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  • Essay / A comparison of Antigone and Ismene's reactions to grief in Sophocles' Antigone

    Antigone Response PaperThe tale of Antigone is one of the oldest works of literature still studied today. The play is able to explore the psychology of many different characters as they are all forced to deal with the death of Polyneices. Although the differences between how Antigone, Haimon, and Creon react to the situation can be widely discussed, another interesting relationship to analyze in the text is that between Antigone and Ismene. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Two sisters experience tragedy as their brothers kill each other, but their responses are very different. Antigone's response to grief is to focus on the injustice of the situation and take the risk of making things right, while Ismene is filled with sadness, but fears the consequences of breaking the law. Both responses are the result of love, but the specifics of each case allow for a deeper look into the psychology of these characters. When reading and discussing the play Antigone, Antigone herself is most often seen as the heroine. However, it could be argued that Antigone is the cause of the tragedy. If Antigone had expressed her grief to Haimon, it is possible that he would have convinced her father to lift the law against burying Polyneices' body. Furthermore, his rash decision to commit suicide results in the death of Haimon and the Queen, filled with grief. After thinking about the different endings that could have happened if Antigone had reacted more calmly, it is reasonable to conclude that Antigone's plan to kill herself results in the deaths of Haimon and the queen, filled with grief. rebellion was not the most practical response. Ismene, on the other hand, responds with sorrow but without action. One could argue that this is a more practical response because it avoids further harm, but with Ismene's response, nothing is really settled, everything is just tossed aside as if it never happened. not produced. After analyzing the practicality of the girls' answers, the question of morality arises. Did Antigone make the right choice by defending her family and offering herself as a sacrifice? Or was Ismene right to avoid further conflict and simply mourn the loss of her brother and her honor? This is a very difficult thing to analyze because the grief in this situation is almost unfathomable. It might be more reasonable to say that neither girl was in the right frame of mind to make a moral and practical decision. They have just learned that their brothers killed each other and that one will die with honor, while the other may not. Reflecting on this situation, it becomes clear that neither girl reacted ethically or practically, but both reacted emotionally based on their own personalities. Sophocles' play Antigone includes multiple complex situations and relationships, and that of Antigone and her sister Ismene is one of the most intriguing. Watching these girls deal with the pain of losing their brothers, and then the pain of losing each other due to disagreement over the situation, makes the tragedy even more powerful. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized paper from our expert now. writers.Get Custom EssaySophocles is able to include human nature in this situation as both sisters behave in an impractical and unethical manner. This is often seen in life and emotions override logic and can lead to..