The Women Characters Of Antigone Essay, Research Paper

Antigone by Sophocles is one of the most distinguished pieces of theatrical work that reflects upon Greek mythology and civilization. Antigone has several subjects and circumstantial scenes that can be indirectly referred or related to in modern society. Sophocles uses assorted and strategically placed characters to show his drama every bit good as his subjects. The drama chiefly revolves around Antigone who acts alongside her senior sister, Ismene. Both are girls of Oedipus and Jocasta who are in the context of the drama deceased. This essay will analyse these two characters alongside one other female minor character, Eurydice who contributes significantly to the development and success of the drama.

From the start of the drama, the audience is given a obscure thought of both Antigone? s and Ismene? s characters. Both sisters have suffered the torment of holding lost their brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices. It is at the beginning of the drama that we see Antigone? s courage. She notifies Ismene of her purposes to bury Polyneices despite the fact that such an act is punishable by decease, for Creon considers Polyneices to be a treasonist and that by non holding his organic structure buried, Polyneices suffers a posthumous penalty. She makes this declaration while being to the full cognizant of the punishments involved and this brings to light several other things about her character. The audience is able to see that she is confident in her actions and will warrant anything that she does. Meanwhile Ismene can be viewed as being afraid and uneager to hold to an action. She confronts her sister? s statements by stating, ? But think of the danger! Think what Creon will make! ? ( 34, Prologue ) .This statement by Ismene create a obscure feeling in the audience that Ismene is a pessimist. This position is further reinforced when she says, ? And make what he has forbidden! We are adult females / We can non contend with work forces, Antigone! ? ( 46-47, Prologue ) . Hence Ismene is seen seeking a manner out by giving alibis that are in a sense linked to negative stereotypes and this makes a contemplation of her pessimistic nature.

Antigone? s actions at the beginning of the drama reflect her impulsivness and roseola mode in managing state of affairss. Rather than seek to face Creon sing the entombment of her brother she goes in front to bury him. Her unprompted mode is besides seen when she doubts Ismene? s promise that she will non unwrap any information to anybody else sing Antigone? s programs to bury her brother. She does this despite the sensible consideration that Ismene is her lone sister and household member left. Her actions at this point besides reflect on her indifference in transporting out actions that reflect on others. She does non look to care about the fact that burying her brother may hold unfavourable effects on Ismene who would lose her sister and at the same clip be in a quandary. Ismene would hold to put on the line stating the governments and acquire her sister prosecuted so as to be a true nationalist and to salvage her ain life or maintain Dendranthema grandifloruom and be prosecuted

for helping and abetting an offense alongside her sister whom she will finally free, irrespective of what she decides to make. This scenario presents a strong statement that Ismene is considerate and rational as she finally decides to maintain Antigone? s plans secret and continues to make so even when Antigone attacks her. She responds by stating, ? But a loyal friend so to those who love. ? ( 85, Prologue ) . This demonstrates Ismene? s passive and unvengeful nature.

Antigone bears duty good and can hence be seen to be responsible. When brought before Creon, she admits her actions in burying Polyneices without much bustle, she audaciously confesses, ? I do. I deny nil? ( 52, ODE I, Scene II ) . She goes in front and justifies her action, and calmly makes it clear that she is non afraid of the penalty due to be imposed on her.. In contrast Ismene bears a sense of duty merely like her sister. When brought before Creon, she admits her function in Antigone? s? offense? without vacillation, she says, ? Yes, if she will allow me state so. I am guilty. ? This and the resulting exchange that follows between the sisters besides brings to illume other facets of the sisters personalities.

One of the facets that is brought out by this exchange is that of trueness. Both Ismene and Antigone are loyal to each other even in a state of affairs where it is at the disbursal of decease. Ismene is ready to decease alongside her sister. At the same clip Antigone cares excessively profoundly for Ismene and does non desire Ismene to endure the penalty of decease. The thought that trueness exists between the two sisters is reinforced by the fact that Ismene, while in the face of decease, defends her sister. When Antigone is declared as holding lost her head by Creon, she says, ? Grief teaches the steadiest heads to hesitate, King. ? ( 153, ODE I, Scene II ) . Other events that had occurred earlier in the drama portray this feeling of trueness and the sisterlike love that exists between Ismene and Antigone. Both sisters place household responsibility above everything else. Ismene? s earlier cautiousness at the beginning of the drama can now be interpreted as an act of sisterlike love and concern.

Eurydice who is Creon? s married woman semen queen and Antigone are emotionally unprompted. Antigone commits self-destruction when she is sentenced to decease and confined to a vault of rock. Eurydice in bend commits suicide when she hears about the decease of her boy, Haemon. Hence both characters can be seen as compulsive and speedy to move instead than confront the rough world of agony.

All in all it can be said that Sophocles chiefly uses the assorted features presented by Antigone, Ismene and Eurydice to develop his drama. Although of these characters are the same gender their features differ greatly and this lies in with the underlying subjects of the drama.

Bibliography

Sophocles. Antigone. Trans. Dudley Fitts and Robert Fitzgerald. Literature and the Writing Process. Eds. Elizabeth McMahan, Susan X Day, and Robert Funk. 4th erectile dysfunction. Upper Saddle River: Apprentice, 1996. 660-685.