A )ra.e and pro&d yo&ng oman named Antigone is the prod&ct of a really messed &p family.er father# +edip&s# as the 6ing of The)es. e &n'noingly m&rdered his father and married his on mother# 7&een 8ocasta.
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'ith his ife9mother# +edip&s had to da&ghter9sisters and to )rother9sons.' Hen 8ocasta fo&nd o&t the tr&th of their incest&o&s relationship# she 'illed herself. +edip&s as pretty &pset too. e pl&c'ed o&t his eye)alls. Then# he spent his remaining years andering thro&gh!reece# )eing led )y his loyal da&ghter Antigone.After +edip&s died# his to sons 2,teocles and olynices )attled for control of the 'ingdom.,teocl es fo&ght to defend The)es. olynices and his me n attac'ed the city. Both )rothers di ed.
Creon 2 Antigones &ncle )ecame the official r&ler of The)es. 2Theres a lot of &pard mo)ility in this city/state. That s hat happens hen yo&r )osses 'ill each other.. Creon )&ried,teocless )ody ith honor. B&t )eca&se the other )rother as percei.ed as a traitor# olynicess )ody as left to rot# a tasty snac' for.<&res and.ermi n.
oe.er# lea.ing h&ma n remains &n)&ried and e5posed to the elements as an affront to the!ree'!ods. So# at the plays )eginning# Antigone decides to defy Creons las. She gi.es her )rother a proper f&neral.er sister;smene arns that Creon ill p&nish any ho defy the la of the city. Antigone )elie.es that the la of the gods s&persedes a 'ings decree. Creon doesnt see things that ay.
e is.ery angry and sentences Antigone to death.;smene as's to )e e5ec&ted along ith her sister. B&t Antigone doesnt ant her )y her side. She insists that she alone )&ried the )rother# so she alone ill recei.e p&nishment 2and possi)le reard from the gods. As if things erent complicated eno&gh# Antigone has a )oyfriend: aemon# the son of Creon. e tries to con.ince his father that mercy and patience are called for. B&t the more they de)ate# the more Creons anger gros. aemon lea.es# threatening to do something rash.At this point# the people of The)es# represented )y the Chor&s# are &ncertain as to ho is right or rong.;t seems Creon is starting to feel a little )it orried )eca&se instead of e5ec&ting Antigone# he orders her to )e sealed inside a ca.e.
2That ay# if she dies# her death ill )e in the hands of the gods.B&t after she is sent to her doom# a )lind old ise man enters. e is Tiresias# a seer of the f&t&re# and he )rings an important message. 1inally scared# Creon rethin's his decisions. e dashes off to r elease Antigone. B&t hes too late. Antigone has already hanged herself. aemon grie.es )eside her )ody.
e attac's his father ith a sord# misses completely# and then sta)s himself# dying.rs. Creon 2,&rydice hears of her sons death and 'ills herself. 2; hope yo& erent e5pecting a comedy.By the time Creon ret&rns to The)es# the Chro&s tells Creon the )ad nes. They e5plain that. ?; ill s&ffer nothing as great as death itho&t glory.@ 2Antigone# lines ((/ ((3?'
Hoe.er thin's that he alone possesses intelligence# the gift of elo&ence# he and no one else# and character too.s&ch men#; tell yo spread them open yo& ill find t hem empty.@ 2aemon# EF(/EF4?; ha.e longer to please the dead than please the li.ing here: in the 'ingdom don )elo;ll lie fore.er.@ 2Antigone# GG/F0?Ta'e me aay# &ic'ly# o&t of sight.; dont e.en e5i st ;m no one. Nothing.@ 2Creon# (44%/(44H?The mighty ords of the pro&d are paid in f&ll ith mighty )los of fate# and at long last those )los ill teach &s isdom.@ 2Chor&s# (4HG/(4E0. Displays Antigones heroism as ell as her desire to )e a martyr. Ad.ice to Creon and also a arning to not thin' himself on a le.el a)o.e e.ery)ody else.
Antigone )elie.es that her afterlife holds more significance than her life ith the li.ing# and that )eca&se she is on earth for a limited time its l ess important. Creons pre.io&s disrespect for the dead and insignificant tho&ghts of death are t&rned aro&nd completely as he &nderstands ho petty he is compared to death.%. The Chor&s shares a!ree' lesson on h&m)ling#?the taller yo& stand the harder yo& fall@ and h&)ris# and predicts the fate of Creon. 7 o l e i n t h e s t o r y.
I g n i f i c a n c e A d + e c t i! E s Antigone 2smene Creon Chorus Tieresias 4urydice 4teocles Polyneices Daughter )and 8 sister. of 9edipus buries her brother Polynices; defying law of uences of his pride Creon0s wife.on )and 8 brother. to 9edipus died in battle defending Thebes after refusing to relinuish the throne to his brother.on )and 8 brother.
to 9edipus died in battle; fighting against Thebes& considered a traitor and denied burial.