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Power In Antigone

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Sophocles’ play Antigone is an Ancient Greek tragedy that is still quite popular today. It is part of a series of three plays, starting with Oedipus Rex, a man who is destined to kill his father and marry his mother. His parents try to defy their son’s fate, but everything happens just as it was prophesied. Oedipus eventually can't live with himself and goes away to the mountains to be alone for the rest of his life and leaving his sons to rule Thebes instead. Eteocles and Polyneices decide to split the throne, rotating who leads every year. After the first year, however, Eteocles refuses to give up his position of power, and the brothers kill each other in battle. Creon is now the king of Thebes, and he declares that Eteocles will be buried …show more content…

Antigone wants to bury her brother despite the punishment, but Ismene disagrees. Ismene says, “We cannot fight with men, Antigone! / The law is strong, we must give in to the law… / … but I am helpless: I must yield / to those in authority” (Prologue, 7). Ismene has a despairing tone here because her value of polis is overtaking her value of oikos when she is talking about Polyneices. It is not that she doesn't love her brother, but simply that her love for him is not strong enough to overtake her sense of being helpless against the authority. She wants to bury Polyneices but despairs that she is too much of a coward to do so. Ismene cannot bring herself to break the law for just her …show more content…

Creon decides to bring forth Ismene as well and prosecute both of the sisters. Even though Ismene is entirely innocent, she pleads guilty so that she may die alongside Antigone. Ismene says, “What do I care for life when [Antigone is] dead?” (Scene II, 31) Ismene speaks with a determined tone here—she must be able to die with Antigone, for the grief that would come after would be way too painful for Ismene. Therefore, she pleads that she was part of the crime as well because she loves her sister so much and her oikos wins. This is a sharp contrast to the scene in the prologue where she can't bring herself to bury Polyneices. Claiming to be guilty of a crime Ismene didn't commit, and in fact discouraged, is the exact opposite of polis and being a good citizen. At first, in the prologue, Ismene has a despairing tone because her polis made her believe that there was nothing to be done to help bury Polyneices. But then her tone develops, and in scene II, she has a determined tone when speaks about wanting to die with Antigone because of her oikos and strong sisterly love. Ismene’s despairing and then determined tone shows that love between two women is the strongest type of love, and while a brother and a sister can love each other, the love between two sisters is a stronger bond, as women are connected through their shared inequality and their ongoing struggle to be treated

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198 Words | 1 Pages

When Ismene tries to convince Antigone not to bury Polynices, she says, "We 're underlings, ruled by much stronger hands" (76). In saying that they are "ruled by much stronger hands" , Ismene implies that men are stronger than and have authority over women. She fails to take action because she is fearful of man 's authority. However, she later contradicts this view when she says "I 'm not ashamed / to sail through trouble with you" (607-608). Ismene is willing to endure this ordeal with Antigone.

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614 Words | 3 Pages

Antigone follows the religious laws and Ismene follows the laws of men. Ismene says, “The law is strong, we must give in to the law”(Sophocles Prologue; 4-8), when Antigone asks her to help bury Polyneices. She is referring to the laws of men, Antigone however follows the rules of religion. Ismene follows the rules of the king by not helping Antigone bury their brother, because she doesn't want to disobey the king. She wants her brother to be buried, but believes more in the king than her own family or the gods.

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623 Words | 3 Pages

To those in authority. (Sophocles Prologue 46-51) Everyone thinks of Ismene as a supporter of Creon because she does not show that she secretly rebels against him. Ismene’s secretive actions allow her to rebel against Creon while still escaping punishment. Ismene is able to get away with her actions because she creates an “onstage” and an “offstage” behavior.

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423 Words | 2 Pages

She believed that she was a part in the crime that Antigone had committed. Antigone believed that she did not deserve this, and did not want her to punish herself. Ismene wilfully joins in the punishment, because she believed that it was

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465 Words | 2 Pages

Ismene, despite the argument being about her brother’s burial, didn’t bring him up in the conversation; instead, she only talked of the hopelessness of breaking the rules. Antigone, on the other hand, called Polynices a lovely treasure, and the unfairness of the conviction was a main point in her argument. They also differed in the way they spoke of the State. Antigone sarcastically speaks of Creon’s leadership and decisions, whereas Ismene says they’re ruled by much stronger hands when referring to him. Their persuasive techniques are similar, however, in that they use a very strong Pathos argument as a base, even if the content is different.

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710 Words | 3 Pages

“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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536 Words | 3 Pages

This can be seen within Antigone’s sister, Ismene, who previously had strongly opposed Antigone’s plan to bury their brother. When Antigone is put on trial in front of Creon, Ismene forcefully proclaims to take the blame with her sister and to die with her for the illegal act. Ismene was only one out of many people of Thebes to outwardly show justice for the injustice of Antigone’s actions, ultimately allowing Antigone’s actions to become justified and accepted by her

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821 Words | 4 Pages

But we are equally guilty! ANTIGONE. No more, Ismene. You are alive, but i belong to death.” This also proves that antigone uses logical and emotional appeals because ismene didn 't commit the crime so antigone not letting her take the blame is logical and also antigone stating she belongs to death is emotional because who would want their sister to die especially there last sibling.

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1628 Words | 7 Pages

Name Institution Affiliation Course Tutor Date Sophocles play, Antigone dates back in 441 BC in Greece, Athens. The play has been translated into many languages today and even though there may be some setbacks in translating some words, the theme remains original. In historical point of view, the play was written at a time of national strife. The play begins with the death of two brothers Polyneices and Eteocles leading rival sides of the civil war in Thebes while fighting for leadership.

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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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932 Words | 4 Pages

Antigone uses both logical and emotional appeals to persuade her sister Ismene that their brother Polyneices should be honored and have a proper burial. During an argument between Antigone and Ismene, Ismene believes that the law should be obeyed therefore she will not help Antigone. Antigone states, “Polyneices, who fought as bravely and died as miserably…no one shall bury him, no one mourn for him… his body must lie in the fields (Sophocles et al.190).” Antigone is trying to communicate to Ismene through the use of an emotional and logical appeal by explaining that he was, left to be decomposed by the birds. In the Greek culture, having a burial is a civic and religious duty which is necessary to proceed to the afterlife unaffected.

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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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483 Words | 2 Pages

Ismene trembles in feat because her life could also be in danger for being the sister of Antigone. Throughout all the family drama if Antigone dies Ismene will be the only descendant from Oedipus alive. Ismene is worried and says, “Antigone I am so afraid for you” (3) because she knows Antigone will die soon. Ismene tells Antigone to be intelligent about her actions and not eager to respond to situations.

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590 Words | 3 Pages

I won’t betray him”( ). Her sister Ismene reminds Antigone of their lack of power as woman, “Remember, we’re woman. How can we fight men. They’re stronger”( ). However, even after being reminded of this, Antigone still decides to properly bury her brother.

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1197 Words | 5 Pages

“I shall be hating you soon,” (193). Antigone then transitions into a more emotional form of persuasion, by threatening the relationship between them if she is to not join in on her plan. This targets the guilty conscience of Ismene which is normally what tends to push people to agree with the arguer, although it can be seen as a slightly manipulative tactic. Despite Antigone’s passive aggressive argument with Ismene, she fails to convince her to join the burial and carries out her mission on her own. However, the sentry Creon sent to spy on the grave spots her and brings her to Creon as the guilty

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