I love rebellious characters; those that dare to do anything for what they believe is right. They are moments away from igniting, engulfing the world in flames, and they tend to value things much more fiercely than anyone else. It’s lovely how people make sacrifices for those they love, though they hardly ever go without consequence. Antigone is such a character, and she sacrificed herself for the simple cause of providing her brother a proper burial in order for his soul to be put safely to rest, and was killed for it. In the play, she is ultimately one that sacrifices the most and opens up our hearts to the true meaning of giving your all. Antigone was a caring sister to her brother, Polynices. She loved him ferociously, and disregarded
To illustrate, Antigone articulates to Ismene that Creon lacks the power to prohibit her from burying Polyneices (Prologue, line 35). Disregarding Creon’s powers, Antigone extends both her immaturity and recklessness in amanner that both generates a hazy impression of Antigone’s plausibility and discredits her personality because of the seldom conflict between the king and women in Ancient Greece. Furthermore, characters such as Eurydice and Jocasta, who experience much more tragedy, diverge from Antigone in the course of their reactions. While Jocasta and Eurydice grieve for their loved ones and succumb to the sorrow, Antigone’s reaction exists at the opposite end of the spectrum where she acts with the sole intent to spite Creon. Continuing, Antigone dictates that she is “not afraid of the danger; if it means death, / It will not be the worst of deaths - death without honor” (Prologue, lines 80-81). Recognizing her inevitable fate, Antigone makes little effort to alter her actions or consequences. Her proud acceptance of her death, which she claims to be one of honor, projects her arrogance and stubbornness toward her situation. This immediate compliance fails to reflect the true outlook and reaction toward approaching death both today and in her time. Additionally, the diatribe provided by Antigone to the chorus near her death sparks much criticism when she asserts that she prays Creon’s punishment equals her own when the truth of her actions emerges (Scene 4, lines 67-69). Antigone’s blatant assault on Creon’s life conveys her ignorance, which also transmits the impossibility of her individuality. Sophocles employs Antigone to generate the generalized perspective of tyranny Conversely, many individuals justify Antigone’s reckless behavior
“Make these excuses, I will heap/ The earth over my brother’s body” (63). Although no one would help her, Antigone took a stand against injustice and honored her brother by burying him, even though Creon said this act would be punishable by death if anyone committed this act of insubordination. Especially in the age that Antigone lived in, it was considered foolish to simply go against a man’s orders, let alone the Kings. Not to mention that Antigone was related to the King, making the situation even worse. She committed a supremely precarious action, especially for a woman. Not only does she bravely follow her morals, but she does a great job of justifying them in her arguments. Antigone was a civil disobedient by disobeying
“The strength of a family, like the strength of an army, is in its loyalty to each other.” - Mario Puzo. The play “Antigone” by Sophocles demonstrates the paramount significance of unconditional love and loyalty to family, including keeping one’s promises. It also implies the lesson of never taking the loved ones in our lives for granted. “Antigone” takes place in Ancient Greece, and is so well told that I felt as if I were experiencing this tale for myself in the city of Thebes. The tragedy focuses on a young girl named Antigone, who has heard the news of her two brothers killing one another in a battle for control of Thebes. Her younger sister, Ismene, however, is a fascinating individual who refuses to help her older sibling give one of
Antigone shows an indestructible fortitude to sacrifice herself for a belief. Antigone’s leading flaw is hubris, or excessive pride. She couldn’t see any side except her own. To her, burying Polynices is an essential thing. She doesn't consider how it will impact Ismene, who attempts to persuade her to follow Creon's instructions. She also doesn't consider how it might impact Haemon. All the way through, we observe Antigone’s individuality and bravery when she opposes Creon.
She goes on trying to live her best life possible, and she does this by treating everyone with equal respect and equal treatment. Antigone is bringing justice to the community by giving her brother a proper burial, and bringing justice to her sister by not letting her take the blame for the burial of her brother. There are many situations throughout the book that prove to show Antigone wanted to bring procedural justice to her family and her town. Throughout the book, Antigone is
Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “One has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.” In the face of immoral laws, Antigone did nothing more than doing what she believed was right. Antigone did not deserve the fate she received, death. Her act was courageous, compassionate, and altruistic. These are traits of an act worthy of reverence, not demise.
Antigone justifies her sedition by stating it is her duty to her family and the gods, claiming that the gods overrule a king’s ruling. Antigone believes that she has to give her brother the proper burial rights, and cannot even consider doing otherwise. As she says in the beginning, “I’ll do my duty to my brother—and yours as well, if you’re not prepared to. I won’t be caught betraying him.” Unlike Ismene, Antigone cares more about the soul of her dead brother than the voice of her uncle, the king. This makes sense since in those times, burial rites were extremely critical to a person’s afterlife. If not properly done, the soul wanders without peace for the rest of eternity since they could not pay to cross the river Styx. As a loyal sister, Antigone sees a crucial necessity to save her close family member of this cruel fate, despite the fact that he betrayed her nation. She does not see this action as worthy of an eternity of suffering, so she goes against the king’s unjust law. Now, she wouldn’t be willing to make this sacrifice for just anyone, for that would just be throwing her life away. Antigone chooses to sacrifice her life to “please the ones I’m duty bound to please.” This not only applies to her brother, but also to her beliefs.
We look inside ourselves, questioning if we have the capacity for heroism and greatness. But the truth is, every time we take an action, we make an impact. Every single thing we do has an effect on the people around us. Every choice we make sends ripples out into the world. Our smallest acts of kindness can cause a chain reaction of unforeseen benefits for people we've never met. We might not witness those results, but they happen all the same.Antigone also had a difficult choice to make. She had to decide whether or not to follow the law, or to do what she thought in her heart was the right thing to do. Antigone had two brothers, who fought each other. One because of greed, and the other, because he wanted to protect the kingdom. When her uncle Creon took over, he proclaimed that one shall be buried, and the other one, should not be. But Ancient Greek Culture believed that a spirit couldn't rest until the body was buried. And Antigone wanted to guide her brother to rest, even though he did not make the right choices. Antigone made that choice and buried her brother, going against the law. And she died as a result. But at the same time, she died knowing that she had done the right thing. To follow her heart. The point where all things were possible. The moment when a choice was made, or an action taken. The breath inhaled before a first step forward. And the most lasting chain reactions that are
Throughout the play, Antigone was personified as a pitiful character with good intentions that the audience could sympathize for. When Creon is about execute Antigone, Antigone explains her justification of burying her exiled brother Polyneices, “This death of mine/ Is of no importance; but if I had left my brother/ Lying in death unburied, I should have suffered./ Now I do not,” (Sophocles, 208). Her ultimate goal is to bury her brother out of loyalty and love for him, therefore, readers can relate to her and pity her death. Her suicide was honorable and it makes the audience sympathize that she lost her life for her brother. Although Antigone seems to have good intentions, she is a character who is selfish. She repeatedly says she wants glory and honor for burying her brother dismissing her the audience’s first impression that she was burying Polyneices to honor him. She wanted the glory for herself that when her sister wanted to honor their brother too, Antigone replied “There are those who will praise you; I shall have/ honor, too,” (Sophocles, 213). She bluntly states that her sister can not share the honor with her. Antigone “[belongs] to Death” and her suicide is selfish. Her rash action caused a ripple of deaths, and she should not be sympathized because she did not consider the consequences of her death, but instead she wanted to die to stop her misery. Therefore, Antigone can not be considered the tragic hero of the play because the audience can not sympathize with Antigone’s narcissistic justification of her
Antigone’s character is one that is dynamic and interesting as she displayed several strong personal characteristics and being steadfast in her convictions. She had a strong and powerful leaning towards the dark world and the dead. She proved to be primarily loyal to the divinities and the gods instead of the mortality of man. She was very open and expressive towards her love for the dead which is evidenced by her harsh language to her sister and the king, making her an unforgettable character. When his brother Polynices died, Antigone blamed Ismene her sister for failing to fighting law to give their brother a decent and rightful burial.
Antigone is the courageous, strong-willed, and devoted tragic heroine of the Sophocles drama. In the opening scene of the play, Antigone and Ismene discuss the burial of Polyneices. Antigone is adamant about burying and honoring Polyneices and she seeks justice in a world deprived of it. Antigone attributes her defiance against Creon and determination to bury Polyneices, not only to her own desires and family duty, but also to the law of the gods. Ultimately, her stubborn loyalty becomes her tragic error and leads her to demise. Even in the face of death, disapproval from her sister, and repercussions by the King, Antigone remains indomitable in her steadfast desire to bury her brother.
Antigone is very proud and noble but she contains flaws and blemishes that limit her success. She obtains lots of pride but this can only get her so far and all it did was get her in more trouble. When she admitted that it was her who buried Polynieces it opened up a world of inconvenience and only made the situation worse. All she had to do was deny it was her but she wanted to die with honor. This alter led to her and Haimon in the hands of the dead.
In the playwright Antigone by Sophocles, the characters reveal their values while exposing a life lessons through their actions, dialogue, thoughts ,and effects on others. Antigone starts with two brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices, being killed at battle. Creon, the king of Thebes, declares that Eteocles’ death will be honored and Polyneices’ dishonored. He instead will lay unburied to become the food of animals. When the play opens, Antigone takes Ismene, Antigone and Ismene are sisters of the dead brothers, outside the city to tell Ismene about her plan to bury her brother despite Creon's proclamation. Ismene refuses to help her, fearing her own death, however she cannot impede Antigone from continuing with her plan. Antigone defies the law, buries her brother, and is caught. When Creon locks her away in prison, she kills herself. Meanwhile, Creon finds out about her death and out of despair, Creon’s son and wife have by then also killed themselves. After all, Creon is left in distress and sorrow. Antigone’s family values and loyalty are revealed by her consistent actions throughout the play while exposing an essential moral message about life.
In the beginning of her speech, it is clear that Antigone still loves her brother because when she tells Ismene “the burial of our two brothers,”she is presenting both of her brothers as equals even though one of them committed a horrid act (21). Antigone chooses her words carefully here because instead of saying one brother and one former brother, which would have been normal considering Polyneices’ betrayal, she says “our two brothers” (21). To Antigone, Polyneices’ death was in itself a just punishment for his crime because she does not discriminate between both her brothers by lifting one higher than the other; she gives them both equal recognition and even speaks for her sister when she says “our” brothers, which speaks in itself that all four siblings are still a family even though one sibling committed a heinous crime. This familial love that Antigone has for Polyneices is deep rooted that not even treachery causes her to think less of her of her brother.
In Sophocles’ Antigone, Antigone finds herself between King Creon and her deep belief in the Gods. Antigone holds a high social status as she is one of the daughters of the late King Oedipus and she is King Creon’s niece. The play starts off with Antigone losing both her brothers in a battle that took place around the city of Thebes. One brother, Eteocles, is defending the city while the other brother, Polynices, is attacking. King Creon declares a decree that no one is to bury the traitor and if anyone is to do so they, too, will die. With no doubt in her mind, Antigone must do what is right to her, to the Gods, and to her brother, even if that means her death. In this play, Antigone is the tragic hero because of her excessive pride, her