What has happened to the rest of Antigone and Ismene’s family? Cite specific evidence from the text in your answer.
Antigone and Ismene’s family has been plagued by tragedy. Their father, Oedipus, gouged out his own eyes and went into exile. Their mother, Jocasta, committed suicide after discovering that Oedipus was her son. Additionally, their brothers, Eteocles and Polynices, killed each other in a battle for the throne of Thebes.
Evidence from the text includes Antigone's dialogue with Ismene in which she discusses their family's cursed history: "Oedipus, our father, the one they called most terrible of all, the most hated in the house of the gods, blinded himself, dashed in his hands at his eyes, because he had seen and known the display of evil crimes" (lines 17-21). This establishes the tragic fate of their father.
In addition, the Chorus describes the fate of their brothers in the opening lines of the play: "There lie the two brothers, one by the other ... with the vultures tearing the corpse to its breast" (lines 7-9). This signifies the violent end of Eteocles and Polynices.
Overall, the evidence from the text suggests that Antigone and Ismene's family has been subjected to a series of tragic events, leaving them orphaned and alone.