Response Document to Antigone The tale of Antigone is one of the oldest pieces of literature that is still being studied today. The show is able to explore the psychology of many different characters as they are all forced to deal with the death of Polyneices. While the differences between how Antigone, Haimon, and Creon respond 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 Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay. Both sisters experience tragedy when 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 risk herself to make things right, while Ismene is filled with sadness, but fears the consequences of breaking the law. Both answers are the result of love, but the specifics of each case allow for a deeper look at the psychology of these characters. When reading and discussing the play of Antigone, Antigone herself is often seen as the heroine. However, it could be argued that Antigone is the reason for the tragedy. If Antigone had expressed her grief to Haimon, it is possible that she could have convinced her father to revoke the law against the burial of Polyneices' body. Furthermore, his rash decision to kill himself leads to the deaths of both Haimon and the queen while they are filled with grief. After reflecting on the different endings that might have occurred if Antigone had responded more calmly, it is reasonable to conclude that Antigone's plan of rebellion was not the most practical response. Ismene, on the other hand, responds with pain but without any intervention. It could be argued that this is a more practical response as it prevents any further damage, but with Ismene's response nothing is truly fixed, everything is simply put aside as if it hadn't happened. After analyzing the practicality of the girls' answers, the question of morality is raised. Was Antigone doing the right thing, 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 as the pain in this situation is almost unfathomable. It might be more reasonable to argue that neither girl had the right mindset to make a moral and practical decision. They have just learned that their brothers killed each other and one will die with honor, while the other will not. Thinking about this situation, it becomes clear that neither of the girls responded ethically nor practically, but both responded emotionally according to their 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 dealing with the pain of losing each other while disagreeing about the situation makes the tragedy more powerful. Please note: this is just an example. Get a customized document from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Sophocles is able to include human nature in this situation as both sisters are behaving in an impractical and unethical manner. This is often seen in life as well as emotions overcoming logic and can lead to even more tragic situations like those that occur in Antigone.