The Greek Tragedy Antigone by Sophocles - Book Report/Review Example

Antigone attempts to convince Ismene to join help bury their brother’s body. Ismene refuses to disobey the king and they part ways. In the beginning of the next act the chorus calls to celebrate Thebes’ victory in the recent war. Creon then appears and speaks to the elders. He asks them to treat him with the same dignity that they treated the past king, Oedipus. Creon goes on to state that Polyneices’ body should not be buried. A sentry goes to Creon and tells him that someone had attempted to bury the body, as there was dust on it.

One of the elders believes that this is the work of a god. Creon disagrees with the elder and instead believes that someone motivated out of money decided to attempt to bury the body. Creon then says that the sentry will be held responsible for the attempted burial unless he discovers who attempted the act. The third scene begins again with the chorus. In this scene the chorus praises man because he is able to avoid all of nature’s snares except death. Following this statement the sentry returns, this time accompanied with Antigone as his prisoner.

The sentry states that he caught Antigone attempting to bury the body. Creon questions Antigone about the sentry’s claims and she confirms that she did in fact attempt to bury her brother’s body. . After Antigone leaves, Creon is informed that the unburied body has resulted in a sickness overtaking Thebes. Creon denies that the body is the cause of the sickness; still, Creon is warned that because of his actions he will lose his son and he will experience hardship. Creon later reconsiders his actions and agrees to have the body buried.

He also decides to have Antigone freed. Later a messenger enters and states that Antigone killed herself. The messenger also states that Haemon attempts to kill Creon in grief over Antigone, but instead kills himself. In the final scene of the play Creon returns to the palace with his son’s body and discovers that Eurydice has also killed herself. The play concludes as Creon bemoans his existence. 2. a. The main protagonist in the play is Antigone and her quest to bury the body of her deceased brother.

Early in the play she attempts to gain her sister Ismene’s help in these regards asking, “Wilt thou aid this hand to lift the dead?” (Sophocles, pg. 34). b. The play’s antagonist is Creon, the new King of Thebes. Throughout the play Creon attempts to prevent the Antigone from burying her brother’s body. Antigone notes, “Creon destined our brothers, the one to honoured burial, the other to unburied shame” (Sophocles, p. 33). c. Antigone’s harmatia, or fatal flaw, is her unwillingness to accept the social decrees.

Antigone notes, “I didn't say yes. I can say no to anything I say vile, and I don't have to count the cost” (Sophocles, p. 47). This refers specifically to her unwillingness to follow Creon’s law not to bury her brother. d. Antigone’s fall occurs after she is captured by the sentry and brought to Creon. From this point on she experiences a downfall eventually leading to her suicide. After