Character Analysis of Antigone

Oedipus was king of Thebes, he was hated and infamous. He lost the throne to Creon by tearing out his own eyes and killed himself. His two sons Eteocles and Polyneices fought each other for the kingship but ended up killing each other. Creon was hailed king of Thebes.

Antigone and Ismene were sisters to Eteocles and polyneices. Creon favored Eteocles and he perceived him as the cities champion and ordered that Eteocles could be buried in a grave with every rite of sanctity given to him as a hero. Polyneices was rejected by Creon because he felt that Polyneices would have led them to slavery so he proclaimed that he not be given a burial but rather watch him get chewed up by birds and dogs because he was a wicked person.

Antigone felt that despite the law of the land which prohibited a proper burial for her brother she would rather be a religious criminal by giving her deceased brother a decent burial and face the consequences. Antigone, troubled by her inner conscience asked if her sister Ismene would join her in burying their brother Polyneices but Ismene did not want to dishonor or act in defiance of the citizenry so she rejected. She knew the consequence was death.

Antigone decided to take it upon herself and bury her brother . Gossip got to Creon about Polyneices missing body. Sentry was chosen to report the issue to Creon who was very angered by the situation. His anger was diverted to Sentry to find out who moved the body or else will be hang alive. Sentry soon found out that Antigone had removed the body so he escorted her to Creon. Antigone admitted that she could not leave her dead brother unburied because that would have caused her more pain and guilt.

Creon angerly charged Antigone and her sister Ismene of breaking the law by plotting their brothers funeral and as such will be sentenced to death. He hated the fact that when one is caught in evil they make the evil look