³Antigone & Ismene² The personalities of the two sisters; Antigone and Ismene, are as different from one another as tempered steel is from a ball of cotton. One is hard and resistant; the otherpliable, absorbing and soft. Antigone would have been a strong, successful 90¹s type woman with her liberated and strong attitude towards her femininity, while Ismene seems to be a more dependent 1950¹s style woman. Antigone acts as a free spirit, a defiant individual, while Ismene is content to recognize her own limitations and her inferiority of being a woman. In the Greek tragedy ³Antigone², by Sophocles; Antigone learns that King Creon has refused to give a proper burial for the slain Polyneices, brother of Ismene and Antigone. Infuriated by this injustice, Antigone shares the tragic news with Ismene. From her first response, ³No, I have heard nothing²(344). Ismene reveals her passivity and helplessness in the light of Creon¹s decree. Thus, from the start, Ismene is characterized as traditionally ³feminine², a helpless woman that pays no mind to political affairs. Doubting the wisdom of her sisters plan to break the law and bury Polyneices, Ismene argues: We who are women should not contend with men; we who are weak are ruled by the stronger, so that we must obey....(346) Once again Ismene¹s words clearly state her weak, feminine character and helplessness within her own dimensions. Antigone, not happy with her sisters response chides her sister for not participating in her crime and for her passivity, saying, ³ Set your own life in order²(346). For Antigone, no law could stand in the way of her strong consideration of her brother¹s spirit, not even the punishment of an early death. Ismene is more practical ; knowing the task is impossible, she feels the situation to be hopeless. It is a wonder, which of the two sisters are really guilty of these chronic charges. Of coarse, Antigone acted so quickly, and failed to take the ad
             ...