Read the excerpt from "the royal house of thebes." ismene weeping came from the palace to stand with her sister. "i do it," she said. but antigone would not have that. "she had no share in it," she told creon. and she bade her sister say no more. "your choice was to live," she said, "mine to die." as she was led away to death, she spoke to the bystanders: — . . behold me, what i suffer because i have upheld that which is high. how does the archetype of tragic heroine reveal the universal theme? antigone sacrifices herself for her beliefs, but will not sacrifice her sister as well. this reveals the universal theme of taking responsibility for one's actions. antigone thinks that her sister is a coward and will not let creon assume that ismene is also brave. this reveals the universal theme of taking responsibility for one's actions. antigone tells the bystanders that she is dying for the laws of the gods. this reveals the universal theme that pride goes before a fall. antigone refuses to allow creon to believe that ismene is as brave as she is. this reveals the universal theme that pride goes before a fall.