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Oscar Vega

Ms. Pinkelman

9-10 Block English

5th April 2017

“Antigone” Analysis Essay

Ismene and Antigone are foils of one another to highlight each other’s

characteristics. “Antigone wishes to bury her brother but Ismene is too frightened to help her.

“Antigone, I am afraid for you, how can I go on living without you! ” (Sophocles prologue 138)

Antigone is brave and not afraid of death. She knows she will die and accepts her fate. Ismene is

weak and would rather stay alive then defend her family. Antigone does not honor the kings but

she honors the gods over the king. “I don’t care about his law, it is not god’s law!” (Sophocles,

191). In this quote, Antigone honors the gods over the king and Ismene follows Creon’s laws

because she afraid of him and his anger. Overall, Ismene possess characteristics of a typical

woman in Greek society to show how strong and brave Antigone is.

Antigone and Creon are dynamic characters in the play “Antigone”, their attitude

effected each other drastically during the play. King Creon doesn’t think of Polyneices because

he thinks he’s a traitor to his country. “He shall lie on the plain unburied and the birds and the

scavenging dogs can do with him with whatever they like” (Sophecles prologue 41,42). King

Creon was a traitor. He didn’t join his own army and he joined another army. Antigone is upset

that she is being punished for following the gods and not listening to the king “your kings, led

away to death, you will remember what things I suffer and what men’s hands, because I wouldn’t
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transgress the laws of heaven” (Sophocles prologue 75,80). In this quote Antigone doesn’t think

it’s fair to be punished for following the gods instead of the king. Furthermore,

Haemon tries to convince his father to change his mind about Antigone’s punishment

by acting innocent. Haemon starts telling his father how he obeys him and talks about his

continuing wisdom means more than marriage. “I am your son, father, you are my guide. You

make things clear for me, and I obey you. No marriage means more to me than your continuing

wisdom” (Sophecles prologue 10). In this quote Haemon is telling his father a lot of good things so

Haemon can convince him to change his mind about Antigone’s punishment.