"I know my duty, where true duty lies. ... When I have tried and failed, I shall have failed" (129).
This quote is said by Antigone just after telling Ismene about her plan to bury the body of Polynices and Ismene tells her that she's "bound to fail" (129). Antigone just seems to exude courage, strength and determination. Her plan is crazy and she knows that it probably won't work, but she still is going to attempt it because she's not going to go against what she believes is morally right. Antigone shows her strength in standing for what she believes is right. She shows her courage in being willing to go against Creon's edict, facing the prospect of death. Her determination to help her brother is shown in her willingness to try, despite her indefinite failure. These characteristics of Antigone extend through the entire play. This interaction between Antigone and Ismene happens at the beginning of the play and Antigone continues with this mentality to the end. Even though she ends up dying, she at least tried, and did her best to aid her brother and pursue the will of the gods. Antigone's fixation on this idea emphasizes the importance of following the will of the gods. This is Antigone's--and the average Greek's--"true duty." Antigone is set up as the ultimate model for anyone to follow. She places the law of the gods above her own life and does not show any fear of dying in her attempt to honor her brother and the gods. Creon's edict (representing the will of man) barely presents a deterrent in her decision of what to do. Antigone knows what she is supposed to do and will not let the opportunity pass for her to do what she knows to be right.
This quote caught my attention because of the characteristics of Antigone it presents. This is part of the reason Antigone gained my admiration--her courage, strength and determination, all of which are shown in this quote. She is so sure of what she's supposed to do, and she's not going to back down. It takes so much courage to do something that you know you can't win at. In this case, Antigone is going to die, but she stands solidly for what she believes. This is super cheesy, but it kind of makes me think of the quote "Don't let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game." Antigone doesn't let the fear of dying keep her from following the will of the gods, and that's why she's inspirational. I struggle with inaction because I think I can't do something, but Antigone shows that sometimes you just have to act. You can't claim to not be able to do something until you try it. Another reason I admire Antigone is because of her assuredness in knowing what to do. She has such a sense of purpose and a drive to put that into action. I wish I could "know my duty" and have such confidence in my knowledge that I would give my life for it. There are few things that I am sure enough about that I'd put my life on the line for them. The bravery that Antigone exhibits and her determination to do what is right are what make her so praiseworthy and are what made this quote stand out to me so much. I want to have these qualities, too.
