Antigone is a play written by Sophocles that ended in tragedy. Antigone arrives to Thebes and learns that both of her brothers are dead. Creon, Antigone’s uncle who has inherited the throne, gives her brother Eteocles a proper burial, but has issued a royal edict banning the burial of Polyneices because he believes that Poly is a traitor. Even though breaking this law can result in death, Antigone buries her brother but is caught afterward. Obviously, Creon found out that it was her and locks her away in a prison with plans to execute her. Long story short, he refuses to obey the prophet, the chorus urges him not to, and he goes to release Antigone and see Polyneices burial but before he can do that he discovers that not only has Antigone killed herself, but his wife and Haemon as well. Their deaths leave Creon in distress and sorrow. Sophocles had some bland characters, and some dynamic characters, but a couple were worth talking about. Antigone was one of the most important dynamic characters, and Ismene, especially was one of the most important static characters. Antigone is the perfect example of a dynamic character, she …show more content…
Antigone did ask Ismene to help but she says, “I’m not disrespecting them. But I can’t act against the state. That’s not in my nature.” (97) Ismene did “try” to convince Antigone to not bury Polyneices but she didn’t convince hard enough. Antigone wanted Ismene to help for the sake of the brothers but she didn’t want to act against the state. When Creon asked who was involved, Ismene says, “I did it- I admit it, and she'll back me up. So I bear the guilt as well.” But she didn’t do it, and Antigone told Creon that. Ismene wanted to help, but she helped at the wrong time, she was too late. She did absolutely nothing, she tried but
The character must decide whether or not to allow the employee’s cousin to work in their restaurant. The cousin must provide for his family through the cold winter or they will become homeless. The character also knows that the law requires him to check the citizenship of all employees and forbids him to hire anyone who is in the country illegally.
At the beginning of the play, Antigone brought Ismene outside the city gates at night for a top secret meeting. Antigone wanted to bury her brother Polyneices' body because even though he died in dishonor he was her brother. Ismene refused to disobey the king which is also their Uncle Creon, and she failed to talk Antigone out of doing the act herself. "Consider, sister, how our father died,/hated and infamous; how he brought to light/his own offenses..Then, mother...did shame/violently on her life, with twisted cords. Third, our two brothers, on a single day...Each killed the other, hand against brother's hand." (Antigone, Lines 59-65) In this quote, Antigone justified her reasons for going against the law describing how her parents went through so much, how their father was banished and due to this their mother had committed suicide because her reputation went down to the drain, even after all that their two brothers went into battle against one another and died in the process. Ismene was sympathetic, but still she was noble and afraid of Creon so she did not offer her help to Antigone.
“Being sister and brother means being there for each other” (thefreshquotes.com). Siblings are one’s most important relative because they’re basically an irreplaceable friend that will love and care for one another forever. People’s relationship with their siblings is emotionally powerful and critically important for their everyday life. Antigone believes that her siblings are her most significant relatives because they can’t be replaced, unlike a husband or children, because her parents are deceased; she will do anything for them, even go against the rules and put her own life in danger. In the play Antigone by Sophocles, the character Antigone can be seen as immoral because of her defying Creon’s laws, however, she receives sympathy for the injustices that were done to her brother, Polyneices, of him not being provided with a proper burial.
Due to the actions she took based on her emotions, Antigone suffered a far worse fate than Ismene. During her conversation with Ismene, Antigone says: “Ismene, I am going to bury him” (Sophocles, 3). To this Ismene replies with: “Bury him! You have just said the new law forbids it” (Sophocles, 3). This is the first time we experience the difference in the sisters’ behavior. Antigone has decided to bury Polyneices, although Creon’s new law forbids it. She believed that the God’s proclamation means more than Creon’s, and tells Ismene: “I will bury the brother I love” (Sophocles, 4). Ismene, on the other hand, knows that this action is forbidden by Creon’s law and isn’t willing to break it. She says: “But think of the danger! Think what Creon will do! [...] Think how much more terrible than these our own death would be if we should go against Creon and do what he has forbidden![...]The law is strong, we must give into 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” (Sophocles, 3-4). Ismene clearly respects the law and knows the repercussions of breaking it, something that Antigone chooses to ignore.
The play starts off with Antigone discussing what happened with her brothers Polyneices and Eteocles, with her sister, Ismene. Antigone wants her sister to come and help her give their brother Polynices a burial because she was not given one. Ismene decides not to help her sister becuases she is scared of the law Creon declared. Anyone who buries Polyneices will be punished. Croen is surprised to find out that Antigone buried Polyneices because she is a woman. To make an example out of her and to not lose his pride as a king. Antigone later dies and Hamaon, Creon’s son kills himself because Antigone was his soon to be wife. Since Hamaon died Creon’s wife killed herself because she could not bear to lose her son. The play Antigone is a Tragedy
Proper burial of the dead was, according to the Greeks, prerequisite for the souls entrance into a permanent home. Therefore, perhaps Ismene is also foolish for her quick refusal to help Antigone perform the duty of Polyneices proper burial. Ismene definitely seems hasty in her acceptance of personal weakness.
In the playwright, Antigone, by Sophocles Ismene’s main goal throughout the story is to prevent further tragedy and sorrow by reasoning with Antigone, her sister, with her rash decisions. For instance, Antigone and Ismene’s brother died fighting bravely without a proper funeral; so Antigone with her noble heart wanted to jeopardize her life for a dead loved one against their merciless king. However, Ismene did not want to see her beloved sister wind up dead over her brother so she said, “ But think of the danger! Think of what Creon will do.” Ismene wanted to keep the remainder of her family alive, so she knew that she had to make the “truth” clear to her sister. Therefore, she desperately tried to put things in perspective by making Antigone
Antigone was dejected with Creon’s ruling and decided to bury Polynices herself. She tried to enlist Ismene to help her, but Ismene was to afraid. Antigone furiously continued with the plan on her own. A sentry discovered Antigone and brought her to Creon. Ismene was also brought to Creon and confessed that she had helped Antigone with the burial rites of Polynices. Antigone stopped Ismene and told her not to admit to an act that she had not committed. Antigone took sole responsibility for the burial and claimed that Creon had no right to forbid the burial of Polynices. Ismene pleaded with Creon to spare Antigone’s life for the sake of Haemon, Creon’s son.
Antigone, a story written by Sophocles, is about a young woman, Antigone, choosing whether she will not bury her brother, Polyneices, to not break the law or disobey Creon’s law and bury him; however choosing to bury her brother does not derail her moral development.
Ismene continued to tell Antigone how she thought going to bury her brother, Polyneices, was a bad idea, but never actually firmly said “no.” She used logic to tell Antigone to not go through with her plan, but it backfired. Ismene has the power to stop Antigone and she negatively abused it by allowing her to continue and now she is paying the price. She is not able to firmly say
Although both sisters have lost their brothers, Antigone is the only one who will go against her king to do what she knows is right. When Antigone asks her sister if she will help her bury their brother Polyneices, Ismene responds with, “We are only women; we cannot fight with men, Antigone! The law is strong; we must give into the law…” (Ismene 774). Naturally, Ismene should be afraid for herself, as well for the safety of her sister because what Antigone is asking of her will mostly likely cause them both to be killed. However, she should be braver like Antigone, and realize that she must do what is morally right for their family, and give her brother the proper burial that he deserves. Afterward, when Antigone has already been captured, Ismene then comes forth to try and share the punishment that has been given to Antigone, but Antigone tells King Creon that she has done nothing. In addition, when Creon asks Ismene if she had anything to do with the crime, and Antigone denies it, Ismene then replies, “But now I know what you meant; and I am here to join you, to take my share of punishment” (Ismene 785). Although now Ismene feels like she needs to stand up to the King and do what is right for her
At the beginning of the play, Antigone is upset about a decree Creon, the king, made (190). The decree states that her brother, Polyneices, was not allowed to be buried, because Creon believes that Polyneices was a “traitor who made war on his country” (211). Antigone has a very strong love for her brother and the gods, therefore she believes Polyneices deserves a proper burial according to the laws of the gods (192). Antigone says to Ismene that she [Antigone] will go against Creon’s decree-which states that if anyone buries Polyneices they will be killed (190). Antigone is extremely angry with Creon for creating the decree, to the point where she decides to make a big deal about the burial, instead of lying low and doing it in secret (192). Antigone even tells Ismene to “Tell everyone!” that she [Antigone] buried Polyneices when everyone finds out, and not keep it a secret-although Ismene doesn’t listen (193). Antigone’s decision not to do the bur...
Antigone is a play about a woman who disobeyed the King's order to not bury her brother. The play was written by the famous Greek tragedian, Sophocles, in 441 B.C. The story took place in the city of Thebes and the time period is not mentioned. The main characters introduced in the play are of Antigone, Ismene, Creon, and Haemon. The primary focus was centered on Antigone and the consequences she faces after breaking the King's orders.
The Antigone is widely thought of as the tragic heroine of the play bearing her name. She would seem to fit the part in light of the fact that she dies doing what is right. Antigone buries her brother Polynices, but Creon does not like her doing that one bit. Creon says to Antigone, "Why did you try to bury your brother? I had forbidden it. You heard my edict. It was proclaimed throughout Thebes. You read my edict. It was posted up on the city walls." (Pg. 44) Antigone buries her brother without worrying about what might happen to her. By doing this, she takes into consideration death and other consequences for burying her brother. Antigone follows what she thinks is right according to the gods. She is the supporter of her actions in the burial of Polynices.
In order for a play to be considered a tragedy, it must achieve the purgation of fear and pity. In the play “Antigone”, Sophocles does a great job of bringing out these two emotions in the reader. At the beginning of the play, there is a conversation between Antigone and her sister Ismene. During the conversation, the reader learns the two girls lost their father in battle and both of their brothers at the hands of one another. Then the reader learns that one of the brothers, Polynices, has been left to die without a proper burial.