PRESENTATION OUTLINE
"Antigone" Summative By: Sophocles
"No one shall bury him, no one mourn for him,"(20).
Polyneices, Antigone's brother, died in battle. . Because Polyneices fought against his uncle's side, when he died he was not allowed a proper burial so that his soul could not leave Earth. Creon's decision did not sit well with Antigone, leading to conflict between the two.
"The body, just mounded over with light dust: you see? Not buried really, but as if they'd covered it just enough for the ghost peace,"(215). Sentry, a man who worked for Creon, found Polyneices' body buried enough so that his soul could leave. It is Sentry's job to inform the King of this crime and find out who committed it.
"It was not God's proclamation. That final justice/that rules the world below makes no such laws. Your edict, King was strong, But all your strength is weakness itself against the immortal unrecorded laws of God,"(360). Antigone has been caught and arrested for burring her brother and going against her uncle's law.When Antigone is brought in front of her uncle she not only confesses to burring Polyneices but she also stands up to Creon and tells him that she is not ashamed of her actions and that he is the one in the wrong for his laws are under the laws of the Gods.
"Then she must die.----But her death will cause another,"(620). Antigone has been sentenced to death, despite her fiance's attempts to save her life. Ironically Antigone's fiance happens to be King Creon's son,Haimon. Haimon tries to reason with his father,but his father is stubborn and refuses to let Antigone continue to live. Antigone is to be lock in a cave to die but Haimon warns that if is father goes through with this that Antigone will not be the only one to die. If only Creon knew how true his son's words were.
"But I can no longer stand in awe of this,Nor, what I see, keep back my tears. Here is Antigone, passing to that chamber/ Where all find sleep at last,(660). King Creon disregards his son's wisdom and send Antigone away to her death.
" Then take this, and take it to heart! This time is not far off when you shall pay back. Corpse for corpse, flesh of your own flesh. You have thrust the child of this world into the living night, You have kept from the gods below the child that is theirs: The one on a grave before her death, the other, dead denied the grave. This is your crime: And the Furies and the dark gods of Hell/ Are swift with terrible punishment for you,"(845). A wise oracle named, Teiresias, met with the King and told him that he had been wrong and that because of his ignorance that the gods were going to punish him. Yet again Creon ignores wise advice.
After some time King Creon realizes that he was wrong and that he needs to free Antigone. So Creon goes to the cave that Antigone was sent to, to die, but when Creon arrives he finds Antigone dead and his son Haimon distraught holding onto her dead body. Creon consumed by guilt tries to apologize to Haimon for his wrong doing, but Haimon blinded by grief jumps up with sword in hand and stabs himself in the stomach.Ending his life but not the suicidal chain in this story because when the Queen hears of her son's death she also kills herself, using her last breathe to curse her husband Creon. Leaving the story with a depressed and lonley King Creon who most likely offs himself as well. Ending with a nice wrap up from the Choragos, "There is no happiness where there is no wisdom; No wisdom but in submission to the gods. Big words are always punished, and proud men in old age learn to be wise,"(1040).
