Antigone

Antigone, a young woman in a family of messed up relationships, wretched deaths, and confusing situations, has merciful intentions for her brother Polyneices. She shows sympathy and compassion to his situation and imminent death. Creon gives Polyneices a dishonorable and improper burial, while he gives his brother, Eteocles, an honorable and proper burial, showing contempt and disrespect to their family and their history. Antigone’s intentions are only to show love and respect for her brother, and fulfill her familial duties to him, in giving him a proper and respectable burial. She acts impulsively, however. She is angered by the situation, and she wants to disregard the laws declared by Creon. Also, she is being ignorant of what she is getting herself into. Creon is serious about his punishment for anyone who disobeys him. Death is in her future if she is discovered behind the criminal act of Polyneices’ burial. She realizes this but still stands strong, which shows dedication to her family and their gods. It is foolish, though. She claims “I shall lie by his side, loving him as he loved me.” However, she is acting independently of her sister, her only living family. If she is killed, her sister is left alone and abandoned. She is showing love to her brother, but not her sister. They should be striving to stay alive and helping each other along the way. In acting independently of her sister, Antigone is setting herself and Ismene up for different fates. Because of her actions, the two sisters are no longer connected. Their lives are now separate, and they are in two different situations. If Ismene tells of her sister’s actions to another person, she shall live and Antigone shall die. However, if Ismene joins Antigone, they will either avoid punishment and death or both will die. If both die, their family dies with them. If one lives, pressure is thrown upon that person to uphold their family name and honor their deceased family. None of the situations promises a peaceful future for either sister.