Preview

How Does Ismene Change In Antigone

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
474 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
How Does Ismene Change In Antigone
Antigone Essay The relationship between Antigone and Ismene changes throughout each scene during the play. They go through traumatic situations dealing with loyalty, love and death. The choices Antigone and Ismene made based on their beliefs generated friction between their relationship. From the beginning of the play Antigone and Ismene had a distant relationship. Antigone is loyal to her family, she “But as for me, I will bury the brother I love” (Prologue 64-65), which shows her loyalty to her brother and family. On the other hand, Ismene is not loyal to her brother she states, “they mean a great deal to me; but I have no strength to break laws that were made for the public good” (Prologue 62-63). Their different views on what is good and bad is clear in the choices they make. …show more content…
The choice that impacted Antigone and Ismene the most is when Antigone decides to bury Polyneices’ body. When Ismene decides not to help her sister with the burial; it sways their relationship the wrong way. To Antigone, Ismene’s decision is a sign of disrespect to their family. But to Ismene it is a sign of reverence to Creon, the king, and her home town. Ismene makes a choice to take punishment of what Antigone did. Antigone didn’t agree with what her sister was doing, she said “No, Ismene. You have no right to say so. You would not help me, and I will not let you help me” (Scene 2 131-132). Antigone did not understand why Ismene is taking blame for something that will lead to death. Ismene was trying to change her consequence that she had received. Everything Antigone and Ismene did had a consequence to it. When Antigone buried Polyneices’ body she knew the consequences of what would happen when she went against Creon’s rule. Ismene made the decision to not bury her brothers body, the consequence of that was that her sister would think of her as an unloyal

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    One of Antigone's flaws is her loyalty to the gods and, on the other hand, her disloyalty to the state. Antigone seems to value religion more than the law. At the beginning, Creon orderes that Polynices, Antigone's brother, must be kept unburied because Creon thinks that he was a traitor. This is offensive to Antigone, and she is willing to do anything to honor the gods and bury her brother, even if it means getting killed for defying Creon's laws.…

    • 80 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Antigone was full of hubris, she was very independent, she stands up on what she believes in. As for Ismene she was timid, follows the rules, she was also intimidated by her uncle Creon. When their two brothers died one was buried with “honor” but Polynecies wasn’t. Antigone fought for her brothers’ buriel and she also declared that she would die for him. Antigone quoted “ But I will bury him, and if I must die, I say that this crime is holy. I shall lie down with him in death.” This displays that she is willing to take a risk for her brother even though if she dies. Ismene is a coward when her uncle questioned her and she follows the…

    • 453 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Polyneices In Antigone

    • 384 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Antigone and Ismene also show different characteristics in the story. Firstly, Antigone is strong, loyal, kind, and determined. She is determined and strong because she went alone to bury her brother Polyneices. She went to bury Polyneices because she said that he deserves it and she didn't want her brother to rot and be eaten by the ants. Secondly, Ismene is timid and follows the rules. For example, when Antigone asked her if she would come and help her bury their brother Ismene immediately said no. That shows that she follows the rules…

    • 384 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Antigone addresses her beliefs and moral right off the bat. She is a strong and independent woman who is the daughter of Oedipus and the sister of Ismene, Polyneices and Eteocles. Starting at the beginning of the story, Antigone is very upset about the fact that Creon, the new king of Thebes, decides that Polynices does not deserve a burial because he invaded Thebes to attempt to…

    • 577 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    This essay is to discuss the multilayered motives that drive Antigone to action. When I read the play I believe, it is a strong sense alligence to her family, and pure anger that drives Antigone to make the decision to act against Creons law and bury her brother Polyneices. After loosing her mother to sucided, her father and her twin brothers, Antigone and her sister Ismene are the last of the Labadcus family (a royal family). The lost of so many loved ones in a short period of time begins to manifests feelings in Antigone causing her to believe that death was in her future as well.…

    • 465 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The central conflict of Antigone is not a simple hero versus villain clash because both Antigone and Creon are driven by what they believe is morally right. Creon and Antigone simply have extremely different viewpoints on how to handle the same situation. Antigone believes that the laws of the Gods overpower any decrees of man, and she assumes that regardless of Creon’s decree and risk of her own death, she must bury her brother because it is a religious obligation. On the contrary, Creon believes in handling the death of Polynices in vastly different manner. The king is pro-government and prioritizes the jurisdiction of the state regardless of any emotional or religious ties.…

    • 226 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    When Antigone asked her sister Ismene to help bury their brother, Ismene denies, saying that she “shall obey to those who are in authority (Sophocles line 67).” However, Ismene changes her mind later on and wants to share the punishment with Antigone for keeping her plot a secret. Ismene admits, “I share in bearing the responsibility (Sophocles 537).” Antigone’s courage inspires Ismene to join her, even though she wants Ismene to stay away, which shows that Antigone is a credible leader. Ismene, not Antigone, was then in control of her own…

    • 1049 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Antigone clearly wanted to bury Polyneices so that he should have a peaceful afterlife. Wanting to do this, she would be breaking Creon’s law saying that no one should bury the man who went against his own city and brother. Even though Antigone would be breaking the law, her intentions were still appropriate in the situation. Contrary to Antigone, Ismene refused to bury her brother when the option came about, also due to Creon’s law, except here, she wanted to follow the law. Ismene also has good intentions for her brother, but she wanted to follow the law because her life was more important to her than her own brother’s…

    • 561 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    First of all, Antigone says to Creon “But if I’d allowed my own mother’s dead son to just lie there, an unburied corpse,then I’d feel distress.” (227-229). This quote shows how Antigone is doing the right thing by burying her brother and what Creon is doing to her brother Polyneices an act of injustice. This also shows how Antigone and Creon are different because she is being driven by the love she has towards Polyneices and Creon is being driven by the hate he has towards him. Second, Antigone says to Creon “But where could I gain greater glory than setting my own brother in his grave?” (570-571). This quote shows how Antigone is willing to disobey the law to give her brother a proper burial because of how much she loves him. This quote also shows how Antigone is determine to do what she thinks is right which is bury her brother Polyneices even though she would be disobeying orders. He doesn’t think women are the same as men because they disobey men’s…

    • 830 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Sophocles creates a strong sense of devotion and resolve through her actions as she is seen as a martyr for her cause. Antigone follows what is just in the world that Sophocles creates. He does not reflect that same quality in his portrayal of Ismene. Ismene is more fearful of Creon’s laws, she holds reverence towards her brothers, but is not as eager as Antigone to sacrifice herself to uphold a divine law. This is shown when she responds to Antigone’s call to action, “We are only women, We cannot fight with men, Antigone! The law is strong, we must give in to the law” (191-192). In her response Ismene expresses her lack of strength and fear, Sophocles portrays her as less righteous than Antigone. Although Ismene later retracts her refusal, Sophocles still frames this act in relation to Antigone. The nobility in Antigone’s conviction to the law of the gods is further shown through Ismene’s change of…

    • 507 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Antigone Research Paper

    • 1354 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Compared with her sister, Antigone seems unruly and passionate about her struggle. Antigone is the opposite of Ismene, being slender and outspoken. She refuses to obey Creon, who is not only a man, but also her king, her uncle, and her future father-in-law. It is possible that she choose to take a stand against Creon simply because he symbolizes everything that would block a feminist from progressing as a woman in Thebes. Antigone is essentially battling against a symbolic figure that modern-day feminists have been battling against for years. Without the support of her sister, Antigone decides to march on…

    • 1354 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Antigone Is Right

    • 115 Words
    • 1 Page

    Antigone, in my opinion, did the right thing. Antigone had the right to bury her brother. Everyone deserves to be buried, especially when the action is upholding a family’s honor. Antigone wanted her brother to be buried in honor because she loved him. I think her actions were noble. Ismene was not strong-willed when it came to burying her brother. Ismene wanted to respect Creon’s wish, even if the wish would dishonor her family. Ismene seemed to love her sister greatly because she tried to protect her from Creon’s wrath, but nevertheless, Ismene bowed down to Creon’s wish. Ismene surprised me because she was different then Antigone, but still loved and got along with Antigone.…

    • 115 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Antigone

    • 768 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Ismene’s view of life is biologically impacted. Although she loves her brother, Polyneices, it is against the law to bury him according to Creon. Creon having set law that anyone to touch the corpse to be stoned to death publically causes Ismene’s view of life to become a problem. With her and Antigone being the last two members alive within the family, they must stay alive to continue the family bloodline.…

    • 768 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    If she had been pliant and had conformed to the laws of Creon she would not have died. Antigone had a separate opinion on the matter and “she has never learned to yield” (II, 86). She was completely shameless in burying her brother and denied nothing. Actually, when her sister Ismene offered to keep Antigone’s actions a secret, Antigone thundered, “Oh tell it! Tell everyone” (Pro 76)! She “dared” to defy Creon, and did not fear the consequences of her actions (II, 65). She even put her pride above Creon as she said, “Creon is not strong enough to stand in my way” (Pro,…

    • 626 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Antigone - 11

    • 1238 Words
    • 5 Pages

    By burying her brother, Antigone knowingly and willingly went against royal orders and in doing so chooses her own death. She knows as well as anyone in the town that death would come to all that disobeyed Creon's order. Antigone says to this "no one will ever convict me for a traitor,"(Act I: Scene II: Line 361) and decides to bury the body, this is quite ironic because by burying her brother a traitor is exactly what she is convicted of being. Antigone's actions went against her homeland. Creon had declared that "Our country is our safety. Only while she voyages true on course can we establish friendships truer than blood itself. Such are my standards. They make our city great."( Act I: Scene II: Line 382) He says this meaning that if everyone acted as a whole they would always prosper. If someone were to go against the laws and ideals put by Creon it would only cause dissension. When Antigone went against the law this was exactly what happened. Chaos would not have ensued if she trusted her king to be right in his decision, just as all the townspeople and her sister Ismene did.…

    • 1238 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays