In Antigone, Ismene is innocent of treason and should not be punished by Creon. Ismene did not wrongly withhold information about a crime because Antigone herself committed no crime.
Ismene knew that Antigone planned to bury her brother, against Creon’s decree. She told Antigone: “[N]o one must hear of this, you must tell no one! I will keep it a secret, I promise!” (Sophocles Prologue.73-75). However, when Creon asked Ismene if she knew about Antigone’s plans, she responded: “Yes, if [Antigone] will let me say so” (Sophocles 1.2.147). Creon still accused Ismene of treason because she did not actively notify him.
Ismene knew that Antigone planned to bury her brother, against Creon’s decree. She told Antigone: “[N]o one must hear of this, you must tell no one! I will keep it a secret, I promise!” (Sophocles Prologue.73-75). However, when Creon asked Ismene if she knew about Antigone’s plans, she responded: “Yes, if [Antigone] will let me say so” (Sophocles 1.2.147). Creon still accused Ismene of treason because she did not actively notify him.
However, Ismene was not guilty of treason because Antigone was not committing a true crime. Antigone claimed “There is no guilt in reverence for the dead” (Sophocles 1.2.121) and Haimon agreed with her: “[Creon,] you are not in a position to know everything that people say or do, or what they feel: Your temper terrifies them…I have heard them muttering and whispering in the dark about this girl. They say…‘She covered her brother’s body. Is this indecent? She kept him from dogs and vultures. Is this a crime?’” (Sophocles 1.3.60-70). Even though Antigone disobeyed Creon, what she did was correct according to the higher spiritual laws. If Creon could not properly make it a crime for Antigone to bury her brother, then he could not make it a crime not to notify him about the burial.
Creon admitted in the end that Ismene was not guilty and that ultimately Antigone was not either. Creon said: “Then [Antigone] is not a criminal?” (Sophocles 1.3.104) and Haimon responded: “The City would deny it to a man” (Sophocles 1.3.105). The play ends with Choragos deciding: “There is no happiness where there is no wisdom; no wisdom but in submission to the gods” (Sophocles Exodus.147-148). The spiritual laws made by the gods are ultimately higher than any laws made by humans. Antigone broke Creon's laws but followed the spiritual ones. Thus, Ismene was not obligated to report Antigone to Creon.
