Question

The ancient Greeks believed that fate played an important role in guiding and shaping human lives. Which lines in this excerpt from Antigone highlight the role of fate in the lives of Antigone and Ismene?
ANTIGONE:
Ismene, sister of my blood and heart,
See'st thou how Zeus would in our lives fulfill
The weird of Oedipus, a world of woes!
For what of pain, affliction, outrage, shame,
Is lacking in our fortunes, thine and mine?
ISMENE:
To me, Antigone, no word of friends
Has come, or glad or grievous, since we twain
Were reft of our two brethren in one day
By double fratricide; and since i' the night
Our Argive leaguers fled, no later news
Has reached me, to inspirit or deject.
ANTIGONE:
I know 'twas so, and therefore summoned thee
Beyond the gates to breathe it in thine ear.
ISMENE:
What is it? Some dark secret stirs thy breast.
ANTIGONE:
What but the thought of our two brothers dead,
The one by Creon graced with funeral rites,
The other disappointed? Eteocles
He hath consigned to earth (as fame reports)
With obsequies that use and wont ordain,
So gracing him among the dead below….
Such is the edict (if report speak true)
Of Creon, our most noble Creon, aimed
At thee and me, aye me too; and anon
He will be here to promulgate, for such
As have not heard, his mandate; 'tis in sooth
No passing humor, for the edict says
Whoe'er transgresses shall be stoned to death.

Answer 1

Answer:

Explanation:

The lines of this excerpt that emphasizes on the role of fate are:

"What but the thought of our two brothers dead,

The one by Creon graced with funeral rites,

The other disappointed? Eteocles

He hath consigned to earth (as fame reports)

With obsequies that use and wont ordain,

So gracing him among the dead below…"

There was a strong belief among ancient Greeks that everything that happened in their lives was determined fate. This was the idea of destiny being controlled by the Gods.

These lines make reference to this idea that man may do things that bring them joy, but fate will sooner or later bring pain and sorrow since man´s final fate is always death. There is also a reference to Antigone's content after burying her brother.