Ismene

About the Book

As it is well known, Ismene is the sister of Antigone in Sophocles’most celebrated play. She was humiliated, and insulted by Antigone because she was not courageous enough to assist in the burial of their brother Polyneices. Creon issued his order to give Etiocles the usual princely burial, but denied the same right to Polyneices. On the contrary, he ordered that his corpse be exposed to the elements for stray dogs and hungry wolves to ravage it. At this point Antigone made her lofty stand in rejecting Creon’s order and took the issue into her own hands. In which case she asked her sister for help, but Ismene feared the wrath of Creon and could not take action in helping Antigone. Consequently Creon condemned Antigone to be buried alive, while Ismene was left out from the scene without any clue as to what happened to her. This poem is simply speculative and imaginative in constructing what might have happened to her.

About the Author

Imad Shouery is a Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, Indiana State University, Terre haute IN. He is the author of Ambiguity and Relevance in Sartre’s Existentialism, Songs from Hellas, Yassimine and Thorny Roses, and The Fall of Troy, and numerous professional articles published nationally and internationally in the area of Existentialism and Phenomenology, Political and Social Philosophy.