PRESENTATION OUTLINE
"'Ismene, I am going to bury him. Will you come?'
'Bury him! You have just said the new law forbids it.'
'He is my brother'" (31-33).
After the falling out and deaths of Oedipus' sons, Eteocles and Polyneices, Eteocles received honor and a proper burial, but Polyeices recieved no burial and King Creon declared that anyone found honoring Polyneices would be killed. Antigone wishes to bury her late brother, despite the law, but her sister, Ismene, will not help.
"'The dead man- Polyneices...someone has given him a burial...and gone'
[CREON finally speaks with deadly control]" (202-208)
The king, Creon discovers that someone disobeyed his law and buried Polyneices, avoiding the guards. This infuriates Creon and he demands to find the culprit.
"'Ismene, do you confess your share in this crime, or deny it? Answer me.' 'Yes, if she will let me say so. I am guilty.' 'No, Ismene. You have no right to say so. You would not help me, and I will not have you help me'" (428-432).
Antigone is caught burying her brother and does not deny her act, but Ismene is also accused; she claims herself to be guilty alongside Antigone, even though she is innocent.
"'You'll never marry her while she lives.' 'Then she must die. -But her death will cause another' (609-610).
Creon's son, Haimon, is in love with Antigone, but obviously, Creon disapproves and the men argue. Creon decides to make Antigone suffer a terrible death.
"Take her, go! You know your orders: take her to the vault and leave her alone there. And if she lives or dies, that's her affair, not ours: our hands are clean" (710-713).
Creon sentences Antigone to be locked in a cave to die on her own. Antigone accepts her demise and awaits the Underworld. Creon is convinced his actions are right and has no regrets. He finds Ismene innocent and does not convict her.
"'I tell you, Creon, you yourself have brought this new calamity upon us...Give into the dead man, then: do not fight with a corpse-...' 'No Teiresias: ...I would not yield. I am not afraid of pollution'" (796-797, 815 -817).
The blind prophet, Teiresias, comes to warn Creon that the gods have turned on Thebes, but Creon will not listen; he thinks Teiresias was bribed and the king is very rude. The prophet, enraged, tells Creon he will be severly punished
"'Oh it is hard to give in! but it is worse to risk everything for stubborn pride.'...'Go quickly: free Antigone from her vault and build a tomb for...Polyneices'" (864-865, 867-868).
The Choragos helps Creon realize his wrong-doing and Creon attempts to right his wrongs by burying Polyneices and setting Antigone free.
"Lead me away. I have been rash and foolish. I have killed my son and my wife. I look for comfort; my comfort lies here dead" (1034-1036).
When Creon reaches the cave after burying Polyneices, he finds that Antigone has hanged herself and Haimon weeping. Enraged at his father, Haimon ends up getting killed by his own sword. A messenger tells this to Creon's wife, Eurydice, and she kills herself while cursing Creon. Creon returns to the palace and curses his actions; he leaves, condemning life.
