Just as oil and water do not mix, neither do Antigone and her sister Ismene. Antigone, a powerful and headstrong woman, refuses to let the ideal gender-roles of the Greek society hold her down. She rebels against the ideals of society in belief that her brother Polyneices should be delivered a proper burial. Antigone remains powerful until the very end, when she dies as a martyr out of a great love for her brother. She is similar to the oil of the mixture, in the sense that she uses her power to rise to the highest of her capabilities, and dies as a heroic and glorious figure. Ismene, on the otherhand, is like the water, which has a greater potential of mixing and combining with things. She mixes in with society by conforming to the laws and ideal beliefs. Ismene, who appears to be powerless, is the complete opposite of Antigone.
             Antigone is a powerful character because she refuses to yield to the laws of men. As soon as she hears news that her brother Polyneices is to be denied a proper burial, she bravely sets out to bury him with her own hands. She asks Ismene for help, but her powerless sister replies with, "No, we should be sensible: we are women, unfit to battle men" (74-75). Ismene is disturbed and saddened by the fact that Polyneices cannot be buried, but feels that there is nothing she can do to change the plan of fate. They are merely women and she believes that it is unwise to disobey the laws of society. Ismene wants Antigone to keep her plan a secret, but Antigone responds bravely that she wants it shouted and proclaimed. She is "ready to suffer for it and to die" out of love for her brother (120). Antigone's power also becomes evident when Creon condemns her.
             When Creon asks Antigone if she buried Polyneices, she does not deny anything and bravely admits that she is responsible for the deed. Ismene decides that if her sister is to be condemned, she wants to die with her. ...