Ismene In Antigone

In Sophocles’ Antigone, gender roles are a major conflicting theme throughout the entire play. The setting of the play was written during the Greek mythological days, around 442 B.C. During these days, men were dominant and held all of the power, so women were automatically treated as less. Antigone and Creon portray the conflicting sides between male and female, and Ismene and Haemon portray opposing sides to Antigone and Creon’s actions. Antigone, Ismene, Creon, and Haemon each show differences in behavior due to their sex versus the actions each character chooses to take. Antigone tells Ismene about her plans to bury their brother, Polynices, which is going against Creon’s orders. Antigone and Ismene, have contrasting perspectives on

While Antigone represents a full devotion to humanism, her sister, Ismene, represents not only the rejection of it, but also passivity towards the notion of morality which, in a sense, is equivalent to Creon’s treachery towards what we hold morally sacred. Ismene has long been used as a symbol of both anti-politics and anti-humanism, which creates a dynamic plot by contrasting the cowardly fear to stand up for one’s concept of what is right with a brazen display of self-fulfilled justice. (2) What’s worse may be Ismene’s knowledge of her cowardliness and complete complacency, as seen when talking to Antigone about her plan to bury their slain brother when sharing her fear of punishment, " Think how we’ll die far worse than all the rest, if we defy the law and move against the

Ismene once argued with her sister, “If in defiance of the law we cross a monarch 's will?--weak women, think of that, not framed by nature to contend with men” (Sophocles 49-68). Ismene did not realize then that she was speaking with of one of the greatest heroines and monarchs of modern feminism in all of literature. If any woman today dared utter the words above, they would face immediate contention from the herd of strong-willed females belonging to the 21st century. In Antigone, we see Antigone press forward with conviction in pursuit of justice and truth. She is met with great opposition, largely due to her gender. In the past 2500 years, society has evolved in monumental ways.

The relationship between Antigone and Ismene is close because they are both sisters but at the same time their relationship isn’t that strong. One of reasons they are foils to each other is because of their disagreement about burying the body of their brother Polyneices. Antigone already knows that she is willing to die to let her brother rest in peace but Ismene on the other isn’t on her side, instead she doesn’t want to help Antigone because she want to face the consequences that come with burying Polyneices. Antigone and Ismene are foils to each other because on one hand Antigone is willing to defy the orders of the king who has power over her, while her

By choosing this path she did not only choose her life/future but she also the rest of her family’s. Her whole family will be affected by her choice of following her father’s fate, either now or in the future. Antigone and Ismene have a very in depth conversation before it takes place. Ismene is somewhat upset about the choice Antigone is about to make not only for her sake but also her own destiny.

The ancient Greek world does not look favorably on women. Women are seen as docile, unintelligent, and domestic. Placed socially below men, they are locked into tending to household duties and to their children, and can not go out without a man. Women are not expected to be educated or participate in political discussion, with the exception of knowing just enough to be able to be entertaining at a dinner party and not embarrass her husband. Lacking in political and social rights, women do not have many chances to hold a political or social lime light, and are expected to stay in the background while the men took the forefront. However, there are a handful of texts in Greek literature that showcase the opposite, and put female lead

Ismene wants peace for women, and the gods. She would rather avoid conflict than helping fight for women's equality. Antigone and Ismene argue because they have different views of women’s roles. Ismene explains she disagrees with the gods, but that she does not want to fight when she says,“I do dishonor them, but to do this against the state- I have no strength for it” (Ant. 16). Ismene gets into an argument regarding women’s roles with Creon. Creon wants to kill Antigone because of her views of women’s roles. Ismene mourns over the thought and asks Creon, “What would life be for me alone, without her?” (Ant. 34). Sophocles reveals that Ismene is a weak character by showing Ismene’s rational side of

Ismene and Antigone or both sisters to Polyneices, but their reaction to his burial ban is completely different. “Bury him! You have just said the new law forbids it… But think of the danger! Think what Kreon will do!” (Prologue, 33-34, 37-38). This shows that Ismene is being logical and cares about her own well-being which adds to her overall character. Antigone on the other hand seems to be in such despair that she does not care what happens to her as long as her brother is at peace. “But I will bury him; and if I must die, I say that this crime is holy.” (Prologue, 55-56); Antigone is showing her steadfastness and saying she has made up her mind and nothing can change that. This adds important characteristics to her character that the reader would not have without Polyneices. Kreon’s character also gains development through Polyneices because of how quickly he makes the burial of Polyneices against the law and puts Antigone to death. Both of these people were basically his children whom he promises Oedipus to protect, but to him the crown is more important which shows his hubris. Finally, the development of these characters would not have been as interesting, and the play would have not been as remarkable without the role of the “insignificant”

Before Antigone begins, the two brothers of Antigone are engaged in a battle no only of land, but of power. Their deep desires to rule Thebes and male dominating ego, only lead to their deaths; a tragedy that would affect more than just themselves. The battle of glory for men would not be the same for their sisters, but in 442 B.C. as Sophocles illustrates, the living women would have to deal with the tragedies of the dead; a task not easy to be burdened with as woman. Their uncle, Creon, dominates Antigone and her sister Ismene to the extent of mourning their own brother's death. Antigone has chosen a fate without glory: "I'll suffer nothing as great as death without glory," (Antigone line 112). Only a male in this time could die with honor and glory, and just as her uncle has forced a death without glory for her brother, although a glorious death is honorable, she has decided it a better life to die without glory than dishonor her blood and the gods. Ismene does not wish to go against the laws of her uncle, for "women were not born to contend with men," but between the bond of her and Antigone, she will defy the king(line 75). Ismene is just as horrified about the edict as Antigone is, but asks what they--weak women--can do. During this era the women had a specific role, and to defy that role would be horrific enough, despite

As the play transpires Ismene’s courage is revealed through her standing by Antigone’s side while she receives her punishment of execution. Although Ismene wasn’t opposed to honoring her brother she tried to convince Antigone not to go against the law “We are ruled by more powerful people and must obey them… I yield to those who walk with authority.” (Page 15), this shows the people of Thebes fear to disobey the king.

different from one another as tempered steel is from a ball of cotton. One is

Additionally, Ismene also gets punished due to Antigone’s actions even after obeying her superior’s orders. As a result, Creon states that “[he will] execute them” (43). Moreover, Ismene is punished with the shame of the actions she has caused. She stood up to Antigone and partially blamed herself for their brother’s burial as she didn’t want to be left alone. Ismene therefore “bear(s) [her] share of blame” (45) and suffers from Antigone’s actions. Ismene wasn’t the only character who embodied a traditional attitude as Sophocles introduces a similar male character.

The beginning of the play begins with Antigone and her sister, Ismene. Antigone presents her plan of burying their brother, Polynices, whose body had been denied a proper burial by their uncle, King Creon, since in his eyes Polynices had been seen as an enemy to the city. Antigone wanted Ismene to accompany her, but Ismene immediately refused in fear of the consequences. Ismene states “We are women and we do not fight with men/ We are subject to them

In contrary Ismene is docile and someone who follow the laws at all costs. She said, “we are women” stating a woman’s position in society and obligated to obey by the law. She doesn’t agree with her sister Antigone, since is prohibiting for women to have a voice during those times. Ismene believe that women should never violate the laws of man who were guide by the gods. Antigone will carry out the forbidden burial alone, nevertheless she seeks futilely the complicity of her sister Ismene. Ismene without endorsing the established power by King Creon, discreetly folds to it, became a passive collaborator of the system implemented by him.

In Antigone, a play by Sophocles, the sisters Ismene and Antigone make bold and unwavering decisions. Contrary to most male characters in Greek plays, their male counterparts do not exhibit many masculine traits. Despite the fact that Ismene and Antigone are Greek women, they show more traits that are stereotypically masculine than their male counterparts such as decisiveness, fearlessness, and defiance.