ipl-logo

Antigone Noble Death Analysis

1059 Words5 Pages

Antigone is the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta. In the beginning of the book, we find out that Antigone’s brothers have killed each other in war. One of the brothers, Polyneices is considered a traitor and Creon, the king, refuses to give him a proper burial. Antigone decides to disobey the king and give her brother a proper burial. Antigone loves the idea of a noble death and it drives her decision-making at the end of her life. Her death had a major impact on the city and her family’s legacy. So, it was justified that she made the decisions she made that lead to her noble death. Antigone’s love for a noble death is shown throughout the book. When Antigone finds out that her brother will not be given a proper burial, she sees it as an opportunity …show more content…

Then, Antigone went back a second time to bury him. It was at this point in the story where she was caught in the act by the watchmen and was brought to king Creon. When Creon asks if she was guilty of such an action against him, she said, “Of course, I did it. I won’t deny anything” (Line 442-443).” This showed the people of Thebes that Antigone, as a woman in a world of men, actively made the decision to do this. Antigone was happy that she was caught because she was able to show the people how brave she was to stand up against the king. Also, Antigone shows Creon and the people of Thebes that she wants to die for her actions by saying, “I’ll die in any case, whether you announce my execution or not. But if I die young, all the better (Line 442-443).” When she said this, we can clearly see that her love for a noble death is driving her thoughts and actions. At this point, she is almost asking the king to sentence her to death, which takes everyone by surprise. Later in the argument, Ismene comes up to them to try to take responsibility in the act with Antigone. Then, Antigone interjects saying, “No, you may not die along with me. Don’t say you did it! You wouldn’t even touch it [The plan to bury their brother]. Now leave MY death alone.” (Line 546-547).” Antigone does not want her sister to experience the same glory she has worked for. She wants to be remembered as the one person who …show more content…

Towards the end of the book, her love of it pushes her sister away and her fiancé to kill himself. After she thought the king was going to kill her in the underground cave, she even killed herself to ensure her noble death and that nothing could alter it. We know Antigone had a noble death because the people of Thebes were honoring her to her grave. When Antigone was walking to her death, the people said, “You are the only one to hold true to your own laws and go down to Hades while still alive (Line 821).” The people are honoring her and explaining how she is the only person to ever accomplish this and she should be respected for it. The people of Thebe’s really love what she did for her brother and for the city. They show that they love her and her brace actions by giving her the highest honor they could give her. They said, “But when you die, you will be great, you will be equal in memory to the gods, by the glory of your life and death (Line 836-838).” Earlier in the book, we saw how Antigone viewed herself almost as immortal because she didn’t believe anyone could harm her dream. Now, we see that the people of Thebes believe the same thing. They view her as immortal and equal to the gods because of her bravery to do the right thing and her harsh punishment the king sentenced her

Show More
Related
1065 Words | 5 Pages

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

Read More
1104 Words | 5 Pages

We are only women, We cannot fight with men Antigone!” (Prologue Lines 45-47). While Ismene would gladly obey the laws set forth by her Uncle, Antigone would rather die than let her brother’s body be desecrated. She refused to give up no matter the obstacle in her way. At the end of her crusade, Antigone is condemned to be buried alive in a tomb by Creon.

Read More
686 Words | 3 Pages

The burial of Polyneices is viewed nobly, yet Antigone is not faultless in that act. One of Antigone’s largest mistakes is that she burns bridges with those that care about her. Pleading with Antigone, Ismene laments “why would I care to live when you are gone?” (548). Antigone dismisses this heartfelt plea by deferring Ismene to Creon, thus isolating herself from her only kin.

Read More
155 Words | 1 Pages

Later in the play, Antigone does pay respects to her brother and gets caught. She is taken to the palace for persecution; the verdict of the trial led by Creon (the ruler of the city state) is death. Antigone is proud of what she has done, and is determined to now follow through with her punishment. She is sent to a cave to pay her respects to the gods, and after

Read More
456 Words | 2 Pages

Ultimately, Creon’s decisions are made with consideration and respect to the city as a whole and to the Gods. Listen to him: “Our country is our safety” (210), “and whoever places a friend above his own country, he is nothing” (205). To maintain the goods of his city, he is willing to persist with the laws he makes; to persist with the laws, he is willing to sacrifice his families. If that is not the devotion we need from our rulers, I do not know what to say! Some may point out that Creon does not respect the Gods.

Read More
1786 Words | 8 Pages

In the play, Antigone, daughter of Oedipus learns about the death of her two brothers (Eteocles and Polynices).Creon, the new king of Thebes passed a decree to the city on the burial of the two brothers. In the decree, Creon declares that Eteocles body should be buried with honor and fame for his courage of saving the city from the enemy. Whiles Polynices body is left unburied and rotting for beasts to feed on because he came to destroy the city and enslave the people. Antigone defies Creon 's decree, buries Polynices body and gets caught. Creon imprisons her

Read More
1501 Words | 7 Pages

In the classic play by Sophocles, Antigone is a tragic story of the bold Antigone who defied her uncle, King Creonʻs, edict by burying her brother, Polyneices, who died attacking the city of Thebes, trying to take the power away from their brother, Eteocles, who refused to share the throne with Polyneices. Even though Antigone knew that going against Creon and burying her brother would not end well for her, she still choose to risk her life to do what is right. After being caught breaking the law, Antigone is appointed to be locked away, isolated in a cave until she dies, but she hangs herself at the end. At the same time, things for Creon are not looking good, as everyone around him seems to be against him in his decision for punishing Antigone. Everyone Creon cares about kills themselves from a curse that is put on Creon for not following the Godsʻ laws.

Read More
484 Words | 2 Pages

Antigone’s selfless sacrifice in which she surrendered her life for her brother’s burial portrays to the audience her allegiance to tradition; therefore, giving meaning to the work as a whole.

Read More
552 Words | 3 Pages

In the play "Antigone" by Sophocles, Antigone rightfully decides to bury her brother, Polynices, but when the king, Creon, finds out, she does not repent for her actions. She is a woman that stands for what she thinks is right, which in this case is that Creon is wrong for condemning the burial of her brother. She shows braveness with her actions because not all people have the courage to risk their own lives so that their brother can rest in peace. For instance, Ismene states "What? You 'd bury him – when a law forbids the city?"

Read More
385 Words | 2 Pages

When people defend what they believe in or who they love that is sacrifice. In order to be certain that her two brothers she loved had a proper burial and that their souls could rest, Antigone sacrificed her life. Regardless of the potential outcome; even if that means that she was going to have to challenge her uncle (King Creon), she plans on pursuing her quest. Polynices and Eteocles killed each other in battle for control over Thebes, leaving the city to the new King, Creon Jocasta’s brother and Antigone’s uncle. Because of the actions that Polynices took during the war, Creon labels him a traitor and halts any burial process, leaving his body for the animals (222-234).

Read More
765 Words | 4 Pages

Antigone being the one to fight for her beliefs and obeying the god's laws attempts the burial of Polyneices and goes against Creon’s law to prove to him that he’s in over his head that he has too much pride in himself, in lines 15-35 Antigone claims that she is going to go

Read More
950 Words | 4 Pages

DP1: Within this Narrative, Antigone frequently uses the emotional values of others to convince them of what she believes to be right. The first illustration of this phenomenon is when Antigone compares her willingness to face death as the result of giving her brother an honorable burial, to her sister Ismene 's unwillingness in doing the same. The main character feels as though it is her personal and moral obligation to retrieve the afterlife that’s been taken from her brother. Therefore, she does not agree in abiding by Creon 's man-made legislation and makes it her mission to concede to the laws of the gods.

Read More
1353 Words | 6 Pages

Antigone’s actions are motivated by her allegiance to her family, moral conscience, and religion amid Creon’s political injustice and tyranny. Antigone’s actions motivate her to demand Ismene to prove whether she is “a true sister or a traitor to your family” (26-27). Antigone maintains loyalty to her brother despite his actions which threatened Thebes. Her inability to bear the thought of her brother’s corpse being picked apart by animals and not being honored with proper funeral rites forces her to act. Antigone’s fierce allegiance to her family is laid bare as she is willing to sacrifice her life to honor her brother and defy the law in an act that she believes is morally just.

Read More
770 Words | 4 Pages

Women are viewed as lower class, or “slaves”. So when Creon heard of Antigone’s actions, he is in disbelief and thinks her actions should be punished by death. In response to Creon ordering her to her death, she sneered, “Then I beg you: Kill me… I should have praise and honor for what I have done.” She has accepted consequences and is welcoming her fate of death. She is proud in the fact she buried her brother

Read More
1113 Words | 5 Pages

She does not understand why she is being treated so unjustly for trying to do the right thing. The chorus in the play tries convincing Antigone that justice is behaving in accordance to Creon’s laws but Antigone is stubborn and sustains to her convictions. Even though Antigone ends up dying she dies achieving her goal of wanting to bury her brother properly. Mostly everyone in this play goes against what the main character feels is justly because they want to follow the kings laws and they believe she is acting immorally. Antigone is not acting immorally, she is doing the right thing to follow the law of the gods.

Read More

More about Antigone Noble Death Analysis

Open Document