Daughter (and half-sister) of Oedipus, sister of Ismene, niece of Creon, and fiancée of Haemon. When her brother Polynices dies attacking Thebes, Antigone defies Creon's order that no citizen of Thebes can give Polynices's body a proper burial, under penalty of death. She believes the burial rituals are the unwritten rules of the gods, and must be obeyed regardless of a ruler's political whims. She is bold in her defiance, believes firmly that she is right, and at times seems eager to die for the cause of burying her brother.
Antigone Quotes in Antigone
The Antigone quotes below are all either spoken by Antigone or refer to Antigone. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Lines 1-416
Quotes
I have longer
to please the dead than please the living here:
in the kingdom down below I'll lie forever.
to please the dead than please the living here:
in the kingdom down below I'll lie forever.
Related Characters:
Antigone (speaker)
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
I will suffer
nothing as great as death without glory.
nothing as great as death without glory.
Related Characters:
Antigone (speaker)
Related Themes:
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Explanation and Analysis:
Lines 417-704
Quotes
Like father like daughter,
passionate, wild…
she hasn't learned to bend before adversity.
passionate, wild…
she hasn't learned to bend before adversity.
Related Characters:
The Chorus (speaker), Antigone
Related Themes:
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Explanation and Analysis:
Lines 705-1090
Quotes
Spit her out,
like a mortal enemy—let the girl go.
Let her find a husband down among the dead.
like a mortal enemy—let the girl go.
Let her find a husband down among the dead.
Related Themes:
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Explanation and Analysis:
Love, you mock us for your sport.
Related Characters:
The Chorus (speaker), Antigone, Haemon
Related Themes:
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Explanation and Analysis:
I go to wed the lord of the dark waters.
Related Characters:
Antigone (speaker)
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
You went too far, the last limits of daring—
smashing against the high throne of Justice!
Your life's in ruins, child—I wonder…
do you pay for your father's terrible ordeal?
smashing against the high throne of Justice!
Your life's in ruins, child—I wonder…
do you pay for your father's terrible ordeal?
Related Characters:
The Chorus (speaker), Antigone
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
But if these men are wrong, let them suffer
nothing worse than they mete out to me—
these masters of injustice!
nothing worse than they mete out to me—
these masters of injustice!
Related Symbols:
Antigone's Tomb
Related Themes:
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Explanation and Analysis:
Still the same rough winds, the wild passion
raging through the girl.
raging through the girl.
Related Characters:
The Chorus (speaker), Antigone
Related Symbols:
Antigone's Tomb
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Antigone LitChart as a printable PDF.
Antigone Character Timeline in Antigone
The timeline below shows where the character Antigone appears in Antigone. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Lines 1-416
Oedipus's two daughters, Antigone and Ismene, discuss their grief in the palace. The outraged Antigone tells Ismene that Creon...
(full context)
Angry and defiant, Antigone challenges Ismene to help her bury their brother Polynices. Ismene is frightened, both of Creon's...
(full context)
Antigone responds that she won't let Ismene join in the glory of burying their brother even...
(full context)
Ismene continues to plead with Antigone, but Antigone only grows angrier with her and more determined to defy Creon's decree. Antigone...
(full context)
Lines 417-704
The sentry returns, escorting Antigone. He calls for Creon and presents Antigone as the culprit who defied the law and...
(full context)
Creon asks Antigone if she denies this charge. She does not. Creon dismisses the sentry and asks Antigone...
(full context)
Creon asks why she would dare to break the law. Antigone says that Creon's law was not the law of the gods of the underworld—the gods...
(full context)
Antigone says she knows she must die. Since she has already known so much sadness in...
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The leader of the chorus notes that Antigone is as passionate and stubborn as her father. Creon responds that he will break her...
(full context)
Antigone is unfazed, and says that to die for the act of bringing honor to her...
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Creon asks how Antigone can honor Polynices, who killed her other brother, the patriotic Eteocles. Antigone responds that all...
(full context)
Ismene enters, weeping, and says that she will share Antigone's guilt, but Antigone furiously refuses to let Ismene share in the glory of dying for...
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...turns to Creon and asks him if he'd really kill his son Haemon's intended bride (Antigone is Haemon's fiancée). Creon says his son can find someone new. Ismene pleads that the...
(full context)
Lines 705-1090
...importance of not losing one's head over a bad woman. He tells Creon to let Antigone go.
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Creon says that had he not punished Antigone's defiance of the rule of law, it would be like inviting anarchy to destroy the...
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Creon reacts with anger at his son's offering of advice. Again he calls Antigone a traitor. Haemon says the people of Thebes do not see it that way. Creon...
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The king and his son continue to argue. Creon accuses Haemon of supporting Antigone against his father. Haemon responds that he is trying to keep his father from committing...
(full context)
...violent. Creon doesn't care. He decides to spare Ismene, but says that he will take Antigone into the wilderness and enclose her in a vault with just a bit of food....
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...that can't be conquered, that taunts people and makes them do crazy things. Guards bring Antigone from the palace. The chorus is heartbroken at the sight of her.
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Antigone laments her fate, and the fact that she will never experience the joys of marriage....
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Antigone continues to mourn her life and death. She says that she would not have done...
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As she's led away, Antigone calls out that she is being punished for her devotion to the gods. She then...
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...kings or children of gods, yet even they could not escape their fates, just as Antigone cannot escape hers.
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Lines 1091-1470
...and that mortals may rule over the living. He says that as punishment for burying Antigone alive, the gods and the Furies will soon take the life of Creon's own child....
(full context)
...He asks the leader of the chorus for advice. The leader tells him to free Antigone and bury Polynices quickly. Fearful, Creon gives in. He rushes off to free Antigone himself.
(full context)
