Antigone Journal 4

Thomas Woodward

page 44 Antigone, line 11-16

The contrast between “life” and “death” shows the absurdities and stubbornness of Antigone. The passage is significant because it shows Antigone’s views on loyalty. Based on Antigone’s condescending tone, Anouilh suggests Antigone thinks that people should make their own decisions and follow them through to the end. When Ismene wants to die with Antigone, Antigone denies her and Ismene starts crying. Because Antigone tells Ismene to stop “blubbering” the reader discovers the lack of sympathy Antigone has for Ismene’s decision (Anouilh, line 12). When Antigone refuses Ismene, Antigone says Ismene had her chance to die. By repeating the word “chance” and the phrase “I did” Antigone is belittling Ismene’s decision to choose life and not come with her to try to bury her brother (Anouilh, line 12-15). Antigone is emphasizing how only she had enough courage to die and took the opportunity whereas Ismene did not. When Antigone describes the conditions she had to face when she buried her brother she suggests she deserves to die. She things she has earned it. Also, “creeping, hands and knees” suggests that she is hiding from authority because they have power over her. This makes her obedient to the king’s power but the fact that she wants to die transfers the power back to her. The king wants her to live. The imagery of Antigone clawing at the earth with her nails makes her sound like an animal. She is portrayed as primitive and primal, like an animal. Its as if a force of nature is forcing her to do what she’s doing. Nails describe the animal properties that she has. This animal imagery shows that wild animals (Antigone) and domesticated kings (Creon) cannot exist together at the same time because the domesticated king will see the wild beast as a threat to the domestication of his empire.  The king is afraid of the lack of control he has over Antigone’s wildness.