Characterisation of Antigone Essay

Antigones Attitude

Antigone is a very out-going, caring, and stubborn girl. She wants to make the point to Creon that she cared more about her family than life itself by going against the law to bury her brother Polynices, twice. The reason why she buried him the second time didnt change from the first time, she just added more to it. The main reason was because it was her brother and she wanted to make the point that family is more important to her that listening to the law. Showing that shes a caring and loyal person when it came to family. The second time, she went to rebury him to make that point public; she wanted to be caught.

In this scene, Antigone is talking to her last blood family member, her sister, Ismene about burying their recently deceased brother Polynices. Ismene shows her true colors when declining Antigones plan to go against the law. Ismene wants to keep this between her and Antigone only as to not risk Antigones life. Ismene is tied between family and state, whereas Antigone is completely for family before state. Antigone becomes furious when Ismene thinks that they should keep it between themselves, Antigone wants her to scream it from the rooftops who had buried Polynices. This shows that Antigone is more confident with her decision and is clearly the braver one of the two sisters.

While playing Antigone I tried to give her a little more attitude than Ismene. Unlike Ismene, Antigone is loud and proud, practically begging for someone to over-hear her conversation with Ismene.I tried to show how angry Antigone was with Ismene when she declined Antigones plan to bury Polynices, and even more furious when Ismene wanted to keep it a secret. Altogether I was going with and attitude for Antigone that was prideful and confident. I was really trying to emphasize Antigones need to bury Polynices, and how upset she was with Ismene that she refused to help bury the remains of their own brother who, in her eyes deserved a proper burial.

I believe that this scene was really to emphasize the difference between the two sisters: Ismene as a shy person who is obedient to the law, and Antigone as strong, free-willed person who believes in her own choices. This scene really set the boundaries between the two sisters and could help predict what consequences were to follow based on their attitudes. If Antigone was as obedient to the law as Ismene was then the story of Antigones death wouldve been a lot different. Finding out ahead of time that Antigone is stubborn helped set up future events that could keep the audience on their toes to expect many arguments in the future.

Antigone is a very confident, family girl. She puts her familys good fortune before her own life as she proudly states in this scene with Ismene. She refuses her actions to go unnoticed by the public as seen in her future action of burying Polynices twice. Antigones attitude really puts a stamp on her for what kind of person she is, her self-confidence is more that any other characters in the play. Even higher then Creon, the self-righteous ruler is no match to Antigones confidence. The only trait they would share would be the stubbornness they hold against each other in refusing to admit their actions were wrong. Creon does this out of pride for himself as a ruler, whereas Antigone does it as a loving sister to Polynices making the point to rub it in Creons face that nothing he does will make her change her mind.

In conclusion, to play as Antigone, I knew I had to act stubborn and self-confident. Without those major traits, I couldnt have been like Antigone. She is basically a stubborn girl that would die in order to prove a point to the public. Not to the drastic measures of killing herself over a pair of shoes, but with more integrity, in proving that her family is more important that her own life. I dont think of Antigone as a fool, because she died for what she believed in. It takes a strong women to commit to that kind of situation.