Ismene

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for the plant genus see Ismene, and for the asteroid, see 190 Ismene.

In Greek mythology, Ismene was a daughter and sister of Oedipus and the daughter of Iocasta and sister of Antigone. She appears in several plays of Sophocles, at the end of Oedipus the King and to a limited extent in Oedipus at Colonus and Antigone. She also appears at the end of Aeschylus' Seven Against Thebes.

When Oedipus stepped down as King of Thebes, he gave the kingdom to his two sons, Eteocles and Polynices, who both agreed to alternate the throne every year. However, they showed no concern for their father, who cursed them for their negligence.

After the first year, Eteocles refused to step down and Polynices attacked Thebes with his supporters (the Seven Against Thebes). Both brothers died in the battle. King Creon, who ascended to the throne of Thebes, decreed that Polynices was not to be buried.

However, the sister of Polynices, Antigone, defied the order and was caught. In spite of her betrothal to his son Haemon, Creon decreed that she was to be buried alive. Antigone's sister Ismene then declared she had aided Antigone and wanted the same fate, though she did not participate in the crime. Antigone refuses to let her be martyred for a cause she did not stand up for. The gods, through the blind prophet Tiresias, expressed their disapproval of Creon's decision, which convinced him to rescind his order. He then went to bury Polynices himself.

However, in Aeschylus' play, Seven Against Thebes, Ismene and Antigone sing a funeral dirge together for both of their brothers.

[edit] Ismene's role in Sophocles' Antigone

Although Ismene may appear to be a minor character in Sophocles' Antigone, her role is very important to the theme of this play. Her character is needed to emphasize how the defiant behavior of Antigone is a profound contradiction of how a traditional Ancient Greek woman is expected to conduct herself within society.

Women of Ancient Greece had little or no rights, within their community or within the confines of their homes. Men ran the government—women were not even allowed to voice an opinion concerning politics. Laws were made, enacted and enforced by men and women were required to follow them. This male dominance was also enforced within the home. It was the woman’s role to run the household, but under the rules set by the male head of the household. The woman of the household virtually obeyed and agreed with her male protector who was her father, husband, or a male relative of some type. Women were not allowed to venture outside of the home and on the rare occasion when it was necessary, the woman would always be escorted by a male. Such occasions were limited to events such as weddings, funerals, and some religious festivals. Otherwise, they were to stay in the home and tend to the needs of the home. Unlike males who were highly educated, women received no formal education. Their education was limited to whatever reading and writing was taught to them in the home.

The character of Ismene reflects these ideals of Athenian womanhood. In Sophocles’ Antigone, Ismene refused to become an accomplice with her sister, Antigone, in the burying of their dead brother, Polynices, whom the king had refused burial rites by issuing a royal decree forbidding it. She is caught up in a state of quandary that tested her loyalty to her family, King, and the gender expectations that society imposed on women of that time period. She chose to ignore her feelings of obligation towards family ties and remain inactive as she believed a woman should. In lines 61-68 she tells Antigone how they are better off choosing a course of inaction and letting themselves be obedient to the rule of men. This was the expected response of the Ancient Greek woman and it is manifested through the actions of Ismene, but not so in the character of Antigone.

Ismene represents the polar opposite of her sister, Antigone. Ismene is conflicted because of her social obligation to inaction and her fear of mortal justice, as opposed to her loyalty to her own family. In contrast, Antigone fears not the wrath of men but only the judgment of the gods. It is Ismene who inadvertently spurs on her sister’s anti-establishment attitude when warning Antigone of the dangers of attempting to bury their brother Polynices in defiance of the royal dictate of Creon the King. Ismene tells Antigone of the certain physical justice they will reap as well as the further damage that their own punishment could do to their already tarnished family name. Regardless, Antigone dismisses Ismene’s reasoning and pursues the burial of her brother. This selfless, anti-establishment rebelliousness of Antigone is developed through her rejection of Ismene’s cautious, rational, and desperately legitimate reasoning. This rejection reflects the selfless courage of a person legally inferior to men and easily punishable within a tyrannical, male dominated society.