<P> It is the third of the three Theban plays chronologically, but was the first written . The play expands on the Theban legend that predated it and picks up where Aeschylus' Seven Against Thebes ends . </P> <P> Prior to the beginning of the play, brothers Eteocles and Polyneices, leading opposite sides in Thebes' civil war, died fighting each other for the throne . Creon, the new ruler of Thebes, brother of the former Queen Jocasta, has decided that Eteocles will be honored and Polyneices will be in public shame . The rebel brother's body will not be sanctified by holy rites and will lie unburied on the battlefield, prey for carrion animals like worms and vultures, the harshest punishment at the time . Antigone and Ismene are the sisters of the dead Polyneices and Eteocles . In the opening of the play, Antigone brings Ismene outside the palace gates late at night for a secret meeting: Antigone wants to bury Polyneices' body, in defiance of Creon's edict . Ismene refuses to help her, not believing that it will actually be possible to bury their brother, who is under guard, but she is unable to stop Antigone from going to bury her brother herself . </P> <P> Creon enters, along with the Chorus of Theban Elders . He seeks their support in the days to come and in particular, wants them to back his edict regarding the disposal of Polyneices' body . The Leader of the Chorus pledges his support out of deference to Creon . A Sentry enters, fearfully reporting that the body has been given funeral rites and a symbolic burial with a thin covering of earth, though no one saw who had actually committed the crime . Creon, furious, orders the Sentry to find the culprit or face death himself . The Sentry leaves, and the Chorus sings about honouring the gods, but after a short absence, he returns, bringing Antigone with him . The Sentry explains that the watchmen uncovered Polyneices' body and then caught Antigone as she did the funeral rituals . Creon questions her after sending the Sentry away, and she does not deny what she has done . She argues unflinchingly with Creon about the immorality of the edict and the morality of her actions . Creon becomes furious, and, thinking Ismene must have known of Antigone's plan, seeing her upset, summons the girl . Ismene tries to confess falsely to the crime, wishing to die alongside her sister, but Antigone will not have it . Creon orders that the two women be temporarily imprisoned . </P> <P> Haemon, Creon's son, enters to pledge allegiance to his father, even though he is engaged to Antigone . He initially seems willing to forsake Antigone, but when Haemon gently tries to persuade his father to spare Antigone, claiming that' under cover of darkness the city mourns for the girl', the discussion deteriorates, and the two men are soon bitterly insulting each other . When Creon threatens to execute Antigone in front of his son, Haemon leaves, vowing never to see Creon again . </P>

Who does creon initially blame for the burial of polyneices