preview

Antigone Exposition Analysis

Satisfactory Essays

Antigone
Antigone is a very interesting play that was enjoyable to read. This play is somewhat long but reads quickly as the characters in the play are interesting to learn about and understand. Antigone is a strong female character that is rare as she holds the position of a heroine in a time when heroes were more common.
The exposition of this play, that is spoken through the chorus right after Ismene and Antigone first dialogue at the beginning of the play, is that a civil war went on lead by their two brothers Polyneices and Eteocles. The war has now ended with both of the brother’s deaths and Creon in charge. The death and tragedy of King Oedipus also marks as a part of the exposition. The inciting incident in Antigone is when Creon orders that Polyneices is not to be buried. This happens right before the play begins and is addressed along with the exposition at the start of the play. This incident triggers Antigone to make a decision that provides the plot of the story. Antigone decides to disobey Creon’s orders and makes a plan to bury her brother Polyneices anyways. From this point in the play, foreshadowing is made through Ismene’s warning for Antigone of the repercussions of her decision. Later, Teiresias, also foreshadows this play, while Antigone is in prison, when he has a prophecy proclaiming that Creon’s fate is that of tragedy, that the gods are angry with him for his decrees and his actions. This comes true at the end when the tragedy of Antigone, Haemon and Creon’s wife occurs.
As the inciting incident affects the actions and decision of Antigone, she declared as the protagonist of this play. She is also recognized as the heroine that is not only following the laws of the gods and fighting against Creon’s tyranny, she is also beloved by the people. This is told through the chorus and Haemon right after her arrest. Through Antigone, the point of attack is when she goes to bury her brother against Creon’s laws. This happens during the time that Creon is speaking with the chorus after Antigone and Ismene’s talk. Complications then arise when it is noticed that someone has been burying Polyneices, this then leads to the complication that Antigone is caught committing the crime. Then Creon’s

Get Access