Antigone's Actions

Antigone is the first character that is introduced in Sophocles, “Antigone.” She comes off as a bit headstrong and not afraid to speak her mind. Antigone begins by asking her sister, Ismene, if she has heard any gossip where they live. Her sister then responds by saying that she hasn’t. What’s interesting is that Antigone then says that she knows there is word of something, which brings out a small sense of cunning to her character. Rather than telling her sister that something is going on around town, Antigone keeps it to herself and “plays” with her sister to see what she will say. The reader then discovers that Antigone’s brothers have killed one another. One of the brother’s was buried, while the other was left where he died. Creon, who is now the leader of Thebes, has decreed that the body be left to rot because he believes that Polyneices, the brother that wasn’t buried, was nothing but blood hungry. Anyone who tries to give him a peaceful resting place will not have a happy fate. Antigone finds out and immediately decides to help her brother. When she asks her sister to help her though, her sister says no. Antigone decides to go through with her “plan” and bury her brother. It seems as though even if Antigone’s actions seem rash, her motives are out of compassion and love. The reader must remember that Antigone has grown up with her brother and knows him better than most people. In addition to this, it seems morally right to have her brother buried rather than left in the street to rot for days on end. One can also see that Antigone seems to care more about her brother than Ismene. While Ismene does feel sorry for her brother, she doesn’t want to risk her life for his sake. In the end, Antigone cares more about her family than anything else, which makes her actions courageous. She is willing to risk everything in order for her brother to have peace.