Final answer:
Antigone and Ismene are sisters in Sophocles' tragedy 'Antigone'. Their relationship is marked by familial loyalty and tragedy, with Antigone defying the state to honour their brother's death, showing the depth of their bond and familial struggles.
Step-by-step explanation:
The relationship between Antigone and Ismene, the two women at the start of Sophocles' play Antigone, is that of sisters. Antigone is the protagonist who decides to defy the king's orders by burying her brother Polyneices, and Ismene is her reluctant sister who initially refuses to help her with this task. The passages from Sophocles’ Antigone exhibit their close kinship and the familial struggles they face as a result of their father Oedipus's cursed legacy.
Their dialogue reveals a deep bond and conflict as they navigate their moral responsibilities towards their family and the laws of the state. The extracts you’ve provided emphasize the familial ties and heritage that dictate their actions and the pathos of their doomed family lineage.
Ismene’s distress over Antigone’s fate and Antigone’s commitment to familial duty, as demonstrated through her willingness to face death for the sake of honouring her brother, further underscore the strong sisterly relationship and the tragic elements present within the narrative structure of the play.