Courage, Strength, And Will In Antigone By Sophocles

Imagine that you have watched each of your family members fall, one by one. You’ve borne witness to many unjust actions, and have seen dishonorable deeds occur. You watch as the king lay one of your kin to rest properly, while another is simply left for the dogs. After losing your mother, father, and now two brothers, this is the final straw. Something must be done to right these wrongs. On one hand, civil law dictates that you must not provide your brother with a proper burial; on the other hand, you know that the gods praise values such as honor and respect for those who have past. Do you follow laws of the state, or do what you know is right- no matter the cost? The protagonist, Antigone, finds herself in this very scenario during the events in the tragedy by Sophocles.
Upon hearing of Creon’s disgraceful actions, Antigone decides to do right by her brother without hesitation. She says to Ismene that she, “…will do (her) duty to (her) brother…(she) won’t be caught betraying him.” (Antigone, Part 1) Antigone makes it clear that she will not abide by the established laws, and will do the right thing with or without Ismene. Although Ismene warns of the consequences, Antigone rebuttals saying, “I’ll still bury him. It would be fine to die while doing that.” (Antigone, Part 1) This specific line of dialogue further supports the bravery which Antigone demonstrates. She would willingly accept death with open arms, as long as she knows that she died for the honorable cause. This is polar opposite to Ismene, who will not act against the state in the