The name Ismene is primarily a female name of Greek origin that means Knowledgeable. In Greek mythology, Ismene is the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta and the sister of Antigone.

What Ismene means?

The name Ismene is primarily a female name of Greek origin that means Knowledgeable. In Greek mythology, Ismene is the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta and the sister of Antigone.

Is Ismene a princess?

Antigone’s life has been pretty sweet. So far. A princess of Thebes, she’s grown up in peace alongside her sister, Ismene, and brothers, Polyneices and Eteocles.

What does Ismene symbolize in Antigone?

As Oedipus’ other daughter — the more prominent being Antigone — Ismene represents primarily a complement and contrast to her sister. … Both Ismene and Antigone represent filial duty in Oedipus at Colonus, but Ismene takes the less heroic role.

What does the name Jocasta mean?

j(o)-cas-ta, joc(a)-sta. Popularity:10287. Meaning:Shining moon.

Who was the daughter of Oedipus?

Antigone, in Greek legend, the daughter born of the unwittingly incestuous union of Oedipus and his mother, Jocasta.

What happened to Ismene?

The 7th-century BC poet Mimnermus accounts that Ismene was murdered by Tydeus, one of the Seven. In this account, Ismene and her lover Theoclymenus met outside of the city during the siege. Tydeus had been told their whereabouts by Athena, and apprehended Ismene while Theoclymenus escaped.

What are Ismene's reasons for her behavior?

What are Ismene’s reasons for her behavior? Ismene acts as a foil to Antigone because Ismene is not as brave or loyal to bury her brother, Polyneices. Ismene is scared to bury her brother, because she does not want to disobey Creon or the law.

Why is Ismene significant?

Ismene is important in the play Antigone because she is one of the main characters. She is Antigone’s sister, and the play opens with the sisters, daughters of Oedipus, arguing over whether or not they should go against the state to bury their brother.

What is Ismene's fatal flaw?

Her tragic flaw is that she has hubris, which is excessive pride, and that leads her to be unbending. Ironically, Antigone means unbending in Greek. Because she is unbending, she will not denounce her decision to bury Polynices. This angers Creon, so he sentences her to death.

Article first time published on

What kind of character is Ismene?

Ismene. Blonde, full-figured, and radiantly beautiful, the laughing, talkative Ismene is the good girl of the family. She is reasonable and understands her place, bowing to Creon’s edict and attempting to dissuade Antigone from her act of rebellion. As in Sophocles’ play, she is Antigone’s foil.

Is Ismene older than Antigone?

Ismene is Antigone’s younger sister. She too is a loyal sibling, but she’s more cautious than Antigone, and fears the consequences of defying their uncle Creon. Eteocles is the brother of Antigone, Ismene and Polyneices.

Who is the tragic hero in Antigone?

In Sophocles’ Antigone, translated by Ian Johnston, the overall tragic hero is Creon. Creon becoming king brings new laws that are not accepted by everyone’s morals and they do not all follow the laws of the gods.

What happens to Jocasta?

Jocasta is dead, by suicide. She locked herself in her bedroom, crying for Laius and weeping for her monstrous fate. Oedipus came to the door in a fury, asking for a sword and cursing Jocasta. He finally hurled himself at the bedroom door and burst through it, where he saw Jocasta hanging from a noose.

Is Jocasta a common name?

Since 1996, Jocasta has only ranked in the official data (3 or more births) for England and Wales five times: #3247 (4 births) in 2000; #2540 (6 births) in 2002; #2191 (8 births) in 2003; #4598 (3 births) in 2004 and #5201 (3 births) in 2007.

How is Jocasta portrayed in Oedipus the King?

Jocasta appears only in the final scenes of Oedipus the King. In her first words, she attempts to make peace between Oedipus and Creon, pleading with Oedipus not to banish Creon. She is comforting to her husband and calmly tries to urge him to reject Tiresias’s terrifying prophecies as false.

How is Ismene fearful?

Ismene is fearful of breaking the law and facing death; however, she is not fearful of any punishment that may occur after death as a result of her disrespecting the gods.

What do you believe Ismene's fate to be?

Expert Answers Ismene’s final appearance in the play happens in the middle as she asks Antigone to let her share her fate, which is death at Creon ‘s pronouncement.

Why does Creon compare Ismene to a Viper?

creon said that ismene new the truth but didnt come forward. he compares her to a viper because she is sneaky and hiding. she lied and said she helped burry polyneices. … antigone did it out of courage, but ismene didnt want to lose her.

Who defeated the Sphinx?

Traveling toward Thebes, he encountered Laius, who provoked a quarrel in which Oedipus killed him. Continuing on his way, Oedipus found Thebes plagued by the Sphinx, who put a riddle to all passersby and destroyed those who could not answer. Oedipus solved the riddle, and the Sphinx killed herself.

What is Oedipus tragic flaw?

Oedipus fits this precisely, for his basic flaw is his lack of knowledge about his own identity. Moreover, no amount of foresight or preemptive action could remedy Oedipus’ hamartia; unlike other tragic heroes, Oedipus bears no responsibility for his flaw.

Does Ismene represent a reasonable position?

Is Ismene an ethical weakling, or does she represent a reasonable position? ismene represents us. she shows how all of us act: preferring to stay in safe positions and going along with what’s easiest or what everyone else is doing, rather than standing up for an opposing action or view.

Is Ismene a tragic hero?

Ismene’s great fall from nobility, her mistake of not helping her sister bury Polynices, and the great suffering she has to endure after having to watch her sister die are some characteristics of a tragic hero, although she does not quite fit the part because these are mostly cause her father’s curse; she does not …

Is Ismene selfish?

Ismene made a selfish choice that in the end cost her her dignity and forced her to live alone in guilt and shame.

What is Ismene loyal to?

Antigone went to her sister Ismene for help to bury Polyneices body. … Antigone was hoping that she could count on her “loyal” sister Ismene to help her be more loyal to Polyneices by burying his body, instead of being loyal to their state who was completely against burying him.

Why does Ismene confess so easily?

Why does Ismene confess so easily for Antigone’s crime? She feels there is nothing left w/o Antigone, so she would rather die w/ her. … He thinks that Ismene has lost her mind and that Antigone never had a mind.

How is Ismene a character foil to her sister?

In a sense, Antigone and Ismene are foils. While Antigone demonstrates power and control over her own fate, Ismene shows weakness and the inability to take her life into her own hands. Ismene, unlike her sister, constantly gives in to the stronger wills around her.

How is Ismene different from Antigone?

The main difference between Antigone ‘s and Ismene ‘s personalities is that Antigone is bold, independent, and according to Ismene, “fiery” (Sophocles 689), while Ismene is timid and submissive. Ismene can be considered submissive because she complied with the civil laws.

In what way is Ismene different from Antigone?

In the most basic sense, Antigone is the more strong-willed of the two sisters, while Ismene is compliant. Antigone is willing to defy Creon’s decree at any cost, including death, while Ismene tries to persuade her sister to obey the law, and thus King Creon himself.

Who is the tragic hero in the crucible?

In a sense, The Crucible has the structure of a classical tragedy, with John Proctor as the play’s tragic hero. Honest, upright, and blunt-spoken, Proctor is a good man, but one with a secret, fatal flaw.

What is haemon's personality?

Analysis. Haemon, while young, has a wealth of wisdom to share. He was a calm, well-spoken individual who tried to reason with his father, even when his fiance’s life was on the line. Though Haemon was unable to persuade his father to drop the charges against Antigone, his arguments did not fall on deaf ears.