Antigone: Tragedy of Pride and Divine Law

Antigone: A Tragedy of Pride and Divine Law

Thebes stands unconquered, though Polynices and his allies attacked it. Polynices and his brother Eteocles are both dead, killed by each other, fulfilling the curse of their father, Oedipus.

Outside the city gates, Antigone tells Ismene that Creon has ordered Eteocles, who defended the city, to be buried with full honors. However, Polynices, the invader, is to be left unburied. Creon has decreed that anyone attempting to bury Polynices will be publicly stoned to death. Outraged, Antigone reveals her plan to bury Polynices in secret, defying Creon's order. Ismene timidly refuses to defy the king, and Antigone angrily rejects her, determined to bury her brother alone.

Creon discovers that someone has attempted to offer a ritual burial to Polynices and demands the guilty party be found. He learns that Antigone, his niece, has defied his order, and he is furious. Antigone passionately argues that Creon's order violates the laws of the gods. Enraged by Antigone's refusal to submit, Creon declares that she and her sister will be put to death.

Haemon, Creon's son and Antigone's fiancé, advises his father to reconsider. They argue, with Haemon accusing Creon of arrogance and Creon accusing Haemon of unmanly weakness for siding with a woman. Haemon leaves in anger, vowing never to return. Creon, without admitting Haemon is right, amends his pronouncement: Ismene will live, and Antigone will be sealed in a tomb to die of starvation, rather than being stoned.

The blind prophet Tiresias warns Creon that the gods disapprove of leaving Polynices unburied and will punish the king's impiety with the death of his own son. After angrily rejecting Tiresias, Creon reconsiders and decides to bury Polynices and free Antigone.

But Creon's change of heart is too late. Antigone has hanged herself, and Haemon, in despair, kills himself. Upon hearing of her son's death, Eurydice, the queen, also kills herself, cursing Creon.

Alone and in despair, Creon accepts responsibility for the tragedy and prays for a quick death. The play ends with a somber warning from the chorus that pride will be punished by fate.