Antigone and Socrates
Giselle Abramovich 03/18/02 Ancient Philosophy Professor Mohl Term paper Antigone Antigone, Isemene, Eteocles, and Polyneices are brothers and sisters. ... In the opening of the play we have Antigone and her sister Isemene. Antigone is telling her sister that the king has announced that their dead brother did not deserve a burial or mourning. Antigone tells Isemene that she is planning to go against the king’s wishes and give her brother a proper burial. At this point, Antigone expects her sister to say that she will aid her in committing this crime. However, much to Antigone’s surprise Isemene says, “Antigone, think how much more terrible than these our own deaths would be if we should go against Creon and do what he has forbidden. (Line 43-45) Isemene tries to talk Antigone out of breaking the law, but Antigone feels that her crime is holy and she insists on burying the brother that she loves so much. Next, A guard announces that the body of Polyneices has been buried and that the perpetrator is Antigone. Antigone is brought before Creon and she denies nothing. ... ” (Line 106) Creon sentences Antigone to be locked up in a vault. Haimon, who is Creon’s son and Antigone’s fiancé, is brought before Creon by grief for his bride-to-be. Haimon pleads with his father that Antigone should be spared because it is not a crime to love and honor thy brother. Creon has Antigone locked in a vault, which is where her fiancé finds her dead and then kills himself as well. ... Antigone is morally good. Antigone believes that the right thing to do and that which the law says is the right thing to do is not always the same. In one perspective Antigone is wrong. ... Antigone is brave because she knows what the consequences are, for what she does and she still does it. ... Antigone’s pride is her tragic flaw in this play. Isemene, who is also Polyneices’ sister, tries to talk Antigone out of doing what she is about to do in fear of the consequences. ... Had she Antigone’s tragic pride, she would have committed the crime along with Antigone and would have been punished as well.