Antigone (Masterplots, Revised Second Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Sophocles
- First Published: 441
- Type of Work: Drama
- Type of Plot: Tragedy
- Time of Work: Antiquity
- Setting: Thebes
- Principal Characters: Creon, Antigone, Ismene, Haemon, Tiresias
- Genres: Drama, Mythological literature, Tragedy
- Subjects: Mythology or myths, Suicide, Gods or goddesses, Fratricide, parricide, or filicide, Heroes or heroism, Prophecy or prophets, Greek or Roman times, Greece or Greek people, Heads of state, Oracles, Tyrants or tyranny
- Locales: Greece, ancient, Thebes, ancient
The Story:
Polynices and Eteocles, sons of the cursed family of King Oedipus, led two armies against each other before the gates of Thebes. Both brothers were killed in single combat with each other. Their uncle Creon, now the tyrant ruler of the city, ordered that Eteocles be given full funeral rites but that Polynices, who had attacked the city, be left unburied and unmourned. Anyone who broke this decree would be punished with death. Antigone and Ismene, the sisters of Polynices and Eteocles, discussed this order. With grief for the unburied brother tearing at her heart,...
[The entire page is 1835 words long]
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