ANTIGONELINES 552 -576

By Student 1 and Student 2

Lines Speaker Interpretation

Analysis

“But, in your time of trouble, I am not ashamed to sail those stormy seas beside you.” (556-557)

Ismene As you go through this hard time, I have no shame in standing by you, to help you through the pain.

Ismene has now decided to not let Antigone face her punishment alone and that she will split Antigone’s punishment. This shows the motif of the ship and the captain because Antigone acts as the captain by choosing her path and leading the way, while Ismene is the ship, following the lead of the captain.

Lines Speaker Interpretation

Analysis

“No, sister, do not dishonor me, but let me die with you and honor him who died.” (559-560)

Ismene No Antigone, do not think of me like that. Let me die with you so we can honor our dead brother, Polynices, together.

Ismene has finally decided that she believes personal duty is more important compared to civic responsibility. She believes that honoring her brother and standing by her sister is more important than following Creon’s orders, which are unfair because he wants to honor one brother and abandon and dishonor the other. She has now chosen to face death rather than let one of her brethren face punishment alone for doing what she believes is right.