The Burial At Thebes Analysis
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
The book, The Burial At Thebes, written by Seamus Heaney, starts off with a bang. Antigone and her sister, Ismene, are outside talking about the situation at hand. Ismene breaks the news in the book when she states to Antigone that, “Our two brothers are dead” (6). The worst part about it was the rules and laws the Ruler of Thebes put in place. Two people had died, but only one was allowed to be buried by law.
Just like people, those characters didn’t know wrong decisions, from the right decisions. During the beginning of the story, we meet Ismene who is very worrisome and scared of what happened to her brother, Polyneices. After her brother had been defeated in a fight, Ismene’s uncle, Creon, became King of Thebes and claimed Polyneices a traitor for what had happened. When Antigone tries to have a burial for her brother, Ismene backs away and denies helping her sister.
On the outskirts of Thebes, Ismene, daughter of Oedipus whom was the king of Thebes, has just heard the decree that she and Ismene’s sister, Antigone, cannot bury their brother, Polyneices, by the law of King Creon.
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.
Ismene tries to share the blame of the burial, but Antigone will not allow this, saying that Ismene, “[does] not share [blame] with [Antigone] nor did [Antigone] grant [Ismene] partnership” (361). Antigone is both noble and filled with pride in this action; Antigone wants her sister to know that she did something wrong and does not want Ismene to be punished. Although Ismene went against Antigone, Antigone is still trying to protect her from being punished. At the same time, Antigone is showing that she is not ashamed of what she did, though the diction of “grant” and “partnership”. Antigone treats the blame of the burial as something one needs to earn or be granted.
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.
This flaw of Ismene is shown at many points in the play, but perhaps the instance where this trait is the most prevalent is when she refuses to help Antigone bury their slain brother. This happens at the very beginning of the story right after Eteocles has been given a proper obsequey, and Polynices will be left unburied. Antigone begs, “Will you help me? Will you do something with me? Will you?
“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.
(pg. 3, lines 54-55) This implies that Ismene also thinks that Antigone is crazy for going against her own city, zbut Antigone shows that she is not afraid of danger even if it is death. She does not fear the impossible
During the play Burial at Thebes, the audience sees the creative effort put forth by the director, specifically when demonstrating the teamwork needed to come from all of the departments that make the production, Burial at Thebes, as well as the play and how it is related to the history about Thebes and Antigone. In Greek culture. To give you a quick summary of The Burial of Thebes, when you walk into the room, you hear lots of gunshots and explosions like you're in a war zone . Then in the beginning of the performance, you see two people dueling for power which ends with gunshots being fired at both people.
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
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
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.
Ismene tells her sister that they are only women and not fit to challenge men (105). Ismene says this to convince her sister not to bury their brother as it not only against the law, but wrong for a woman to challenge the orders of any man, let alone the king. She warns Antigone that acting above one’s place would not be a wise decision (105). Ismene knows that if Antigone is caught burying their brother, her gender will surely affect the harshness of her
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