Antigone and Ismene Character Analysis by Lily Chalk

Antigone:

lilyskyec — 2024-04-02 16:50:29 UTC

Social identity: Antigone is a member of the royal family, Oedipus's daughter, and has faced much family tragedy. She is committed to holding her beliefs and the laws of the Gods over the rules in the kingdom.

Family role: Antigone is extremely loyal to her siblings and puts her life in danger to protect their names. As the niece of Creon, however, the conflict surrounding her siblings overrides loyalty to him.

Characteristics:

Strong
Independent
Stubborn
Brave

Ismene:

lilyskyec — 2024-04-02 16:50:35 UTC

Social identity: Ismene is Antigone's sister facing family tragedy and heartache. She is committed to keeping her family and her sister safe, therefore she follows the rules of the kingdom.

Family role: Ismene is a dutiful member of the family with a deep sense of care for all of her siblings. While she may seem weak in contrast with Antigone, she is very logical in trying to maintain the well-being of and decrease further suffering of her family.

Characteristics:

Smart
Calculated
Obedient
Loving

Comparing and contrasting Anitgone and Ismene:

lilyskyec — 2024-04-02 16:51:28 UTC

Family values: Each sister is trying to serve their family in the best way they know how. Antigone holds firm in the belief that she must buy her brother Polyneices to honor him. In contrast, Ismene believes she must remain loyal to the kingdom, and therefore to Creon their uncle and the King.

Determination: Each sister is highly determined to do what they believe is morally right even though their beliefs are different.
Background: Both Antigone and Ismene have faced countless losses although they respond differently with Antigone being prone to react and Ismene prone to careful preconsideration. They have both lost their father Oedipus and their mother Locasta who tragically committed suicide. They also lost their brothers Etocles and Polyneices who killed eachother over the throne.

Antigone context and setting:

lilyskyec — 2024-04-02 16:55:39 UTC

Society and Place: The kingdom of Thebes in Greece ruled by Creon the successor of Eteocles

Time: Ancient Greece

Power dynamic: The King and the Gods hold the highest level of power. Antigone and Ismene are stuck between pleasing Creon the King and the Gods. She remains loyal to the Gods burying her brother Polyneices.

Antigone plot summary:

lilyskyec — 2024-04-02 16:57:47 UTC

The play Antigone begins with tragedy when the sister's father Oedipus dies after seeing his wife commit suicide and gouging his eyes out. This leaves brothers Eteocles and Polyneices to rule the Kingdom together taking turns upon the throne. When Eteocles betrays his brother Polyneices, banning him from the kingdom and refusing to give up his spot on the throne. While fighting the brothers kill each other in rage. Although they both harmed each other, the girl's Uncle Creon who is now king honors Eteocles with proper burial and respect and bars the burial of Polyneices. Antigone is enraged that her brother is being disrespected and approaches her sister Ismene with her plans to bury him anyway although it is prohibited by the law. Ismene is cautious and warns Antigone of the fate that will become her. Antigone is firm that she will bury Polyneices although she knows the risk of her own death she believes it is morally right. When she is caught, Creon orders her death by burying Antigone alive. These events trigger more tragedy. Creon's son and Antigone's fiance Haemon warns Creon that what he is doing is wrong. He commits suicide, followed by Creons wife Eurydice committing suicide as well. Antigone commits suicide similar to his mother. Creon is left alone to live with his actions that have contributed to the suffering of Antigone, Haemon, and Eurydice.

Importance:

lilyskyec — 2024-04-02 17:03:25 UTC

It is important to understand the sister's background to understand the reasoning behind their actions. Antigone and Ismene at first appear different but rather share much common ground as they are both trying to maintain their morality. It is an important takeaway that intention does not necessarily equal impact and vice versa. Each sister has intentions to help one other, and they both end up hurting each other, which was not their original intention.

Works cited:

lilyskyec — 2024-04-15 18:55:26 UTC

Sophocles. “Antigone” The Norton Introduction to Literature, edited by Kelly J. Mays, 13th edition, W.W. Norton & Company, 2019, pages 1602-1634