A great author once wrote, “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude” (Maya Angelou). These wise words are the backbone to the play Antigone by Sophocles. In this play, the audience is maneuvered through this tragic flaw between human and divine law. Many characters in the play are dissatisfied with the circumstances of their lives and because of that, they want to change the conditions in which they find themselves and when faced with a tragic event, the character’s attitude changes. One character, Ismene, the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta, has grown up into a world of hate and power and this impacted her view of life. Sophocles enhances on the character of Ismene by showing …show more content…
Her parents faced horrible deaths and now her brothers died while fighting each other for power. These deaths have put her in a position to play it safe and listen to those in power. Ismene’s words and actions make it clear to the audience that she loves her sister dearly and is not willing to lose her life or her sister’s life. Antigone believes that Creon’s law forbidding anyone to give her brother a burial, is unjust and not what the Gods want. So if Creon will not give her brother a burial, then she will do it herself and she does not care about the consequences. Unlike Antigone, Ismene fears going against Creon’s wishes. Ismene understands her identity as a women and because Ismene and Antigone are ladies, they are “...not born to contend with men”(line 75). This piece of who Ismene is forces her to listen to those in power. Ismene understands what Creon can do if he found out that someone went against his wishes. Creon behaves like a tyrant and when someone tries to can over rule him, he feels threatened and because of that, he does things to remind the people of Thebes who he is and what power he …show more content…
However, Ismene is now stuck between obeying the one with authority or losing her sister. From Ismene’s words and actions, the audience can see that Ismene cares deeply for her sister but is unhappily trapped. Ismene wants to work this out instead of jumping to conclusions, she has experienced many tragic losses and does not want to lose the one person she has left. When Creon accuses Ismene of having an equal part in the burial, Ismene takes her sister’s side. Antigone questions why Ismene wants to share the guilt and Ismene replies, “But now you face such dangers... I’m not ashamed to sail through trouble with you, make your troubles mine” (609-611). She isn’t stuck anymore and doesn’t fear what could happen to her because of the great love that she has for her sister. Ismene completely changes mentally because she sees that her sister is in danger and will go down fighting with her. She isn’t afraid to speak out to Creon and question him, question his thoughts for really wanting to take Antigone away from his own son. From the beginning of the play, Ismene wanted peace and wasn’t able to make the same bold move as Antigone but now she is willing to die with her
After her brother’s death, Antigone wanted to bury his body since no matter what her brother had done, he was still her brother. However, if she did bury him, it would be breaking the law King Creon had set up. Ismene kept telling and trying to persuade Antigone not to bury him but Antigone calmly tells her, “I will bury the brother I love. (Prologue, 69)” Even though Ismene told Antigone about the consequences of her planned action, Antigone was completely fine with
Antigone tries to persuade her sister by saying “ There it is, and now you can prove what you are, A true sister, or a traitor to your family” (Sophocles et al 190). Antigone tries get her sister to help her by telling her she has to make a choice between her family or let fear get in the way. Technically saying you’re with us or against us. Antigone knows that her sister Ismene will rethink her decision and take part in the burial. Antigone not only said that Ismene would be
Antigone gives up and tells her she will do it without her, and that if Ismene keeps insulting her she will despise Ismene. As Antigone leaves, Ismene calls after her and calls her a fool but states she is loved by her family still, which at this point is just Ismene and Antigone. (lines 117-120) The next time Ismene is seen is as guards lead her in and we learn she is crying. She tries to take the blame along with Antigone, however, Antigone tells her that she’s foolish, that Antigone’s death is enough, Ismene’s response is “With you dead why would I want to live”.
King Creon was unjust with his actions towards Antigone, not only was he punishing Antigone but, he was also going to punish her sis Ismene by default. I believe the main reasons why he was going to punish Ismene was because she was related to Antigone by blood, and the fact that she was a woman; “Creon: You too Ismene, Snake in my ordered house, sucking my blood stealthily—and all the time I never knew that these two sisters were aiming at my throne!” (Abcarian, Klotz and Cohen 358). Pleading their case, which has no agenda of “aiming at his throne”, Creon is only worried about losing his power but in reality, it’s much more than power, I see it as males losing their authority over women.
To those in authority. (Sophocles Prologue 46-51) Everyone thinks of Ismene as a supporter of Creon because she does not show that she secretly rebels against him. Ismene’s secretive actions allow her to rebel against Creon while still escaping punishment. Ismene is able to get away with her actions because she creates an “onstage” and an “offstage” behavior.
In the opening of the play, Antigone brings Ismene outside the city gates late at night for a secret meeting. Antigone wants to bury Polynices' body despite Creon’s demands, but Ismene, being the rule-follower that she is, refuses to help her. She fears the death penalty and chooses to obey the ruler’s orders. Antigone angrily storms off after Ismene’s rejection to bury her
In the scene in which Creon will not allow her brother to be buried. This goes against her personal beliefs she confronts Creon when she says “if I had allowed my own mothers son to rot, an unburied corpse that would have been an agony.” Creon wouldn’t allow Antigone brother to be buried even tho Antigone felt it was the right thing to do. Antigone is talking to Ismene about burying her brother but Ismene tells her to keep the idea a secret but Antigone disagrees and says “But I know I’ll please the ones I’m duty bound to please.
Creon has officially made the decision that he is not going to bury Polyneices which angers Antigone. Antigone needs help to reach her goal and she says to Ismene, “You may do as you like, since apparently the laws of the Gods mean nothing to you (Sophocles, et al. 192).” Ismene is hesitant to agree with Antigone and join her in this task because she does not want to break the law and go against Creon’s words. Antigone is making Ismene feel
“I shall be hating you soon,” (193). Antigone then transitions into a more emotional form of persuasion, by threatening the relationship between them if she is to not join in on her plan. This targets the guilty conscience of Ismene which is normally what tends to push people to agree with the arguer, although it can be seen as a slightly manipulative tactic. Despite Antigone’s passive aggressive argument with Ismene, she fails to convince her to join the burial and carries out her mission on her own. However, the sentry Creon sent to spy on the grave spots her and brings her to Creon as the guilty
In the play Antigone, Sophocles demonstrates the conflict between family and God through the characters of Antigone, Ismene and Creon. Antigone being ambitious and strong willed throughout the play, fights for his brothers honor and proper burial while Ismene on the other hand, is more timid fears the consequences that may occur if the laws are broken. For Creon he is the King and holds most power, until the Gods feel he is incapable. Antigone, Ismene and Creon all use logical and emotional appeals to achieve a compromise to either bury Polynices or not.
Tradition is a theme found in both the short story “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson and the play Antigone by Sophocles. In both stories tradition is used as a tool to force people to conform to the “norm” of society. In “The Lottery”, the people of the town revolve around their annual lottery. Everyone is quick to help each other get ready for the event and also show no remorse for the end of the ritual. Nobody objects to the continuation of the lottery, although Mr. Adams brings up the rumor that a nearby village were talking about giving up the lottery but he was quickly shut down by Old Man Warner.
This flaw of Ismene is shown at many points in the play, but perhaps the instance where this trait is the most prevalent is when she refuses to help Antigone bury their slain brother. This happens at the very beginning of the story right after Eteocles has been given a proper obsequey, and Polynices will be left unburied. Antigone begs, “Will you help me? Will you do something with me? Will you?
“How could I live on alone, without my sister.” (Sophocles, page 32) She tries to take credit for the burial with Antigone. Ismene is distraught when Antigone rejects her and so she tries to appeal to Creon, asking him how he could kill his son’s bride-to-be. When Creon brushes off her pleas, he sentences her to be sent to the dungeons with Antigone.
In this particular story I would think that her idea of justice is wrong. In real life, I would say that we should obey the law of the land made by the King or President. But in The Antigone, Ismene's biggest fear is challenging King Creon and the laws of the state which prevents her from her sister's bold plan. Ismene’s states, “Now look at the two of us, left so alone…think what a death we’ll die, the worst of all if we violate the laws and override the fixed decree of the throne, its power – we must be sensible. Remember we are women, we’re not born to contend with men.
Ismene trembles in feat because her life could also be in danger for being the sister of Antigone. Throughout all the family drama if Antigone dies Ismene will be the only descendant from Oedipus alive. Ismene is worried and says, “Antigone I am so afraid for you” (3) because she knows Antigone will die soon. Ismene tells Antigone to be intelligent about her actions and not eager to respond to situations.