Antigone And Ismene Essay, Research Paper

Antigone and Ismene; sisters torn by family and state. Ismene, fearing her life and the diction of the state flees from her family values. Antigone, with great courage and bound by a strong love opposes the state to stand for what she believes is right. Not that Ismene is wrong, but Antigone holds true to her values to the very end.

The situation arises when Polynices brother to Antigone and Ismene participates in a strike against the state. Polynices, dying in battle was denied proper burial rites and left to rot outside the city gates. It was king Creon s decree that whoever gave him proper burial shall be stoned outside the city walls.

Despite the decree, Antigone decides he (Creon) has no right to keep me from mine own. So loyal to her family blood Antigone goes further to say and even if I die in the act, that death will be a glory. I will lie with the one I love and loved by him- Antigone would rather die for what she believes is right, than live with a conscious disloyal to her family.

Ismene however does not feel the same way what? You d bury him when a law forbids the city? I must obey the ones who stand in power. Ismene, so overcome by the death that has plagued her family fears now for her own life. She wishes nothing more than to please the state and live out the rest of her life in peace.

Antigone then is donned the hero, moving against a majority to act upon what she believes is the right thing to do. That in her own death she still sees glory we know she knows no wrong in what she has done. Her acts are justified o the end.

Ismene, on the other hand, is not as convicted in her choice. Longing in the end to side with her brave sister and share in her cruel penalty. Ismene realized it would be better to die for ones family than live in guilt under the state. She, unlike Antigone was not as convicted in her beliefs and wanted to change.

Antigone however, sticking to her values would not let her only sister die as well, so she denied Ismene s involvement and called her sister false, shallow. Antigone then, leaving her only family behind, was taken to her death in glory.

Antigone and Ismene were not exactly in opposition to each other. Rather each had a different approach to the stress they were experiencing. Antigone, handled well under pressure and stuck with what she believed. Ismene; frightened and alone hid amidst the protection of the state. I don t believe neither was wrong in their actions, but I do believe Antigone is the better role model taking to the grave what she believed was right.