Antigone

One of Sophocles’ ancient Theban plays, Antigone tells the story of a teenage girl who wishes to bury her brother, Polyneices, after he has died in a brutal civil war. With the new King Creon desperate to gain control over the war-ravaged city, Antigone openly and intentionally defies his edict to leave Polyneices unburied outside of the city walls. Inevitably, Creon takes action against her, and risks the wrath of the gods in doing so. Originally performed in Ancient Athens, Antigone exposes the dangers of an absolute ruler clouded by his own hubris, and praises one woman’s devotion to justice for her family.