Ismene and Antigone as Foils and Rivals. Ismene is reasonable, timid, and obedient, full-figured and beautiful in being a good girl. vs. Antigone is recalcitrant, impulsive, and moody, sallow, thin, and decidedly resistant to being a girl like the rest. Though the Chorus will later emphasize the play's distance from conventional melodrama, it is interesting to note how, in revising the opposition in Sophocles's version, it imports the good girl/bad girl structure typical of this genre, not to mention a number of rather sentimentally melodramatic scenes. Here, Ismene advises moderation, understanding, and capitulation to difficult sister. They must both take Creon's obligations into account. In any case, women do not die for ideas, only men do. Ismene also conjures the specter of the howling mob, the mob that would stare them down with its thousands of eyes become one, and the guards that would defile them with their beastly hands

The Nurse in an Apotropaic Capacity Apotropaic: Something that wards off evil The Nurse is “stronger even than death; her callused hand wards off evil like an amulet.” Echoes Antigone’s promise to Haemon that she will be a “real mother” to their son and that she would protect him from all evil.

Political Allegory of Resistance (in the final scenes) Creon sends Antigone to her death because the throne demands it of him. In saying yes to state power, he has surrendered his ability to rationalize and choose to the law. As Antigone tries to undermine state authority, and the once-cowardly Ismene's sudden burst of bravery establishes the idea of rebellion as contagious. Thus Creon must sentence Antigone. Anouilh and the howling mob: Once the mob knows of Antigone's crime, Creon cannot save her. Set in contrast with the mob, Antigone appears as the noble heroine. Ultimately, Anouilh saves Antigone the indignity of facing this mob; she does not want to be a public martyr.

Ismene, Eurydice, and the nurse – Anouilh’s depiction of a “normal” female is hardly flattering to the female half of the human race. Discuss.

Many critics of Antigone reproached Anouilh for his sentimentality (animals, the nurse, the page, childhood, toys, pet names, etc.) Do you think this aspect of the play had a negative effect?

What significance does the letter scene have at the end of the play?

Antigone is right, but Creon is not wrong. Discuss.