Background:
- Oedipus, the former king of Thebes, has died, leaving his two sons, Eteocles and Polynices, to rule jointly.
- Eteocles and Polynices quarrel and kill each other in battle.
- Creon, Oedipus' brother-in-law, becomes the new king of Thebes.
Main Events:
- Creon decrees that Eteocles, who defended Thebes, will be buried with full honors, while Polynices, who attacked the city, will be left unburied and dishonored.
- Antigone, Polynices' sister, defies Creon's order and buries her brother.
- Creon discovers Antigone's act and orders her to be entombed alive in a cave.
- Haemon, Creon's son and Antigone's fiancé, pleads with his father to spare Antigone's life, but Creon refuses.
- Tiresias, a blind prophet, warns Creon that his actions are angering the gods and will bring ruin upon him.
- Creon eventually relents and orders Antigone to be freed, but it is too late. She has already hanged herself in the cave.
- Haemon, grief-stricken, kills himself.
- Creon is left alone, overcome with guilt and remorse for his actions.
The story of Antigone explores themes of loyalty, family duty, civil disobedience, and the consequences of hubris (excessive pride). It raises questions about the power of the state versus the rights of individuals and the importance of moral principles in the face of oppressive authority.