Antigone

Lines 1-489

It starts off outside the palace gates of Thebes. Antigone and her sister Ismene are talking about the tragic deaths of their brothers, Polyneices and Eteocles, during battle for the Theban kingship. Because there was no winner, their uncle Creon became king. Antigone tells her sister of the troubles that have hurt their family, including their parent's deaths.

"Don't you notice when evils due to enemies / are headed towards those we love?"

Now another problem has aroused, Creon will not allow Polyneices to be granted the proper burial rites. Creon considered him to be a traitor of the city and will expose his body in shame. He has created a degree to not allow this.

Antigone is asking her sister to join her in secretly burying their brother as it is the law of the god's that all dead mortals should be properly sent off. Ismene disagrees and believes breaking the decree will cause them to be in more trouble. She believes they should stay proper like woman and let men decided everything. Antigone runs off without Ismene to bury Polyneices.

The chorus of Theban elders speaks about the two brothers in battle when Creon joins them. Creon therefore repeats his decree and twists his words to say that Polyneices wanted to "lead the rest of us to slavery!" The Chorus readily agree with him. The sentry interrupts saying he has important news. But he is too evasive and afraid to say what he has to. He did not volunteer to tell the news but the ill fate of winning the lottery. He says that someone has sprinkled dust over Polyneices body and has given him the burial rites. There are no foot prints so it was hard for them to find the culprit. The Chorus suggests the god's did this but Creon replies in anger, "do you see the god's honoring criminals?" Creon orders to find the culprit or the crimes are on his head. He accuses him of not doing his work properly so the sentry accuses him of having a poor judge of character. Creon departs for the palace.

The sentry returns with an unhappy Antigone. Creon comes out surprised he is back so fast. Antigone was captured as she ran towards the sentry as he wiped the dust off.

"She was crying out with the shrill cry / of an embittered bird / that sees its nest robbed of its nesting's / and the bed empty."

Antigone admits her actions and the sentry is free.

Lines 490-831

Creon questions Antigone and she doesn't deny anything. Not only is Creon disappointed Antigone was the one whom disobeyed him but it was a woman. Antigone insists that the laws of the gods are far more important than the laws of Creon. Antigone shall be put to death for defying his decree. Ismene is brought out upon Creon's order. While they wait, Antigone criticizes Creon's character. She tells him that there are citizens whom agree for Antigone's wrong doing.

Ismene now arrives and she confesses that she helped her sister. Surprised, Antigone tells her not to lose her life just for her sake. But she replies,

"What life can be mind, without her?"

Ismene questions Creon if he would really kill his future daughter-in-law, Antigone. Creon is tired and is taken to be guarded heavily. The Chorus start talking about families are doomed when a crime is committed. Haemon soon arrives and the chorus wonder about his reaction when he hears his fiancÐ"©e is about to die.

Haemon respects his father's decisions and Creon is happy with his son.

"Do not my son, banish your good sense / through pleasure in a woman."

Creon advises that Antigone was not the right woman, and there are many more fields to plough.

Haemon now decides to give his father a few words of his own. Haemon tells his father not to be so close minded and consider the thoughts of the citizens. Creon flies into a rage asking how he should learn wisdom from such a young man. Haemon is now behind Antigone in the situation and Creon calls him a "woman's slave." Creon calls for Antigone to be murdered before