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!…
Have you ever wondered why American movies and TV shows often feature a Russian villain? This is not a new concept; these biases have been strengthened through writing for millennia. In Ancient Greece, Sophocles, an Athenian writer wrote of the struggle between law and morality in his play Antigone. Antigone takes place in the conflict ridden city-state of Thebes, where Creon, the king, declaims that his nephew Polyneices is a traitor and anyone who tries to bury him shall die. Antigone, Polyneices’ sister defies him and buries her brother despite his threat, but must face death for her crime.…
Despite its ancient origins, Sophocles’ play Antigone provides a case study through which to examine issues of politics, power, sovereignty, and justice. The final of Sophocles’ trilogy “Three Theban Plays,” the first record of Antigone is around 442 BCE, during the height of Athenian democracy. The play centers around Antigone’s decision to disobey her future father-in-law and king, Creon, in order to give her brother Polyneices, who is branded a traitor and is forbade a proper burial. One of Oedipus and Jocasta’s living two children, Antigone flaunts Creon’s laws and gives her brother a proper burial. Antigone expects to be put to death for her crime but instead Creon orders her to be shut in a cave, where she will live out her final days.…
“An Enemy is always an enemy, even in death.” Creon growled. Antigone replied, “I cannot side with hatred. My nature resides with love.” Creon barked, “Go to Hades, then, and if you have to love, love someone dead.…
But Creon thought I was in the wrong.” (Lines 1026) As Antigone prays to her brother, Polyneices about what has happened. Antigone brings a contrast of things from Creon to the story. The theme develops as Creon’s characteristics are shown more and more.…
The focal point of Sophocles’ Antigone is the protagonist’s desire and search for justice. Antigone, the daughter of Oedipus, is the play’s tragic heroine who fights against the evil Creon, the current King of Thebes. Her rebellion against the king was ignited by her thirst for justice, stopping at nearly nothing to combat the immoralities standing in her way. In her heart, the sacredness of family and honor is the pinnacle aspect of her life. These beliefs of hers create the source of conflict and drama found within the play, and eventually lead to her own death.…
With the God’s ruling Antigone’s every move, she has lost a sense of her rational being. Antigone does not care that her mortal body suffers consequences, as long as she is pleasing her Gods. She disregards her own life with such extremity that her thoughts cannot come from a place of logic, but instead from some sort of blinding passion. Her actions only come from her need to please the Gods. At the beginning of the play she makes a declaration about her desire to bury Polynices.…
She is the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta who were the former king and queen of Thebes and the niece of Creon who is now the king. Creon calls Antigone as a princess even though she is no longer a princess. She has earned a lot of reputation and respect to lose, only because of her high status. People who consider Creon as a tragic hero state that Antigone no longer has a high status in Thebes after her father’s death, so she is not eligible to have a high social position. Although she does not have any social or political power, Antigone is still an influential person in Thebes.…
“How does the conflict between individual free will and the state comment on the historical and social context of Antigone?” The Greek tragedy of Antigone was written in 441B.C and encompasses important themes that were relevant to that time, such as the patriarchal setting of the society, the role of women and the conflict between individual free will and the state. Antigone follows the traditional form of a tragedy and it focuses on the protagonist with a fatal flaw that eventually leads to their downfall. Sophacles uses the play to comment on social and political issues of the time and set it 800 years before his birth as to avoid offending those in power.…
It is true that everyone is one bad decision away from ruining his or her life. In Antigone, for example, Creon decides not to give Polyneices a proper burial because of his beliefs. Since Antigone fought for her brother’s burial and disobeyed Creon’s law, Creon locked her away in prison. Shortly after being locked away, Antigone killed herself. Creon made the wrong decision when he sentenced Antigone to prison since both his wife and son also killed themselves after finding out about Antigone’s death.…
Antigone creates a moral argument with Ismene trying to convince her to be loyal and faithful sister. She tells Ismene to “prove what [she] [is],” she can be “a true sister, or a traitor to [her] family” (2). Antigone wants to persuade Ismene to follow her morals. She is speaking in a stern tone, making Ismene feel bad about her previous decision.…
All of Fate in the Hands of the Gods Although The Oedipus Cycle may not be a trilogy, all three plays have one constant element: the constant involvement of the gods in each and every situation. Antigone, Oedipus Rex, and Oedipus at Colonus all have a constant factor in each play which is the role of the gods in each play. The gods control every aspect of life throughout the plays. Although they may not be physically visible, the gods have total control of the fate of an every member of the plays.…
Hubris is defined as excessive pride or self-confidence. It is not an uncommon characteristic of characters in Greek literature and plays an important role in the downfall of several protagonists. Characters who have hubris are stubborn and believe themselves as always right. Excessive pride makes people reject others ' advice which leads to making rash decisions. This can cause them to make mistakes in decisions or overestimating their own abilities.…
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.”…