ipl-logo

Offstage Behavior In Sophocles Antigone

623 Words3 Pages

To those in authority. (Sophocles Prologue 46-51)
Everyone thinks of Ismene as a supporter of Creon because she does not show that she secretly rebels against him. Ismene’s secretive actions allow her to rebel against Creon while still escaping punishment.
Ismene is able to get away with her actions because she creates an “onstage” and an “offstage” behavior. Her “onstage” behavior shows her concurring to Creon and her “offstage” behavior is her rebelling against Creon. James Scott’s ideas in Weapons of the Weak are used by Jennet Kirkpatrick when she says, “...they protect themselves with ‘onstage’ behavior in public and power-laden contexts that is deferential and compliant, while their ‘offstage’ behavior is markedly less so” (Kirkpatrick 405). The “onstage” behavior allows Ismene to seem compliant with Creon while her “offstage” behavior is her true feelings and emotions towards Creon. By being secretive with her actions and having both an “onstage” and an “offstage” behavior, Ismene rebels against Creon …show more content…

As mentioned before, the burial styles are exceedingly different. One burial occurs secretly at night and the other is a ceremonial burial that happens during broad daylight (Kirkpatrick 406). The style of the first burial matches the personality of Ismene and the second burial matches Antigone’s personality. When Antigone is discussing her punishment with Creon, Ismene tries to take her share of the punishment as well. She wants to join Antigone because she is equally guilty, but Antigone forbids Ismene from taking the blame of the burials (Sophocles 1.2.133-48). Ismene tries to take responsibility for her actions but Antigone prevents her from doing so. Antigone is not responsible for burying Polyneices the first time because of the extreme differences between the burials and Ismene trying to take her share of the

Show More
Related

  • Examples Of Creon In Antigone

    578 Words  | 3 Pages

    Antigone Relevance In the book Antigone by Sophocles the main character is Antigone and her sister Ismene. Their close brother Polyneices has died in a battle against his brother over the city. Antigone wants to give her brother a proper burial but Creon the new ruler, announces that if anyone buries Polyneices they will be put to death. Creon believes Polyneices was a traitor.

    Read More

  • Similarities Between Antigone And Letter From Birmingham Jail

    1065 Words  | 5 Pages

    After her brother’s death, Antigone wanted to bury his body since no matter what her brother had done, he was still her brother. However, if she did bury him, it would be breaking the law King Creon had set up. Ismene kept telling and trying to persuade Antigone not to bury him but Antigone calmly tells her, “I will bury the brother I love. (Prologue, 69)” Even though Ismene told Antigone about the consequences of her planned action, Antigone was completely fine with

    Read More

  • Kreon Is The Foremost Source Of Conflict In Antigone

    711 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Sophocles' Antigone, the foremost source of conflict between Antigone and Kreon is the burial of Antigone's dead brothers who liquidate each other in battle after one disagreed to hand over the throne. After hearing the tragic news, Antigone conveys to her sister Ismene: Kreon buried our brother Eteocles with military honors, gave him a soldier's funeral, and it was right that he should; but Polyneices, who fought as bravely and died as miserably, — they say that Kreon has sworn no one shall bury him, no one mourn for him. (1. 15-20) Antigone decides that she will bury Polyneicies herself even though it is illegal. She is loyal to her family, does not want to disgrace the laws of the gods, and also believes that it is her hereditary duty to bury her brother Polynecies regardless of whatever crime he has committed.

    Read More

  • The Destruction Of Pride In Sophocles Antigone

    406 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the scene in which Creon will not allow her brother to be buried. This goes against her personal beliefs she confronts Creon when she says “if I had allowed my own mothers son to rot, an unburied corpse that would have been an agony.” Creon wouldn’t allow Antigone brother to be buried even tho Antigone felt it was the right thing to do. Antigone is talking to Ismene about burying her brother but Ismene tells her to keep the idea a secret but Antigone disagrees and says “But I know I’ll please the ones I’m duty bound to please.

    Read More

  • Antigone Persuasive Speech

    1343 Words  | 6 Pages

    Creon has officially made the decision that he is not going to bury Polyneices which angers Antigone. Antigone needs help to reach her goal and she says to Ismene, “You may do as you like, since apparently the laws of the Gods mean nothing to you (Sophocles, et al. 192).” Ismene is hesitant to agree with Antigone and join her in this task because she does not want to break the law and go against Creon’s words. Antigone is making Ismene feel

    Read More

  • Ethos, Pathos and Logos in 'Antigone' by Sophocles

    1197 Words  | 5 Pages

    “I shall be hating you soon,” (193). Antigone then transitions into a more emotional form of persuasion, by threatening the relationship between them if she is to not join in on her plan. This targets the guilty conscience of Ismene which is normally what tends to push people to agree with the arguer, although it can be seen as a slightly manipulative tactic. Despite Antigone’s passive aggressive argument with Ismene, she fails to convince her to join the burial and carries out her mission on her own. However, the sentry Creon sent to spy on the grave spots her and brings her to Creon as the guilty

    Read More

  • Antigone Rhetorical Analysis

    932 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the play Antigone, Sophocles demonstrates the conflict between family and God through the characters of Antigone, Ismene and Creon. Antigone being ambitious and strong willed throughout the play, fights for his brothers honor and proper burial while Ismene on the other hand, is more timid fears the consequences that may occur if the laws are broken. For Creon he is the King and holds most power, until the Gods feel he is incapable. Antigone, Ismene and Creon all use logical and emotional appeals to achieve a compromise to either bury Polynices or not.

    Read More

  • Role Of Gods In Antigone

    1259 Words  | 6 Pages

    The ritual of burying a family member was important to ancient greek culture. The gods from the greek religion are the ones who said that the burial must happen or else the deceased would be stuck halfway to the underworld. Antigone’s family history had not been the best up until the point of her brothers’ deaths. In the book it was stated that Antigone felt very strongly about burying her brother no matter what Creon said. In the text after the play it is written by senior editor Paul Moliken that “When Creon Forbids the burial of Polyneices, he is denying Antigone the opportunity to perform one of the most significant duties that Greek society allowed for women.

    Read More

  • Is Creon Justified In Antigone

    1501 Words  | 7 Pages

    As Antigone states when talking to Ismene, “It is the dead, Not the living, who make the longest demands” (694). This clearly tell us that, she is more fearful that the Gods will punish her much worse than Creon ever could if she neglected burying, Polyneices,

    Read More

  • Theme Of Foil In Antigone

    880 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the Greek tragic drama, Antigone, by Sophocles Ismene is a foil of her sister. There are many characteristics that exhibit this, such as, Ismene’s lack of courage, how she chooses to follow civil laws over the laws of the gods, and finally, how Ismene cannot stand up for herself. There are many instances in the play where these traits are are exhibited. One way that Ismene is a foil of Antigone is because she lacks courage.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of Creon

    964 Words  | 4 Pages

    “Persuasion is often more powerful than force” once stated by great greek fabulist Aesop, Many of the characters follow this advice throughout the story (“Aesop Quotes”.). As Creon gives a speech to his city he uses ethical appeals in hope to assert his power and make himself look like a trustworthy leader.. Antigone does not listen to this and decides to disobey her uncle, sister Ismene tries to plant logic into her head not to disobey in fear that her sister may end up dying in result. Haemon being both the son of Creon and the fiance of Antigone he should have a hard decision to make but he cannot get behind his father in putting his future wife to death. Ismene, Creon, and Haemon all use the rhetorical appeals of Ethos, Pathos, and Logos to be persuasive towards their goals.

    Read More

  • Creon's Mistakes In Antigone

    686 Words  | 3 Pages

    The burial of Polyneices is viewed nobly, yet Antigone is not faultless in that act. One of Antigone’s largest mistakes is that she burns bridges with those that care about her. Pleading with Antigone, Ismene laments “why would I care to live when you are gone?” (548). Antigone dismisses this heartfelt plea by deferring Ismene to Creon, thus isolating herself from her only kin.

    Read More

  • Antigone Conscience Vs Society

    710 Words  | 3 Pages

    This stands true for Antigone and her sister Ismene. While Antigone is fiercely loyal to her brother and willing to risk her life to give him his burial, Ismene is too intimidated by society to participate in the burial. She believes that Antigone is wrong to challenge Creon’s law. “I needs must do, but yield obedience to them that walk in power; to exceed is madness, and not wisdom.” (Sophocles, page 4) After Antigone is caught and she realizes that she will have no family left after she is executed, Ismene starts to sing a different tune.

    Read More

  • Creon's Idea Of Justice In Antigone

    868 Words  | 4 Pages

    1. In the play Antigone why is Ismene’s idea of justice (justice is obeying the laws of the land made by the king) wrong? Ismene’s idea of justice is very wrong.

    Read More

  • Internal Conflict In Antigone

    759 Words  | 4 Pages

    In Antigone, there was two brothers who shared being the King and one of the brothers, Polynices, wanted to start a war with the kingdom because he wanted to be the main ruler. Polynices and his brother Eteocles fight and they both end up killing each other. Their Uncle Creon, who takes position as King when they are both killed, decides that only Eteocles will have a proper burial and Polynices will be left to rot. Antigone, Polynices and Eteocles sister, thinks that Creon’s decision is unfair and takes upon herself to give Polynices a proper burial. When their other sister Ismene finds out, she is stuck between helping her sister bury their brother and following Creon’s demands.

    Read More

More about Offstage Behavior In Sophocles Antigone

Open Document