| name | Antigone |
|---|---|
| image |  |
| image caption | Cover of Fagles translation |
| orig title | Ἀντιγόνη |
| author | Sophocles |
| translator | Robert Fagles |
| country | Greece |
| language | Original: Ancient Greece Translated: English |
| series | The Three Theban Plays |
| genre(s) | Greek Tragedy |
| publisher | Penguin |
| release date | Original: <441 BC Translation: 1984 |
| media type | Play |
| pages | 432 |
| isbn | 9780140444254 |
| preceded_by | Oedipus at Colonus |
Antigone is chronologically the third part of the Oedipus Rex Trilogy by Sophocles, which tells the story of Antigone, the daughter of Oedipus, after her father’s death.
Character Summaries
Antigone
Antigone is less like other women at the time – she is not obedient and docile. She is stubborn and wants to honour her fallen brother.
Ismene
Antigone’s beautiful, obedient sister.
Creon
The king of Thebes.
Eurydice of Thebes
The queen of Thebes.
Haemon
The son of the king and queen, and is betrothed to Antigone.
Koryphaious
The leader of the chorus and assistant to the king.
Tiresius
A blind prophet who prophecies Polynices’ death.
The Chorus
Elderly men who make notes on what is going on in the play.
Plot Summary
The story opens at the end of a battle between Antigone’s brothers, Eteocles and Polynices, for control of Thebes. Both brothers died in the battle, but Creon, the new king of Thebes, has declared that while Eteocles should be buried with honors Polyneices’ body should be left unburied. This is a severe punishment for Polyneices since the Greeks believed that one could not go to the afterlife unless one’s body was properly buried.
Since she loves both of her brothers, Antigone decides to bury Polyneices in spite of Creon’s order and tries to enlist her sister, Ismene, in the task. Ismene refuses to break Creon’s law. Antigone says the law of the Gods is more important than mortal man’s law. It is ironic that just as Antigone is burying her brother, Creon comes on stage declaring that anyone caught doing so will be put to death.When Antigone is caught burying her brother, she makes no apology, declaring that she is only doing what is right.
Creon is a proud man and no amount of convincing will make him change his mind. The plot thickens as it is revealed that Creon’s son Haemon is engaged to marry Antigone. He tries to use reason to convince his father that killing Antigone for burying her brother will make him unpopular and hurt his rule. Creon accuses his son of disloyalty and sends Antigone to be locked in a cave with only limited food and water thus sending her to her death. Finally, Teiresias, the blind prophet who foretold the tragedy of Oedipus, arrives and manages to convince Creon to change his mind by foretelling of the deaths that will come from this Creon’s action, but it is too late.
When they get to the cave, Antigone is already dead, having committed suicide. Haemon also commits suicide and upon learning of her son’s death, Eurydice, wife to Creon, follows her son’s example.
Creon is left with nothing but his kingship He had put his pride and his power ahead of his family and angered the gods. Although he kept his kingship it was poor consolation for losing both his son and his wife.