Antigone Summary

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Antigone

The play Antigone, is about a woman who tries to bury her brother, Polynecies, after he was killed in the Thebes’ civil war. Creon, the ruler of the Thebes has declared that Polynecies should not be buried and is to be left to be eaten by the animals. While Antigone’s other brother,
Eteocie, will be honored as a war hero for fighting with the Thebes. When Antigone hears that her brother will not be buried, she feels as if she must go and bury him herself, against Creon’s rule. When Creon learns that Antigone has buried her brother, he becomes furious and sentences Antigone to death despite his son’s and Antigone’s fiancé pleading, as well as a warning from the prophet. But as the prophet for-told, the gods are on Antigone’s side and for Creon’s crime he loses his only son, Haemon and his wife.
The begging of the play, Antigone has her sister, Isemen outside the city gates. Antigone is trying to get
Ismene to help her bury their brother, Polyncies. But Ismene refuses to help her sister, fearing the death penalty installed by Creon. Therefor Antigone decided that she must go and bury her brother herself.

As the play continues, a sentry tells Creon that Polynecies body has been buried. Furious, Creon demands that the culprit be found, the sentry then returns with Antigone. Creon questions her, and
Antigone does not deny that she buried Polynecies. She and Creon continue to argue about the morality of the edict and the morality of her actions. During this argument Creon grows angrier and accuses
Ismene of helping Antigone. Ismene tries to plead falsely to the crime, wanting to die with her sister, but
Antigone denies this. Creon, growing angrier, has the two women temporarily locked up.
When news of Antigone’s crime, and her imprisonment, reaches Haemon and Antigone’s fiancé’, they try to plead to Creon to spare
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