Antigone: Summary, Characters, Analysis & Plot

Sophocles, one of the three great tragic playwrights of Athens, is the man behind the ancient Greek tragedy Antigone. Sophocles is credited for his invention of 'scene paintings' to portray a particular locale or atmosphere. He is also known for introducing a third actor in dramatic performances. Earlier, only two actors were allowed to play double roles on stage. With a third character in the play, the playwright got the opportunity to increase characters to widen the variety of interactions.

Antigone was written by Sophocles around 441 BCE and is based on the theme of individual conscience versus state law. In the play, Antigone, the protagonist, goes against King Creon's decrees and is determined to bury her brother Polynices. The play revolves around the conflict between Antigone's responsibility towards her family and state law, which results in a tragic ending. Here, we will discuss Antigone’s summary, character analysis and plot.

The Plot of Antigone

The play opens with a war where the army of Argos has been defeated and driven away from Thebes. Oedipus' two sons, Eteocles and Polynices, died in the battle fighting each other. The town of Thebes, now ruled by their uncle Creon must follow the rules set by the new king. He decides that Polynices’ body will not be buried as he fought against him and left his body lying outside to serve as a warning to traitors. He further goes on to say that whoever tries to bury Polynices will face fatal consequences.

Back home, Polynices' two sisters, Antigone and Ismene, are grieving the massive loss, and Antigone decides to go against the king's decrees and follow the burial traditions for her brother. Despite Ismene's requests to acknowledge the city's laws, Antigone refuses to listen to them and is hell-bent on following the traditions.

The story takes a turn when Creon confronts Antigone. Creon decides to kill Antigone for disobeying the city's laws, but on Ismene's request, reconsiders and gets her engaged to his son Haemon. Haemon tries to break the ice and advises his father to step back and let Antigone do what she wants.

Despite Haemon’s requests, Antigone is taken captive and sealed alive in a tomb. However, Tiresias’ prophecy about Creon’s child passing away makes him free Antigone without any second thoughts. Soon after, a messenger comes with the news that Haemon has killed himself after seeing Antigone kill herself. The story ends with Eurydice, Haemon's mother, killing herself, blaming her husband Creon for murdering her son. Creon is left alone and shattered.

Sophocles kept the ancient Greek thoughts and the strong belief in prophecies intact while explaining the turn of events in each of the characters' lives.

In the next section, we will analyze the various characters in the play.

Analyzing the Characters of Antigone

The play has a few characters that take the story forward. So, in this section, we will dive deep into the characters of Antigone, Creon, Ismene, Haemon, and Tiresias.

Antigone

The protagonist Antigone is shown as a strong woman who has the power to confront her evil uncle and fight for her brother's burial rights. The character shows a lot of traits that are inspiring and must be considered if someone is reading the play.

She is a loving sister with an urge to do anything for her brother, even if that means going against the authorities. The play showcases her understanding of the misfortunes her family faced and how as a sister, she takes up the responsibility to bury him as she says in the play:

“I shall lie down with him in death, and I shall be dear to him as he to me" (Antigone). The lines highlight her love for Polyneices and how she is willing to do her duty as a sister.

Antigone is shown as someone who stands up for the right without being concerned about the consequences. She is brave to stage a protest against the king and says, “Creon is not enough to stand in my way,” highlighting her bravery and her aim to stand up against the wrong.

Despite the warnings of her sister Ismene about informing others, Antigone moved forward in her fight against the law. Antigone's character is bold, and she says about only fearing God and no one else and is not bothered about being alone in the fight.

There's an age-old concept about women being weaker than men. Antigone is not bothered about it and ignores the voice of society to fight for her rights. The character did not back out of it for once and stayed strong to her grounds accepting all the charges against her.

Overall, Antigone plays a crucial role in the drama and stands as a character showing that women are in no way weaker than men. Sophocles has used the main character beautifully and created her with all the necessary traits of a strong woman.

Creon

The antagonist in the play, Creon, is someone who is hungry for power and does not think twice before using his nephew's body as a warning sign for traitors. However, the character portrays mixed characteristics and is shown as someone who is only interested in the political and social order. In fact, he had no desire to kill Antigone as he knew her potential and the value she could add to his kingdom.

But being someone who is willing to do anything to make ends meet, Creon makes sure that his order is followed by all and orders the execution of Antigone. He considers being on the throne of Thebes to be his right and ignores the well-being of the people there. In the play, his son also confronts him questioning his choices. The greed for power makes Creon unyielding and vindictive even to his son. Creon is shown as someone who is ambitious and full of pride. However, he faces the consequences of being a ruthless king at the end of the play.

Ismene

Ismene, Antigone’s sister, is completely different. She is not someone who will stand up against the wrong and asks her sister to stop her fight against the law. Being an important character in the play, Ismene makes quite an impact. She symbolizes women in general and is afraid of going against the authorities, even if it means burying her own brother. Ismene is shown as an information gatherer for her father and brings him news about her and the family’s well-being.

Ismene fears being different from others and is shown as someone pleading for mercy even if she has not done anything wrong. Despite being the only survivor of Oedipus’ family, Ismene loses her identity as the play ends.

Haemon

Haemon, the son of Creon, is shown as someone who is a true lover and someone who can take the necessary steps to ensure his love is safe. In the play, he confronts his father and asks him to reconsider his decision to kill Antigone and let her bury her brother. Creon's pride does not allow him to understand what Haemon is saying, and losing him eventually.

Haemon's character is a significant one in the play and leaves a lasting impact in the minds of the readers. View Examples

Tiresias

Greek tragedies have a touch of supernaturalism. Antigone is no different. Sophocles created the character Tiresias who is a blind prophet and can see the future. The blind prophet in the play is known for offering painful visions that affect the listener's pride. In the play, Creon is not willing to release Antigone until Tiresias says that it might cost his son's life. The character is one of the strongest in the play, Antigone. He sticks to his ground despite the resistance and people’s aggression.

He is shown as someone who will continue to speak the truth without being afraid of the consequences. He personifies fate in the play and says things that cannot be controlled by anyone. His connection to birds is another significant aspect of his character. The fact that he is blind is ironic as he happens to be the eye for people who cannot see the truth. Overall, Tiresias plays a significant role in the play Antigone and is responsible for various twists and turns in the story.

Endnote:

Antigone is one of the notable creations of Sophocles and carries all the characteristics of a Greek tragedy. The characters in the play reflect a lot of traits such as fear, boldness, love, etc. The play sheds light on society and the social rules and regulations forced by kings and queens. Also, supernaturalism plays a pivotal role in the play. Antigone is the last of the Oedipus Rex trilogy written by Sophocles. The play has all the elements to grab the attention of readers and portrays the then society perfectly.