Why does ismene change her mind

Several of the characters in Antigone meet tragic ends: Creon traps Antigone in a cave, and Antigone, Haemon, and Eurydice all commit suicide. Blonde, full-figured, and radiantly beautiful, the laughing, talkative Ismene is the good girl of the family. Ismene is afraid that her sister Antigone will die too if she buries Polyneices against the wishes of Creon.

Why doesnt Ismene? Antigone feels that it is her duty to bury Polyneices because he is her brother, and it was a sacred duty to bury the dead so that they could pass the river that encircles the kingdom of death. Creon denies Polyneices burial. Because of that, Ismene refuses to go against Creon. She does not want to abandon her sister and wants to protect her. I believe in some ways Antigone is justified because at first Ismene refused to help, but now feels guilty. However Antigone should appreciate the sacrifice Ismene is making.

In Antigone, the central character believes that her flaw is her strength, though it is actually her stubborn loyalty. In the opening lines of the play Antigone attempts to recruit Ismene to her cause, hoping that Ismene will be willing to help bury Polynices.

Instead, Ismene tells Antigone that as women they are better off choosing a course of inaction and letting themselves be subservient to the rule of men Ismene also reminds Antigone that extravagant action is not sensible, and it would instead be better to let Polynices remain unburied.

This preference towards inaction is not only remindful about the typical role of a woman during the time, but it can also be seen in Thucydides in the general strategy of the Spartans. Later in the play, once Antigone has been sentenced to the punishment of death by Creon, Ismene realizes how much her decision has cost her.

Antigone's death means that Ismene will be orphaned not only by her father and mother, both of whom have already died, but by all of her siblings as well. When Ismene realizes that she will be left alone, she begs Antigone to allow her to follow her in death, reminding Antigone that "What life is there for me, once I have lost you? This is the exact opposite of Ismene's ways earlier in the play, when she praised inaction and didn't want to be involved in the burying of Polyneices.

Ismene has showed herself to be a character with wavering emotions, changing her mind rather than being able to follow through on any one course of action. Before Ismene realizes that she will be left alone if Antigone dies, she states that she will not act in defiance of Creon 96 , however, when Creon asks who it was that buried Polynices, Ismene is quick to lie to Creon and inform him that she took part in the burial along with Antigone Again, Ismene switches from one belief to another.

Ismene claims that she wants to die alongside Antigone , yet, unlike Antigone, she doesn't commit suicide.

She is a character who doesn't have the strength to take this kind of action. Ismene is a woman plagued by inaction and indecisiveness. She constantly changes her mind, never once does she actually follow through and act upon any decision she appears to make. Ismene is the victim due to her own inherent weaknesses. Creon and Antigone are both marked by the same flaw: fanaticism.

Creon does not yield to the traditional customs that involve the honoring of kin and the dead, while Antigone is so rash in her actions that if she had only been able to wait and plead her cause more to Creon, she could have been allowed to live. In this account, Ismene and her lover Theoclymenus met outside of the city during the siege.

Tydeus had been told their whereabouts by Athena, and apprehended Ismene while Theoclymenus escaped. She does not want to abandon her sister and wants to protect her.

I believe in some ways Antigone is justified because at first Ismene refused to help, but now feels guilty. However Antigone should appreciate the sacrifice Ismene is making. What does Antigone ask Ismene to do, and how does Ismene respond?

When Ismene refuses to help bury Polynices, Antigone angrily responds that she will do it herself. His intent is to honor the noble Eteocles and to dishonor the traitor Polynices. How does Creon justify his order not to bury Polynices? Polynices, unburied, will serve as an example to others not to attack their homeland.

Possible Answer: Ismene believes the men who rule Thebes must not be disobeyed because men are stronger and their will must be respected. She believes that the gods do not dictate through a ruler, but rather through individual beliefs.