by MaryAnn Evans

Created on: May 29, 2011   Last Updated: June 02, 2011

Arguably the finest playwright of Ancient Greek theatre, Sophocles is most famous for his Theban Plays. Today, the collection of 'Theban Plays' is deemed to be a trilogy; with Antigone being the final instalment. However, it is believed that the three plays: Oedipus Rex (otherwise known as Oedipus the King), Oedipus at Colonus and Antigone, originated from separate tetralogies. Unfortunately, the other works that made up these tetralogies have been lost.

The last of the Theban Plays, Antigone, was the first written and tells the tale of Oedipus’ children: Eteocles, Polynices, Ismene and Antigone. It is the most political of the three works and deals with the causes and effects of civil war, dictatorship, the problems with leadership and the 'duties' of a sister.

The list of ‘dramatis personae’ in Antigone is as follows:

Antigone (daughter of Oedipus)

Ismene (daughter of Oedipus)

Creon (King of Thebes and brother of Oedipus)

Eurydice (wife of Creon)

Haemon (son of Creon)

Teiresias (the blind prophet)

Guard (sent to watch over the corpse of Polynices)

First Messenger

Second Messenger

Chorus of Theban Elders

Antigone - She’s the play’s tragic heroine. She insists that both her brothers (Eteocles and Polynices), who have killed each other over who should claim the throne, should be given a ceremonial burial. Sophocles has written her as a withdrawn character, who is intelligent and eloquent despite spending the majority of her time in her own company.

Ismene - Oedipus’ other daughter is the polar opposite of her sister. Described as beautiful and docile, Ismene enjoys the finer things in life and, it could be argued, is shallow. As the play progresses, she is a weak character compared with Antigone.

Creon - The brother of Oedipus and, therefore, the uncle of his four children. He assumes the throne after the civil war, which led to his nephews deaths. Determined to restore order to Thebes he determines that Polynices should be seen ‘at fault’ over the war and, subsequently, denies him a proper burial. He is as strong willed as Antigone, and engages in philosophical and political arguments with her during the bulk of the play.

Eurydice - Wife of Creon and mother of Haemon, Eurydice’s ‘importance’ in the play can be debated. As the chorus says, her only role is to knit until she dies. Her grief over the suicide of Haemon is undeniably important however. She blames her husband for the death of

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