Is_Antigone's_Character_Consistent_in_Terms_of_Her_Speech_and_Actions_

In terms of her speech and actions, Antigone is someone who expresses herself ambiguously. Although Antigone is a woman with many feminine traits, it can be seen that some of her actions are more befitting of a man. Yet the fact that she chooses to bury her brother, Polynices, also reveals womanly perspectives of her character. The constant change in her character symbolizes that Antigone is a woman with a great instability in herself though at some point, she portrays great motivation in what she believes in. Therefore, it can be said that she is a woman who possesses many different characteristics. The play begins with a tense emotional dialogue between Antigone and Ismene after the loss of their two brothers. Antigone who is in a more sensitive state than Ismene seems very agitated and perhaps frightened. As the last surviving women in the house of Oedipus, there is no doubt that their lives are at stake: “Now look at the two of us, left so alone… and things will get worse.” (Lines 70-77, pg. 62) The terror she feels terrifies her to the point she believes that life is pain. Never shamed or disgraced publicly, Antigone’s perfect world was shattered into pieces in a split moment, “There’s nothing, no pain… nothing I haven’t seen in your griefs and mine.” (Lines 5-8, pg. 59) While one of her brothers was buried properly with all rites, the other was left to rot on the grounds of the battlefield forbidden to honour. Antigone pities her brother: “…body of Polynices, who died miserably…unburied, a lovely treasure for birds that scan the field and feast to their heart’s content” (Lines 27-36, pg. 60) Under Creon’s law, it clearly stated that it is forbidden to bury Polynices’ body however; Antigone defies the law by burying Polynices. Because she is a woman as well as her sister, she believes that this law is mainly aimed at her and her sister: “…the martial law our good Creon lays down for you and me.” (Lines 37-8, pg.60) There is a sense of insignificance that men express towards the women and superiority as well. Believing that Ismene is on her side, Antigone asks her for help unfortunately she is turned down due to Ismene’s cowardice “Will you lift up his body with these bare hands and lower it with me'” (Lines 52-3, pg. 61 and lines 59-81, pg. 62) From this point, Antigone becomes quite unreasonable speaking harshly and impatiently towards Ismene “If you say so, you will make me hate you… dreadful thing.” (Lines 108-112, pg. 64) Yet maybe her severity and impatience are ways of protecting her sister from getting involved. At times, Antigone portrays her feminism while other times, she tends to show a manly side of her character. Antigone is a peculiar woman who has many unusual beliefs such as worshipping death and glory. Her definition of death is the reward for glory and satisfying the dead instead of the living: “…I have longer to please the dead than please the living here…” (Lines 88-9, pg.63) Her suffering without death will be nothing compare to death: “I will suffer nothing as great as death without glory” (Lines 112-3, pg.64) It is clear from this statement that all Antigone wants is the glory itself and death is the passage to her wish. She doesn’t fear death but rather she befriends it and believes that this is what the gods’ will. This side of her personality shows that she isn’t just a typical woman who would develop a strong dependence on men like Ismene and that she, as a woman, can defend her honor and pride. She has this masculine personality inside her that has been unlocked by the strong blood relationship with her brother. So far, there is still uncertainty as to what Antigone’s true motives in burying her brother are and whether or not it is because of her duty to God and family. When Antigone is questioned by Creon whether or not she was the one who buried Polynices’ body, she replies without hesitating. She is confident: “I did it. I don’t deny a thing.” (Line 501, pg.81) She is fearless: “…how could I avoid it' It was public.” (Line 497, pg.81) she knew defying Creon will lead to unimaginable consequences yet she did it. She is daring; she doesn’t regard Creon’s law as the perfect legislation since he does not possess the great power to control the decrees of the land. She mocks Creon that even a mere mortal cannot defy the great laws of the gods: “…the great unwritten, unshakable traditions…” (Line 504, pg.82) Everything has its own time whether it is birth or death, it’s all the same. Antigone is passionate and loves the natural life so she believes that death will eventually take her life even if it’s before her time: “…die before my time, I consider a gain…” (Line 515, pg.82) In fact, she treasures life and respects the dead believing that the dead should be properly paid respect to: “Death longs for the same rites for all.” (Line 584, pg.85) referring to her brother, Polynices. Soon, she becomes headstrong to the point she refuses Ismene’s help cold-heartedly. Antigone continues to worship death even when she is sentenced to her tomb: “I go to wed the lord of the dark waters” (Line 908, pg.102) Till the end, her true motives are revealed. Though she buries Polynices, she suffers the consequences yet at her hour of death, she still honors him with dignity and integrity. So her motives were quite personal as she feels must pay respect to her brother since he is her brother after all. Coming from a cursed family, Antigone is a woman who is self-sacrificing and fatalistic. Antigone is a character with a great amount of pride. She is a woman who possesses many female features and at the same time, her actions and speeches tend to portray her as a masculine figure. But when she performs the rituals for her brother, Polynices, her feminism is shown. She is unclear towards her actions and speech therefore she is often unstable as a woman. On the other hand, she devotes determination and commitment into what she believes in. The way she speaks and acts is what defines her as a woman and of a man. She might be someone who seems wild and irrational however, she believes what is right is right and what is wrong is wrong. Though she has unfortunately ended her own life, Antigone fights till the end believing that she defied the law but served her religion with great dignity.