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How Does Antigone Change Society

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If the world could be changed in one drastic way, how do you think you would change the world? Between 440 B.C. and the 21st century, ideas have changed and in result the world’s view of a woman’s role in society have changed as well. At the beginning of this time period, a play was written about a woman named Antigone. She wanted to change the way her society viewed women. When her two brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices, were killed in battle, only Eteocles was given a proper burial. Antigone believed that both men deserved a proper burial according to her beliefs in the god, Zeus. After the king, Creon, declared that Polyneices could not have a proper burial, and if anyone did, then they would be sentenced to death for their actions of defiance. …show more content…

Her place in a society, run primarily by men, is to listen and obey but only if there’s not another option. In the beginning of the play, Ismene is questioning Antigone’s foretold actions of the burial of Polyneices. Ismene responds to Antigone in the pure intent of following the decree of Creon, “We cannot fight with men, Antigone! / The law is strong, we must give in to the law / In this thing, and in worse.” (Prologue 49-51). In her actions, Ismene is showing that she yields to the law but she has some sort of moral compass because she hopes the dead will forgive her for her action in not taking part of the burial. This action shows that Ismene is just a follower of law and only a believer in a higher law. In a scholarly article posted by Ohio State University, a study was conducted on how a person reacts with a religious view and how a person that does not have religious views reacts. In conclusion of this study, it was said that people with strong religious views follow what they know to be true and someone that does not, only choose what will help them the most (Fritz). This can be seen through how Ismene and Antigone act. Ismene will follow what will help her, and Antigone will strongly follow her religious beliefs. At the end of the play, Ismene is trying to have part of the punishment put on Antigone because she feels guilty inside for not taking part in the burial of

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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.

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In this particular story I would think that her idea of justice is wrong. In real life, I would say that we should obey the law of the land made by the King or President. But in The Antigone, Ismene's biggest fear is challenging King Creon and the laws of the state which prevents her from her sister's bold plan. Ismene’s states, “Now look at the two of us, left so alone…think what a death we’ll die, the worst of all if we violate the laws and override the fixed decree of the throne, its power – we must be sensible. Remember we are women, we’re not born to contend with men.

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Antigone’s true motives are portrayed through the sisters controversy and their dissimilarity in beliefs. Through their initial conversation, Ismene characterizes Antigone’s egocentrism. Threats of becoming “a traitor to [her] family” Antigone seeks to influence Ismene’s thoughts to match her “strange” feelings by guilting her to be “a true sister” (Sophocles 492). Using threatening words the author establishes the significance of the familial unit. The threat

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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

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When Antigone tells her sister, Ismene, her intention to bury their brother against the orders of their uncle, Ismene states that she will “. . . obey the men in charge. My mind / Will never aim too high, too far” (pg. 3). Antigone is a stark contrast to Ismene, who wishes to stay within the bounds of traditional society by staying obedient and submissive to men. Antigone has her own mind however, and is not afraid to make her own decisions.

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“How could I live on alone, without my sister.” (Sophocles, page 32) She tries to take credit for the burial with Antigone. Ismene is distraught when Antigone rejects her and so she tries to appeal to Creon, asking him how he could kill his son’s bride-to-be. When Creon brushes off her pleas, he sentences her to be sent to the dungeons with Antigone.

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Ismene adheres to the social identity as an obedient woman and is unwilling to battle the authority when confronting injustice. After Antigone shares her bold plan of burying Polyneices, Ismene pleads with Antigone not to violate the decree: “We must remember, first, that we two are by nature women and not fit to fight with men; second, that we are ruled by others stronger than ourselves” (Blondell 22). Ismene is completely convinced by the social custom of that time, and she also tries to persuade Antigone to believe that women should be submissive to powerful and stronger men. As a consequence, Ismene fails to carry out her primary obligation to perform the funeral rites for Polynecies. Because of the cultural stereotypes of gender, Ismene is intimidated by the power of man that also prevents her from defending the natural rights of

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406 Words | 2 Pages

To begin, Sophocles establishes the opposing views of conformist Ismene and non-conformist Antigone. In Thebes, after the death of Polynices and Eteocles, Antigone and Ismene have a fight over their brother's burial. Antigone believes that Polyneices deserves a burial to get him to eternal peace with the gods. Meanwhile, Ismene believes that they should obey King Creon’s law and leave him unburied because he was a traitor. “But I (Antigone) will bury him, and if I must die, I say that this crime is holy.”

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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.

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1343 Words | 6 Pages

Creon has officially made the decision that he is not going to bury Polyneices which angers Antigone. Antigone needs help to reach her goal and she says to Ismene, “You may do as you like, since apparently the laws of the Gods mean nothing to you (Sophocles, et al. 192).” Ismene is hesitant to agree with Antigone and join her in this task because she does not want to break the law and go against Creon’s words. Antigone is making Ismene feel

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1224 Words | 5 Pages

Kreon does not believe Polyneices deserves a proper burial for Polyneices was not noble in Kreons eyes. Polyneices was fighting against Thebes and causing terror. He does not want to give him a proper burial, as shown in the quote “... Polynecius, who died as pitiably - Kreon has proclaimed that his body will stay unburied, no mourners, no tomb, no tears, a tasty meal for the vultures” (Sophocles 22). Antigone is distraught at the thought of her brother being left to be “a tasty meal for the vultures” and soon vows to bury him regardless of the law.

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759 Words | 4 Pages

Ismene has an internal conflict for not trying to help her sister when first asked, which is the reason for her trying to take some blame in the acts Antigone had done. Antigone and Ismene are both to be put to death but Creon relents on the executing off Ismene. Before Creon did so, Ismene is scorned by Antigone for her late attempt for trying to be righteous. Ismene has always believed in loyalty and has always been loyal to her family. Even though she made a late decision and it is rejected by Antigone she is still loyal to her family by offering her help after she denied it to Antigone the first

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984 Words | 4 Pages

He considered that Polynice did not deserve to be interred and he would punish who tried to do it. Making reference to the play, the first act describes with clarity what each of the two sisters, Antigone and Ismene, understand about power and justice. The discussion that they have is about to bury their brother Polynice or not. The position of Ismene (the oldest sister) is noticeably submissive, and obedient, even if she think the same as her sister, she believe that the correct thing is to do what her uncle is told because is the man, the leader, the king, he is who have the power, and the role of women is just to be married, be quiet and loyal. She argues that because she and Antigone are women, they lack the power to defy the state.

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Gender roles play a significant part through ought the play Antigone due to the fact that men are treated on a higher scale than women. Sophocles portrays women as people with no rights nor freedom. Antigone is on a destiny for burial rights of her brother Polyneicis. Gender roles are expressed throughout the play Antigone by disrespecting women and men having power and freedom.

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549 Words | 3 Pages

In the play, Antigone by Sophocles, Antigone argues that her older brother should be given the respect of a proper burial to be able to pass through Purgatory. Antigone supports her argument by using Pathos and Ethos to persuade the king Creon to go back on the law of anyone attempting to Polyneices a burial they will be punished. Antigone’s purpose is to give her brother the burial that will allow him to pass onto the afterlife she believes in. Antigone uses an argumentative tone for the proper burial of her brother. In seeking a proper burial for her brother, Polyneices, Antigone’s standards of divine justice provide a more effective argument than that of the king

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