Antigone True Identity

Antigone is the sister of Eteocles and Polyneices. Both Eteocles and Polyneices agree to jointly rule Thebes as mutual kings. After one year, Polynices distrusts his brother, resulting in Polyneices fleeing from Thebes, only to later return with an army. In the battle, both sides are massacred. Eteocles and Polyneices kill one another, consequently giving their power up as king to in Creon, Antigone’s uncle. As acting king, Creon orders that, “Eteocles who died as a man should die, fighting for his country, is to be buried with full military honors, with all the ceremony that is usual when the greatest heros die” (Sophocles, line 160). As for Polyneices, Creon passes a law for Polyneices to be left unburied, to rot for every citizen to witness. Antigone viewed this law as immoral and unjust, for one brother to be buried with military honor and not the other. Antigone, expressing her love for Polynices, rises against Creon's higher authority command

Antigone and Creon are two characters that may be considered too similar in personalities, which causes some commotion. Both are confident and persistent in their beliefs and will do what they believe is best in their mind. Antigone is guilty in the eyes of the law because she buried her brother, Polynices, a traitor to Thebes, against Creon’s ruling. Creon has banned Polynices’ burial because he fought for power against Thebes and his own brother, Eteocles, who also died in the battle. Eteocles was granted a proper burial for dying in the name of Thebes, but Polynices was not. Antigone is worried about his burial rights because it is her job as a woman in the family to make sure that her brother is buried so he can get to the afterlife

Who knew the conflict of two brother’s could cause so much damage? As five deaths resulted in this conflict, at least people that are now dead will be able to lie in peace. Because of Antigone’s strong emotions, braveness, and beliefs, she is a tragic hero.

Despite knowing what might ensue for whoever disobeys Creon’s laws, Antigone does it anyway, saying in lines 85–86, “I will bury him myself, / and even if I die in the act, that death will be a glory.” Antigone gives her life to bury her brother, aware that without the proper burial rites, birds and dogs would ravage Polynices' corpse, an obscenity for all to behold. She considers this act glorious because, by doing it, she respects her commitment to her familial bonds and upholds divine law over the secular edict of

She changes her ways and becomes a faithful, loving sister. With her changed ways she got proposed to by her handsome fiancé, Haemon. Which came to a shock, because of his striking looks everyone thought he would fall for Iseme. Even though Antigone was a stubborn brat as a child, as she grew up she matured. She also grew closer to her brother Polyneices.

Sophocles implements the double burial of Polynices by Antigone to show her religious devotion to pleasing the gods as well as to honor her brother but he does not intend for each burial to be labeled separately, rather as one process which shows her strong willed intent to please everyone. Her actions should not be labeled as masculine or feminine but instead as human. In no way do her actions defy the gods or even the people but rather only Creon who has no reasoning to dishonor Polynices. She reacts in a way all humans should when a loved one has died but Creon has brainwashed the people of Thebes including Ismene and when she tells Antigone that burying Polynices is directly disobeying the orders of Creon Antigone replies, “He is my brother.” (33)

Antigone lost both of her brothers, but only one, Eteocles, was allowed by Creon to receive a proper burial. No matter what shame someone may have caused, they are deserving of a respectful and proper burial. This is especially important, for the afterlife and respect for the dead are of great importance and significance Ancient Greek culture. Antigone should have been able to bury both brothers with equal consideration and honor. Creon degrees that the burial of Polynices is prohibited. Regarding Creon’s decree, Antigone says that there is “a city-wide proclamation, rumor has it, forbids anyone to bury him, even mourn him,” (Sophocles, lines 33-34). Creon declares that Polynices

We read that Creon has issued a law that if anyone buries the body of Polyneices they will be sentenced to death. Antigone plans to bury her brother regardless of the law set into place. She is going to try and do it in secrecy and to avoid detection. She asks her sister, Ismene, to join her in the burial, but she refuses. At this point in the play the you realize the fear setting in. Ismene believes

In the text, Antigone wants to bury her brother, Polynices, after hearing about what occurred with their brother, Eteocles. Polynices and Eteocles had an argument over who should be the king and they ended up slaughtering each other to death in a battle for the throne. Polynices is looked at as a traitor. Antigone did not care and still wanted to bury him. The obstacle in the way her uncle Creon. Creon was the king and he proclaimed that the body of Polynices shall not be buried. Both Antigone and Creon followed separate rules and laws. That causes the difference in viewpoints between the two. With Antigone, she believes that it would be right to bury him, so she did. Once Creon found out, he was very angry. With the body of Polynices being banned due to the proclamation

The opening events of the play Antigone, written by Sophocles, quickly establish the central conflict between Antigone and Creon. Creon has decreed that the traitor Polynices, who tried to burn down the temple of gods in Thebes, must not be given proper burial. Antigone is the only one who will speak against this decree and insists on the sacredness of family and a symbolic burial for her brother. Whereas Antigone sees no validity in a law that disregards the duty family members owe one another, Creon's point of view is exactly opposite. He has no use for anyone who places private ties above the common good, as he proclaims firmly to the Chorus and the audience as he revels in his victory over Polynices. He sees Polynices as an enemy to

First, we must understand why Creon would decree that Polynices should not be buried. His explanation for this royal decree, is that seeing as how Polynices was a traitor to Thebes he didn’t deserve a proper traditional burial like his bother Eteocles, the city’s hero. Because of this, he goes on to create an edict stating that no one from Thebes was to bury Polynices or else they would pay with their life. Obviously, Antigone opposed this and fully supported the idea of burying her brother despite Creon’s edict and thus she embarked on this journey alone. She wanted to bury her brother because according to her it is the decent thing to do and the gods expect a burial no matter the situation.

Throughout the story Antigone is justified on many occasions by her loyalty, her uncle's lack of true power,

In the play, Antigone, Antigone was admitting her consideration of burying Polynices to her sister, Ismene, and tried to convince her to accompany her. Ismene explained to her that she did not want to face the consequences of the decree, so Antigone decided to continue the plan on her own; “I will lie dear to him, with one dear to me,/ a holy outlaw, since I must please those/ below a longer time than other people here,/ for I shall lie there forever. You, though,/ dishonor the gods’ commands, if you wish.” (Sophocles 74-78:16) Antigone tells Ismene that burying Polynices is not only an act of admiration towards Polynices, but will also satisfy the Greek gods.

At first glance of this passage, Antigone, a strong woman of tradition, seems suddenly sad, lonely and defeated but when looked at closely she actually believes her future is determined by fate, not by her actions. She took all the steps necessary to get to this moment by disobeying the law, making a fool of Kreon, yet never shows any sign of weakness or regret. It’s odd that she now grieves over the things “no longer lawful” for her to see and experience. Is she really “unwept, unfriended, unaccompanied by wedding song?” I would like to dig deeper into this “road prepared” for her and unmask her obsession with the departed, her own death and her longing to enter the Underworld and leave this cursed life behind.

Love and bravery for her family is a key factor for her determination to give her brother a proper burial. She shows immense loyalty and will power as she fights for her family name. Her endurance is extraordinary as she declares "Naturally! Since Zeus never promulgated such a law, nor will you find that Justice, Mistress of the world below, publishes such laws on humankind. I never thought your mortal edicts had such force they nullified the laws of heaven..." (Sophocles 38). Antigone responds to Creon’s speech and disagrees with his proclamation denying Polynices a funeral. Polynices, hated by the entire country, is being deprived of an appropriate burial service and Antigone is determined to honor her brother correctly (Rose 219). The courage she displays is crucial factor in her character development. The devotion towards helping her brother is