Antigone : A Greek Tragic Playwright

Ismene, who carries her own brand of pain, defers argument, attaching her grief to Antigone’s anguish through sibling loyalty. Ismene first claims responsibility for Polyneikos’ burial hoping to spare Antigone’s life, but also as a measure of regret for earlier failing to help. Ismene appeals to Antigone, offering herself, she says, “I want to row the boat with you. I can help you suffer.” Her intentions speak loudly, but her corrections are too

While at first glance her imploring may only seem to be whining platitudes, she reveals both her care for her sister and her understanding of the current social order. She tries to ground her sister and make her realize that boldly standing up for her beliefs may not be the best choice in the long run. Ismene reminds Antigone to “think how our own father died, hated, his reputation in ruins” (61-62), not wanting the same fate to befall her own sister. This first attempt at persuasion failing, she appeals to her sister’s social customs. “We must be sensible. Remember we are women, we’re not born to contend with man” she insists, but to no avail (74-75). Antigone is determined to perform the burial rites and follow her own idea of justice, and Ismene is unable to do anything about it. Finally, knowing her sister’s propensity towards grand declarations and shows of heroism, her love for “impossibility” (104), she counsels her to not “blurt this out to anyone” (98). Antigone storms out of the room, thinking her sister has betrayed both her and her brother, even as Ismene tries to remind her that she is “truly dear to the ones who love you” (116). Antigone may see Ismene as a weak coward, but in fact is only ignoring her sister’s mature reasons to choose her battles and let this one go. Ignoring Ismene’s

The love of a brother and sister is shown between the siblings Polyneices and Antigone. Antigone believes that her brother not being buried

To start off, Antigone is very loyal to her city, but faces a moral dilemma when she has to decide what is the right thing to do for her brother who died. The rule of the Gods would be to bury her brother but the king´s rule is that he should be left lying there unburied. Antigone goes against the King's rule and does a funeral service

In the play “Antigone” by Sophacles, Ismene’s character changes from someone who lacks action and is indecisive because she refuses to bury Polyneices, to someone who finds courage at the end and begs Antigone to allow her to follow her in death.

In Antigone, Sophocles examines gender roles and expectations of Ancient Greece through the contrast between conformity and individuality.

Antigone is one of the most revered tragic plays written by Sophocles which revolves around Antigone, the protagonist, who strives to have a proper burial for her brother Polynices despite the king’s strict orders. The play powerfully portrays moral conflicts between the individual, the society, and the divine, subverting the gender norms of its times. Analyzing the portrayal of these conflicts, characters, and the role of the Chorus shaped our

When news of Creon’s decree reaches Antigone, she does not hesitate in her decision. With little to no concern of the consequences for disregarding the decree, she made the decision that her brother deserved a proper, traditional, funeral. With a dedication to the law that mirrors Antigone’s dedication to family, Ismene steadfastly refuses to help her sister when asked. Ismene’s refusal to act in this matter is influenced by many factors. She is not so much afraid of wrongdoing or injustice as she is of risk to her person. She brings up her concerns when she says “think how much more terrible than these our own death would be if we should go against Creon and do what he has forbidden”(44). Ismene is too scared of the consequences of breaking the law; public stoning and perhaps even the denial of a proper funeral similar to Polyneices. She also has witnessed the downfall and eventual destruction of much of her family, leaving her with the belief that the only way to go on living is to avoid attention and obey those in charge.

The play Antigone by Sophocles shows the events that happens after the Battle Of Thebes and shows the events after Antigone makes the decision to bury her condemned brother. Sophocles presents the main character as a stubborn, rebellious, loyal and family oriented girl who stands for pride, honor and the upkeep of her family. She is faced with an unfair situation when only one of her brothers is buried after a twin death, with a law preventing the burial of another. Her morals influence her decision to go ahead despite of the given predicament that she faces and bury her condemned brother. This shows apart of her character that is very family oriented and loyal to her family and what she believes is right to do. This can be further demonstrated

Antigone is part of a series of Theban plays by Sophocles and concludes what his later plays started. At the start of the play, we learn of the deaths of her two brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices. The death of her brothers and her unrelenting refusal to let one of their bodies rot leads Antigone to be imprisoned in a tomb. This event leads father and son to defy society’s value of family loyalty and argue;

This story is marked by tragedy after tragedy; Antigone and Ismene are presented with a father, that dare to killed his father to married his own mother. Two brother that followed the similar example, and consequently killed each other to for throne to have power. We don’t know what age they were when her parents died, but by inference we can argue that they were young. Although, Antigone and Ismene experience some life-hard moments together, their view on certain situation are shaped differently throughout the play. Antigone, see the situation with her brother Polynieces as outrageous offense to her and her family values, especially after being an active member of leadership in the city of Thebes. Antigone, experiences had made her a stronger than other women, she doesn’t fear man, and is

The play opens with Antigone trying to convince her sister Ismene, during a secret meeting, to help her bury Polyneices ' body, abusing the king’s law as an act of morality and respect for her sibling. In other words, the text depicts Antigone as the rebellious sister making Ismene appear to be more in favor with the kings ruling. Therefore, Ismene, fearful of the death penalty by King Creon, refuses to help her sister and fails at convincing Antigone of abandoning her rebellious plan as well. As Ismene refuses to carryout out the crime, Antigone replies with “Let that be your excuse. I’m going now to make a burial mound for my dear brother” (Johnston 99-100). This is where morals are being portrayed as one would want a proper burial for the loss of a loved one. Antigone has that of a men’s physique despising her self-image and is stubborn towards accepting her girlhood. However, it is understood by the reader that Antigone had always been complex, terrorizing Ismene as a child, always insisting that her sister was beautiful and had a place in acceptance, as for her, she wasn’t destine for such pleasures. By these accusations, the author

The issue focused on how a family through their daughters Antigone and Ismene managed their grief of not being allowed to perform a symbolic (decent) ritual to bury their brother (Polynices). Creon, the king of Thebes established a martial law in which outlines that those who have betrayed the city will not be rendered a decent bury. The central theme is explained and illustrated throughout the play of the Antigone’s believes and unconditional love for her family. Antigone clearly described and evidences her circumstances in which she will bury his brother at any cost to include sacrificing her own life and the reasons why would not have buried the body of a love one. Reasons for her not to bury a love one are described

Sophocles’ Antigone is a well-known Greek play, and Anouilh’s Antigone is a modern twentieth-century adaptation of it. Both deal with the aftermath of Antigone’s choice to go bury her brother Polyneices even though the king, Creon, has expressly forbidden the burial of the traitor brother. Antigone and Creon are of course the central characters, but Ismene, Antigone’s sister, is important in her own way: she is the barrier between Creon and Antigone, and presents the moral and emotional dilemma many of us deal with when reading the play Antigone. She is the one who does not want to go against the king, but wants to stand by her sister at the same time. Does this make her an indecisive character who does not know where her loyalty lies? Yes and no. Does it mean that Ismene’s character is unnecessary in the play and can thus be easily removed? This is also debatable but it is a valid question. In this essay, I will explore the character of Ismene’s loyalty in Sophocles’ version of Antigone and Anouilh’s modern adaptation of the same play. I will compare the depth of her loyalty to Antigone and Creon (family and law) in both plays to see if they are differing or similar, and based on that conclusion, I will look at her disposability as a character in both plays to find out if she is necessary as a character.

Antigone is introduced with her sister Ismene; she begins to speak about her emotions from her words the audience knows that she is deeply upset but yet also furious as she says, “The doom reserved for enemies marches on the ones we love the most” this gives a depressing tone to Antigone’s tone showing the audience that she is very sad about something she knows. We then find out that she upset about that one of her brothers isn’t allowed a funeral and clearly knows that if she buries Polynices she will be sentenced to death. However she asks Ismene, “Will you share the labor, the work?” here Antigone represents herself towards the audience as a family caring women who would do anything for her family as respect and is even willing to die for the fact. Her determination is shown we she