Final Plot Analysis for Antigone

Stasis
Thebes is torn apart by brotherly war and recent familial dishonor must decide between honor
and civility when Eteocles and Polyneices, the two heirs to the throne, kill each other. Their
headstrong sister, Antigone, rebels against a new law and Creon, the new King, must either stand
by his new law or murder his niece. Inciting Incident: Although it happens offstage, the real
action begins when Antigone attempts to bury her brother. This action is in direct opposition to
the new decree and spurs on the rest of the action in the show.

Covering the action of the play (not the meaning) describe the significant part of the plot.
Two dueling brother, heirs to the throne of Thebes, kill each other in battle. The king of Thebes,
Creon, decrees that it shall be a crime to give proper burial to Polyneices, but Antigone rebels
against the law and gives burial rites to her brother. Through a series of complications and
increasing amounts of pressure from both external and internal forces, Creon sentences Antigone
to death. When his son's life is called into question, he quickly reverses his sentence, only to find
that Antigone, his son Haemon, and his wife Eurydice have committed suicide on account of his
actions. Creon admits his guilt in the matter, and is left with the prospect of ruling his city with
no one to look to for support.
Inciting incident what gets the whole story moving it disrupts the stasis of the world of
the play
Antigone buries and performs burial rituals and rites on the body of her brother Polyneices.
Beginning Exposition what do we need to know to understand the story.
Most of the characters in the play come from the same royal family. Polynecies and Eteocles are
brothers, Antigone and Ismene their sisters, and Creon their uncle. Also, Antigone and Creon's
son Haemon are betrothed.
Eteocles and Polynecies, heirs to the throne, have agreed to share control after their father's
death. However, when Eteocles eventually refuses to co-rule with Polynecies, a war erupts. This
is what leads to the battle directly before the opening of the play.
Complications disruptions that prevent the easy accomplishment of the goal of the central
character (that characters sufferings); the pressures on the story.]
1. Creon bans an honorable burial for Polyneices
2. Ismene will not help Antigone bury her brother
a. "I'm not disrespecting them. But I can't act/against the state. That's not in my nature." (97-98)

3. The gods were against the war from the start

a. "seven equal warriors/paid Zeus their full bronze tribute,/the god who turns the battle tide,/all
but that pair of wretched men,/born of one father and one mother, too-/who set their conquering
spears against each other/and then both shared a common death." (168-173).
4. Creon is power-hungry
a. "And so I have the throne, all royal power" (171)
5. Creon does not want Polyneices to have an honorable burial
a. "He'll be left unburied,/his body there for birds and dogs to eat,/a clear reminder of his
shameful fate./that's my decision." (234-237)
6. The gods do not support Polyneices as a man and therefore do not honor his burial
a. "Or do you see gods paying respect to evil men? No, no." (233-234)
7. Antigone does not fear Creon
a. "Zeus did not announce those laws to me./and Justice living with the gods below/sent no
such laws for men" (508-510)
8. Antigone is emotional and perhaps not thinking clearly
a. "the spirit in this girl is passionate-/her father was the same. Shehas no sense/of compromise in
times of trouble." (537-540)
9. Antigone wants to die with her brother. Creon must consider this
a. "Take me and kill me-what more do you want?" (565)
10. Antigone and Creon have conflicting ideas of honor
a. Creon: "These views of yours-so different from the rest/don't they bring you any sense of
shame?"
b. Antigone: "No-there's nothing shameful in honouring my mother's children." (579-582)
11. Ismene tries to take Antigone's place
a. "I did it-/I admit it, and she'll back me up./So I bear the guilt as well." (614-616)
12. Antigone does not want to die with Ismene

a. "But you chose life-it was my choice to die." (635)

13. Creon will kill his son's love
a. Ismene: "You're going to kill your own son's bride?"
b. Creon: "Why not? There are other fields for him to plough." (650-651)
14. Creon's method of ruling called into question by Haemon. The city is on Antigone's side.
a. "Your gaze makes citizens afraid-they can't/say anything you would not like to hear./But in the
darkness I can hear them talk-/the city is upset about the girl." (690-693)
b. Haemon: "The people here in Thebes all say the same-/they deny she is [doing wrong]."
c. Creon: "So the city now/will instruct me how I am to govern?" (835-838)
1.

"You'll not escape thei pain." (1090)

2.

Teiresias foretells the death of Haemon's sons if Antigone is to die.

3.
Creon reaffirms his decision to sentence Antigone to death, despite the reasoning and
arguments of his son Haemon.

Crisis the moment leading to the climax

Creon reaffirms his decision to sentence Antigone to death, despite the reasoning and arguments
of his son Haemon.
Teiresias prophesies that Haemon will die before the day is over because of Creon's actions.
Climax the highest point of action where the maximum is at stake; a moment of discover
and recognition
Creon reverses his death sentence on Antigone and rushes off to free her in order to prevent his
son's death.
Reversal the downward fall of the action.
The Messenger recounts to Chorus how Antigone and Haemon have committed suicide
Creon brings Haemon's body back to the palace and mourns, admitting total fault for the death of
his son.
The Messenger reveals that Eurydice has committed suicide

Resolution the final creation of a new stasis

Creon admits he was wrong and is completely guilty for the three deaths. He is left with only one
surviving family member and no one to look to for support, praying only for death to come
swiftly.
What is the play about based on our analysis?
Based on our analysis of the plot of Antigone, the play is about a King's downfall due to his pride
and lack of wisdom and refusal to accept counsel.
"There's no release for mortal human beings,/not from events which destiny has set." (13361337)
"The most important part of true success/is wisdom-not to act impiously towards the gods."
(1348-1350)