. In this way Antigone inferred that Ismene’s choice to not help her would have negative consequences for her even after death. Antigone also believed that the traditions of their people and the gods should be taken with higher regard than the word of the king who is a mere man. The traditions of the gods were considered infallible at the time and therefore Ismene could be disobeying the will of the gods and breaking tradition if she did not properly honor and bury her deceased brother. Antigone’s reasoning provided concrete support for her argument to bury her