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One can see from merely looking at the prologue the foundations being laid for a virtuous character. When analyzing Antigone's opening remarks in conversing with Ismene, her sister, the reader notices that this superwoman is not just going to sit around and let someone else tell her what she can and cannot do. She disagrees with Kreon's announcement, and thus decides to disobey it, despite the fact that her sister pleads with her to do otherwise. In this scene, the weak, passive personality of Ismene provides a perfect contrast against the determined mindset of her sister, serving as a foil that highlights the good, and hero-like qualities inherent in the latter. For, against Ismene's protests Antigone chooses to walk, willingly, into the hands of danger, " what I shall suffer will be far less dire than dying an ignoble death!" (p. 24, line 96) she laments, thus making her sister look like a coward.
Antigone further proves her mettle when it comes to the actual burial of Polyneices. Believing that the gods would look down upon her if she did not take care of her kin's corpse, she sets her mind on performing for her sibling all of the necessary rituals that constitute a proper entombment. She goes in the dark of the night to his body (which had been left untouched as food for the animals) and proceeds to cover it with dust. However, when the men watching the corpse discover what has occurred they undo her work. Undeterred by their intervention, Antigone returns - this time in broad daylight - to do it again. She even brings libations with her, continuing the arduous task all by herself until she is seized by the guards and pinned down. However, whereas many would panic, .
Antigone remains calm throughout. To further exemplify her bravery, she does not bother to deny her crime, taking pride in her insubordination, which she felt was justified, and the right thing to do.
Once Kreon finds out that this woman has bypassed the law, he sentences her to death as he had promised (although, he cannot kill her as directly as he had intended to once he finds out that it is a blood relative who has transgressed).