Antigone vs Ismene by Sophocles
The personalities of the two sisters; Antigone and Ismene, are as different from
one another as tempered steel is from a ball of cotton. One is hard and resistant; the
other: pliable, absorbing and soft. Antigone would have been a strong, successful
90's type woman with her liberated and strong attitude towards her femininity, while
Ismene seems to be a more dependent 1950's style woman. Antigone acts as a free
spirit, a defiant individual, while Ismene is content to recognize her own limitations and
her inferiority of being a woman.
In the Greek tragedy "Antigone", by Sophocles; Antigone learns that King
Creon has refused to give a proper burial for the slain Polyneices, brother of Ismene
and Antigone. Infuriated by this injustice, Antigone shares the tragic news with
Ismene. From her first response, "No, I have heard nothing"(344). Ismene reveals her
passivity and helplessness in the light of Creon's decree. Thus, from the start, Ismene
is characterized as traditionally "feminine", a helpless woman that pays no mind to
political affairs. Doubting the wisdom of her sisters plan to break the law and bury
Polyneices, Ismene argues:
We who are women should not contend with men;
we who are weak are ruled by the stronger, so that
we must obey....(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.
It is a wonder, which of the two sisters are really guilty of these chronic charges.
Of coarse, Antigone acted so quickly, and failed to take the advice of the moderate
sister, Ismene.
one another as tempered steel is from a ball of cotton. One is hard and resistant; the
other: pliable, absorbing and soft. Antigone would have been a strong, successful
90's type woman with her liberated and strong attitude towards her femininity, while
Ismene seems to be a more dependent 1950's style woman. Antigone acts as a free
spirit, a defiant individual, while Ismene is content to recognize her own limitations and
her inferiority of being a woman.
In the Greek tragedy "Antigone", by Sophocles; Antigone learns that King
Creon has refused to give a proper burial for the slain Polyneices, brother of Ismene
and Antigone. Infuriated by this injustice, Antigone shares the tragic news with
Ismene. From her first response, "No, I have heard nothing"(344). Ismene reveals her
passivity and helplessness in the light of Creon's decree. Thus, from the start, Ismene
is characterized as traditionally "feminine", a helpless woman that pays no mind to
political affairs. Doubting the wisdom of her sisters plan to break the law and bury
Polyneices, Ismene argues:
We who are women should not contend with men;
we who are weak are ruled by the stronger, so that
we must obey....(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.
It is a wonder, which of the two sisters are really guilty of these chronic charges.
Of coarse, Antigone acted so quickly, and failed to take the advice of the moderate
sister, Ismene.