The Loyalty Of Antigone To Both Her

Father And Brother Essay, Research Paper

Anitgone, she poses great loyalty to both her father Oedipus, and brother Polynices. She tended though to show it much greater towards her father rather her brother.

Antigone is both the daughter and sister to Oedipus. She along with her sister, Isemene, have been caring for their father and tending to his every need since his exile from Thebes. She is viewed as being a brave young women.

Faithfully she shows her loyalty and respect for her father by taking full responsibility for him. Anitgone refers to her father as dear to her by stating in the story “and we share your pain, your fait is ours” (Colonus 1257). By saying she shows her love of understanding and serves empathy for her father’s harsh life. Due to what he did in the past, just the fact that he loves her more then anything gives her reason to be loyal and always there to help him no matter what the danger.

While being there to care for her father everyday, she put herself in danger of being caught by the new king of Thebes, Creon. He was held accountable for Anitgone and Ismene by request from Oedipus himself. She knew of her father’s great need, so she battled the hardships with Creon to see her father she loved so dearly. Their love was so strong for one another that she would do anything, even risk everything she had to please him. Antigone says in passion to her father “all you want, all will be done – I long for it,

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father, just as much as you” (Colonus 1254). Her sweet tender words flowed with belief in what her father wants and what will come true. She in a way encourages him and states that she wants the same due to how much she loves and respects him.

When Polynices enters in the location of Athens, Antigone takes it as a chance to help mend things between Oedipus and Polynices. She ment to make them be peaceful to one another, and to perhaps lay the past to rest. She wanted to try to help her brother out by being faithful to her position, as a sister to him, by getting Oedipus to at least talk with him. Her loyalty for her brother stands within the desire to respect the fact that Polynices has come back, but has only come back to get his birth right to the throne. It had angered Oedipus, but Antigone was out to only make peace and help her brother.

She later on was bothered by the curse that her father set upon him. Her loyalty of love and care for him allowed her to get past all of the things that he had done in the past and those just recently with the occurrence with their father. She devotes herself to looking after him even though he was cruel and selfish. She told him out of her kind, peaceful heart that she didn’t want him to fight Eteocles for fear of the worst to come. He refused to listen to her honest words, and continued on with what he wanted. From Antigone having put aside her opinion of her brothers’ faults, she showed true loyalty to her brother and their strong bond with one another.

In conclusion, Antigone posed great loyalty to both her father Oedipus and brother Polynices. She tended though to show it much greater towards her father rather her brother.