How Does Antigone Respond To Kreon's Death

1118 Words3 Pages

1. Antigone is unable to give her brother a proper burial without being faced with Kreon’s punishment.
2. This is considered a moral dilemma because no matter what path she chooses, there’s the potential to face consequences. Her decision is highly dependent on her personal morals.
3. The chorus provides details about the war that took place and information that explains the death of the two brothers.
4. The sentry explains that an unknown individual secretly buried Polyneices. Kreon becomes upset because he had forbidden such an act.
5. Kreon announced that anyone who dares bury Polyneices and perform proper rituals will be sentenced to execution.
6. Kreon’s punishment was execution.
7. Kreon firmly believes that Polyneices’ …show more content…

The sentry seems to feel bitter sweet about the situation. He was more than excited to go free, but was hurt more by the fact that he had to hurt someone in the process.
14. Antigone claims that the demands of the gods far outweigh the demands of a mortal, and that she will not suffer in the afterlife for defying such demands made by only man.
15. Her response initiates the overall conflict of the play as her claims are preceded with numerous others which attempt to promote the gods’ wishes over Kreon’s
16. Antigone believes her death is honorable since she is sacrificing for family reputation, however, she also believes Ismene doesn’t deserve to accompany her in such an honorable befalling since she initially refused to take part in Antigone’s pursuit. Ismene’s insistence seems to be a cheap tactic to acquire that which is not deserved.
17. At this point in the play, Kreon has displayed several hints of paranoid behavior after having his decree questioned by numerous people to a point at which he blames them to have secret intentions which may benefit them if Kreon ever backed down. This paranoid behavior is no exception for Antigone and Ismene.
18. Antigone’s tragic flaw is pride and the inability to cease excessive

Show More
Related

  • Antigone Character Analysis Essay

    627 Words  | 2 Pages

    Antigone remains a static character at stage five throughout the story. Faced with people who do not agree with her decision, Antigone stands tall with what is morally right to her. Kohlberg’s Theory is not only universal but also helps readers understand a character morally. Choosing whether or not to bury her brother, Polyneices, or to follow the law given by Creon, does not derail her moral

    Read More

  • Hubris In Antigone Vs Creon

    719 Words  | 2 Pages

    “…a mere mortal, could override the gods, the great unwritten, unshakable traditions…These laws I was not about to break them… and face retribution of the gods.”(505-513) This provides a basis for Antigone’s hubris, her belief in God, standing for what is right, defying man’s rule. As the play progresses Antigone’s hubris becomes more apparent as she claims, “Give me glory! What greater could I win than to give my own brother a decent burial?”(562-563). This pride in committing a moral and God-willed deed reaches a point where Antigone thinks that it is

    Read More

  • Civil Disobedience In Fahrenheit 451

    1324 Words  | 3 Pages

    Antigone decides to betray Kreon’s law in order to honor the gods and their greater law. She says “you [Kreon], who are human/to violate the lawful traditions/the gods have not written merely, but made infallible,” defending her decision to bury the out-casted Polyneices because the law that prohibits it was not proclaimed by Zeus. When Kreon asks Antigone why she honors Eteokles (her other brother who also dies in the battle in Thebes) and Polyneices equally, she responds “Death is a god/who wants his laws obeyed,” corroborating the motive of why she upheld divine law over Kreon’s law (Sophocles 41). Even Haimon, Kreon’s own son and Antigone’s betrothed, supports Antigone by saying “the gods implant intelligence in humans/…that is the supreme one” (Sophocles 48). However, Antigone’s superior motive in giving Polyneices an honorable death is love. While conferring her plan with her sister, Ismene, Antigone tells her “He’s my brother an yours too/ and whether you will or not, I’ll stand by him,” indicating her love to her brother (Sophocles 22). In addition, Antigone is most direct with her intentions when she says “I am different. I love my brother/and I’m going to go bury him, now” (Sophocles 24). After Kreon asks Antigone why she dared to break his law, knowing the repercussions, she expresses that “if I had left my own brother stay unburied/I would have suffered all the pain I do not feel now,” further denoting her unwavering devotion to Polyneices even during her own conviction. Richard Emil Braun, an highly praised writer, also believes Antigone’s primary motive to bury her brother was love, as he says “The second burial of Polyneices shows that Antigone…did the deed, and not for money, but for love…Antigone was prompted by her love to fulfill a religious duty.” Civil disobedience to Antigone is

    Read More

  • Antigone Deserves More Sympathy than Creon

    2545 Words  | 6 Pages

    The crux of the play, the causal factor to all the following events is how the new King Creon deals with the dead traitor Polynices, brother of Antigone.  The decree not to bury the corpse must be considered from the viewpoint of a 5th Century Athenian, watching this play. The Antigone was written during a time of great strife for the city of Athens and they were in the middle of their conflict with the Spartans. At a time such as this , concern for the city was foremost in a citizen's mind. Creon's decree not to bury him at this stage then is right. Essentially not burying a body, any body, is an offence to the gods, and the persons spirit will not be able to go down to the underworld and cross the River Styx and Archeron. However, the Greeks believed that for some the sentence was deserved. The sentence of non-burial is appropriate in this case, as the Greeks believed that "those convicted of sa...

    Read More

  • Righteous Judgement in Antigone

    936 Words  | 2 Pages

    At the beginning of the play, Antigone brought Ismene outside the city gates at night for a top secret meeting. Antigone wanted to bury her brother Polyneices' body because even though he died in dishonor he was her brother. Ismene refused to disobey the king which is also their Uncle Creon, and she failed to talk Antigone out of doing the act herself. "Consider, sister, how our father died,/hated and infamous; how he brought to light/his own offenses..Then, mother...did shame/violently on her life, with twisted cords. Third, our two brothers, on a single day...Each killed the other, hand against brother's hand." (Antigone, Lines 59-65) In this quote, Antigone justified her reasons for going against the law describing how her parents went through so much, how their father was banished and due to this their mother had committed suicide because her reputation went down to the drain, even after all that their two brothers went into battle against one another and died in the process. Ismene was sympathetic, but still she was noble and afraid of Creon so she did not offer her help to Antigone.

    Read More

  • Antigone & Ismene in Sophocles' Antigone

    576 Words  | 2 Pages

    (346) Once again Ismene's words clearly state her weak, feminine character and helplessness within her own dimensions.   Antigone, not happy with her sisters response chides her sister for not participating in her crime and for her passivity, saying, " Set your own life in order"(346). For Antigone, no law could stand in the way of her strong consideration of her brother's spirit, not even the punishment of an early death.   Ismene is more practical ; knowing the task is impossible, she feels the situation to be hopeless.

    Read More

  • The Play Antigone, by Sophocles

    756 Words  | 2 Pages

    Although both sisters have lost their brothers, Antigone is the only one who will go against her king to do what she knows is right. When Antigone asks her sister if she will help her bury their brother Polyneices, Ismene responds with, “We are only women; we cannot fight with men, Antigone! The law is strong; we must give into the law…” (Ismene 774). Naturally, Ismene should be afraid for herself, as well for the safety of her sister because what Antigone is asking of her will mostly likely cause them both to be killed. However, she should be braver like Antigone, and realize that she must do what is morally right for their family, and give her brother the proper burial that he deserves. Afterward, when Antigone has already been captured, Ismene then comes forth to try and share the punishment that has been given to Antigone, but Antigone tells King Creon that she has done nothing. In addition, when Creon asks Ismene if she had anything to do with the crime, and Antigone denies it, Ismene then replies, “But now I know what you meant; and I am here to join you, to take my share of punishment” (Ismene 785). Although now Ismene feels like she needs to stand up to the King and do what is right for her

    Read More

  • The Characters Of Antigone And King Creon

    1511 Words  | 4 Pages

    She reminds Antigone that they are the only family members left and pleads with her not to commit such a crime, but Antigone refuses to accept the logic in her sister’s argument and will not be swayed, even though the idea of her death clearly upsets her sister. Ismene later has a change of heart and wishes to die alongside her sister in order to honor the dead as well, she even confesses to Creon, but Antigone rejects her idea of being a martyr, saying that her own death “will suffice” (Sophocles 136). Ismene then imagines life without her sister. The idea of losing the only kin she has left on Earth terrifies Ismene. She pleads to Antigone, “what life is dear to me bereft of you?” (Sophocles 136). Ismene would rather die than live without Antigone. In deciding to give her life for her brother, Antigone neglects her sister, and acts selfishly. She therefore should not have signed herself over to death as it has severely negative effects on her only living

    Read More

  • Pride In Sophocles Antigone

    803 Words  | 2 Pages

    Antigone was a selfless person with pride as a strong characteristic of her personality.  She possibly had feelings of loneliness and anger from the way society has looked upon her family from their past.  It took a strong willed person who has no fear of the repercussions to stand up to a king as she did.  To make everything all the worst she stood up to a king who was her Uncle and she being a female back in those time, standing up and speaking out for herself was not heard of.

    Read More

  • Antigone and Othello: Tragic Heroes

    971 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the play Antigone, the conflicting characters were Antigone and Creon. The focus of the conflict is Antigone. On Creon's side, he should be obey the law and let Polynices's body "laid in the earth", But for the affection of his brother, from the religious obligations and law of God, she has the responsibility to bury her brother's body, or at least mourn him. Creon is not necessarily wrong with his decision; he is simply intoxicated with his new authority.

    Read More

  • Antigone Lines 450-464

    365 Words  | 1 Pages

    The passage (pg. 52, lines 450-464) taken from Antigone, really sets up the entire conflict between Kreon and Antigone. To put it into context, it takes place as soon as Kreon hears the news that Antigone is the person who was burring her brother Polyneices. Her choice of words jab at Kreon’s authority and challenge his reasoning on what is right. A line that is a straight shot to his command is, “Nor did I think your proclamations had such strength that, mortal as you are, you could outrun those laws that are the gods” (pg. 52, lines 453-455). Antigone is right, Kreon does not have authority over the gods; however, he does not realize that leaving his nephew unburied goes directly against the gods. This is a major conflict between god versus

    Read More

  • Roles of Women in Antigone

    1986 Words  | 4 Pages

    In one of the opening scenes, the fluctuating emotions of the heated dialogue between Ismene and Antigone takes place. The two sisters take turns evoking passion and subjectiveness on their role as people in this world, but more specifically as civilians of Greece. Antigone has the mentality that she owes her duty of being an obedient family member (Johnson 370). Likewise, Ismene fears for her sister’s life and tries to persuade her that her allegiance may lay too strongly in the wrong place. Both women ultimately value family, however, they are split between whom they are most considerate to and immediately cause the audience to take sides.

    Read More

  • Antigone, by Sophocles

    546 Words  | 2 Pages

    In meeting Ismene, the reader is introduced to a wiser and obedient woman in terms of her understanding where she stands socially and realizing the consequences of rebellious actions. Ismene, throughout the play, serves as a tool by helping Antigone to become more resolute in her actions. Ismene has suffered just as much as Antigone, "no joy or pain has come my way" (16) Ismene says. Yet although she concedes that the sisters "were robbed of our two brothers" (17), she still accepts the will of the King "I must obey the ones who stand in power"(18).

    Read More

  • The Immense Character Development in Antigone by Sophocles

    1542 Words  | 4 Pages

    Antigone’s own excessive pride drives her to her defeat. Her arrogance and strive for self-importance blinds her to the consequences of her actions. Ismene, Antigone’s sister, rejects to take part in the crime leaving Antigone all on her own. Ismeme declares “why rush to extremes? Its madness, madness” (Sophocles 80). Ismene fails to comprehend the logic behind her siste...

    Read More

  • Antigone Tragic Hero

    787 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout the play Antigone, it is a challenge for the readers to decide whose decision is right, Antigone’s or Kreon’s? The readers feel empathy for Antigone for having to die because she wants to bury her brother. On the other hand, Kreon has his reason for banning anyone from burying Polyneices because he fought against Thebes “who returned from exile seeking to incinerate his fatherland and the gods of his family, who wishes to consume kindred blood, to lead Thebans into slavery” (199-202). Thus, in this Greek tragedy, the tragic hero is not so easy to identify. Nevertheless, it is clear that Antigone is the tragic hero because of the noble blood, her bravery, and flawed deed and the downfall of it.

    Read More

More about How Does Antigone Respond To Kreon's Death

Open Document