The Prologue

• Eteocles and Polyneices have killed each other in battle.
• Antigone and Ismene discuss Creon's decree that their brother Polyneices will not receive a proper burial and anyone who tries to bury him will be put to death.
• Antigone informs Ismene she intends to defy the law and give Polyneices burial rights. Ismene talks her out of it. Antigone insults her.
• After the death of Oedipus the King his sons Eteocles and Polyneices are to rule in alternating years.
• Eteocles rules first but when his year is up he decides he likes being king and does not abdicate the throne.
• Although Antigone likely recognises Creon's manipulation, she helps Polyneices because it is the right thing to do.
• The fact that Antigone acts alone against the wishes of the king, against social customs that consider women inferior makes her even more heroic.