What does Antigone do in 'Antigone'?

Answer 1

Bury her brother, defend divine will, defy a royal edict, disdain an earthly ruler, refuse help and take her own life are what Antigone does in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Princess Antigone buries her brother Polyneices despite an illegal royal edict of non-burial of the disloyal Theban dead. She decides to break the royal law and honor divinely sanctioned rights of all Thebans to below ground burials and Theban style funeral rites. She makes no effort to hide her crime or to avoid or lessen her punishment. She sabotages her sister Ismene's attempt at a pardon or lesser punishment by claiming to be a participant in the crime. Antigone ultimately takes her own life rather than draw out her death sentence of live burial and starvation.