Final answer:
When questioned by King Creon, Antigone admits to burying her brother Polyneices and defends her actions based on divine laws, leading to a clash between civil and moral duty and resulting in her tragic demise.
Step-by-step explanation:
When Antigone is questioned by King Creon about her actions, she admits to burying her brother Polyneices and justifies her actions based on divine laws. Antigone's response to Creon demonstrates her strong belief in the divine right to bury the dead, even in defiance of Creon's decree. Her actions and her unapologetic stance express a conflict between human law and higher moral laws, which is a central theme in Sophocles' tragedy. She asserts that the eternal laws of the gods supersede Creon's laws, and she is willing to face the consequences of her actions, which ultimately leads to her tragic end.
Creon, who is strict in upholding his laws, sees Antigone's defiance as a challenge to his authority and a breach of civil law. Despite Antigone's justifications and the pleadings of others, including his own son Haemon, Creon's reaction is severe, and he orders Antigone to be sealed in a tomb, metaphorically burying her alive for her act of burying her deceased brother. This act of hubris leads to tragic consequences for Creon and his family, highlighting the tragic hero's downfall due to excessive pride.