Our story is set in Thebes, a city in chaos.
The main protagonists: Antigone – strong-willed
daughter of tragic King Oedipus who
unwittingly married his mother and killed his father
- and her uncle: King Creon – a
proud Theban.
Creon is King because Antigone’s brothers
- Polyneices and Eteocles- killed each other
battling for the Crown.
Creon craves order.
He buries Eteocles but brands Polyneices a traitor,
who must remain unburied and left as
carrion.
Disobedience means death.
Antigone is outraged. Failure to bury her
brother
will anger the gods and he will never find
eternal peace.
She asks her sister Ismene to help bury him
but Ismene won’t disobey Creon.
So Antigone tries alone, but she’s arrested.
Antigone confesses to Creon with disdain
- human law can’t supplant the will of the gods.
Creon wants to appear strong.
State comes before family.
No mere woman will defeat him.
He condemns his niece to death.
Creon’s son Haemon, is betrothed to Antigone
and begs his father to show mercy.
Creon refuses.
He orders Antigone be walled up in
a cave and left to die. Ismene is spared.
But then a blind prophet - Teiresias tells
Creon the omens are bad;
free Antigone or Thebes
faces further troubles...
Creon relents but too late–
Antigone has already hanged herself.
Haeomon discovers her and grief stricken kills himself.
Creon’s wife Eurydice also takes
her own life after losing her son.
Creon realises his errors,
but he’s paid a terrible price and he is left alone in grief.
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