universal condition that the characters in the play must deal with. Since the day Polyneices and Eteokles died, Ismene suffers by not being capable of having emotions. She says to Antigone: Nothing makes me happy, nothing hurts me anymore (Sophocles 22). The loss of loved ones can cause one to suffer but to not honor those who died can cause a vast amount of distress. Because Eteokles was honorably buried and Polyneices was not, Antigone suffered for her brother; the guilt built every second he remained unburied. She does not regret burying her brother by saying, But if I had let my own brother stay unburied/I would have suffered all the pain I do not feel now (Sophocles 572-3). She would rather bury her brother and go against the state than live her life in pain. She is independent in her decision because she would is willing to suffer her own death so she wont suffer her brothers death any longer: Im ready to suffer for it and to die./Let me. No suffering could be so terrible as to die for nothing (Sophocles 120-3). She is conveying that no matter what, she will suffer. If she does nothing for her brother she will suffer and if she does, she will suffer the death penalty. It is better, she concludes, to suffer and die out of loyalty to her own family.Although Ismene reminds Antigone of how their familys name is tainted in lines 56-72, Antigone believes that family loyalty is principle and will be loyal to Polyneices even after his death. She says to Ismene, I will stay with him, my brother;/and my crime will be devotion (Sophocles 89-90). Family loyalty and state law is conflicted in this play. Antigone chooses family over law and brings honor to her brothers soul, even if she strips honor from herself by committing a crime. By burying her brother, Antigone shows the country her loyalty and faithfulness in her family. By the gods, it is also an obligation for family members to see that a body is properly buried and Antigone sees to it...
