When King Creon is at home giving a lecture about being king and how hard it is the Sentry comes in to tell Creon that they have found that Polyneices has been buried and covered in dust but they do not know who he is, assuming it is a man that has done it. Creon is horrified by the person who has done this and disobeyed
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his own law. He is very angry and yells at the Sentry to find the man who has done this and threatens him. When the Choragos heard the bad news he suggested that the gods favored Polyneices.
The Sentry comes back and brings Antigone to Creon. Antigone and Creon argue about what should have been done with Polyneices body. Antigone defends herself but still accuses herself of burying Polyneices; Creon blames Ismene as well for helping with the burial and also arrests her. Ismene tries to share guilt even though she did not do anything with helping bury her brother. Antigone will not let Ismene share the guilt and argues with Creon to let her go, but Creon orders Antigone to death.
Haimon, Creon’s son, tries to persuade his father not to kill Antigone because he loves her and is fighting for the life of his future bride. Creon gets upset with Haimon and says that he is foolish and doesn’t know what he is talking about and no one should listen to him. Creon says he is trying to protect his throne from Antigone. Haimon tells his father that if he kills Antigone he will commit suicide. After his son leaves he orders for Antigone to be locked in a cave. Antigone wails to the gods for pity. The Chorus is blaming Antigone for going against Creon’s
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orders; she blames her fate on her parents. She has not sinned against gods and if she has she will soon see, she hopes that Creon will get a punishment equal to hers. Creon knows that what he is doing to Antigone is wrong but he wants her to realize that there are consequences when you break a law and disobey the king. Eventually Creon comes to his senses and knows that the only reason she buried Polyneices was because he is her brother and she loves him. Creon immediately orders for Antigone and Ismene to be released and not to be harmed. After Teiresias comes to tell Creon that he has done the right thing and says that he should give Polyneices a hero’s burial as well. So Creon listens to Teiresias and gives Polyneices a hero’s burial right next to his brothers Eteocles.
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