[go: up one dir, main page]
Scribd
Upload
393 views2 pages

Antigone vs. Ismene: Motivations and Actions

The document summarizes the characters of Antigone and Ismene from the play Antigone by Sophocles. Antigone wants to disobey King Creon's decree and bury her brother Polynices, showing her loyalty and willingness to follow her heart over the law. Ismene, however, wants to obey Creon and leave Polynices unburied for safety, demonstrating her preference to conform to rules rather than act on emotion. A key moment shows Antigone believes gods demand burial of the dead, almost convincing Ismene, but Ismene fears punishment for challenging authority.

Uploaded by

api-445255702
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
393 views2 pages

Antigone vs. Ismene: Motivations and Actions

The document summarizes the characters of Antigone and Ismene from the play Antigone by Sophocles. Antigone wants to disobey King Creon's decree and bury her brother Polynices, showing her loyalty and willingness to follow her heart over the law. Ismene, however, wants to obey Creon and leave Polynices unburied for safety, demonstrating her preference to conform to rules rather than act on emotion. A key moment shows Antigone believes gods demand burial of the dead, almost convincing Ismene, but Ismene fears punishment for challenging authority.

Uploaded by

api-445255702
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

Antigone

What motivates a character to take action even if it’s against the law or traditions?
Directions: Read the prologue and scene 1, then complete the character analysis chart.

What action does this character want to take What does this suggest about the qualities of
place? this character?

Antigone wants to disobey Creon and This suggests that Antigone is a


the law. She wants to go down to her type of woman who would rather do
brother, Polynices, and bury his body, things following her heart rather
Antigone

despite Creon announcing that he would than doing things by the law. She
like only Eteocles to be buried. would rather disobey and bury her
brother's body rather than leave him
unburied for the scavenger dogs
and crows.

Ismene wants to leave Polynices and This suggests that Ismene is the type
Eteocles body as they are. She would like of woman to do things as they should
to follow the law and make sure that she be done. She follows the law and
and Antigone are safe, doing things as they rules, obeying Creon, rather than
Ismene

should, instead of being loyal to her brother following her heart and burying her
and burying his body after death. brother's body. She would rather be
safe and leave things as they are
rather than help Antigone bury
Polynices. She even attempts to stop
Antigone.
Think about a moment from the prologue that really explains why Antigone or Ismene feels the way they do. Choose
ONLY ONE of the prompts below to answer.

Choose a moment that you think is significant to Antigone’s argument for the action that she would
like to take and explain why that moment is significant. Why is Antigone’s argument different from
Ismene’s?
I believe that a significant moment to Antigone's argument for the action that
Antigone
she will like to take is in line 60-63, where she says that the dead are the
ones that make the longest lasting demands. This is significant because this
almost convinces Ismene to come along with her to bury Polynices, as she
states that the laws of God mean nothing to her, a big impact during the time
period that they are in. Antigone's arguments are much more different that
Ismene's, for she wants to disobey Creon and bury her brother's body. She
wants to go against the law and rules because she is very loyal.

Choose a moment that you think is significant to Ismene’s argument for the action that she would
like to take and explain why that moment is significant. Why is Ismene’s argument different from
Antigone’s?
An important moment to Ismene's argument is when she states in line 50 to
53, "I must yield t those in authority. And I think it is dangerous business to be
always meddling." This is a significant argument because she is the sister that
would like to obey the law rather. Her argument differs from Antigone because
Ismene

she wants to leave the body alone and unburied, for she fears the
consequences and the fact that she might executed. She would like to do
things as they are rather than do things that she her heart wants her to do.

You might also like