Eurydice's Knitting
Eurydice's knitting is a symbol of her life. She uses the tool of her pastime, a knitting needle, to stab herself in the heart and commit suicide, therefore when she stops knitting she stops life itself. This is symbolic of the "thread of life" in the Greek myth that shows life spun, measure and cut by the Fates.
Creon's Attack Symbol
Creon is angry that Antigone seems to be getting more power. When he grabs hold of her and twists her to his side. his actions symbolize her becoming "one of the men" as this behavior is something that a man would do to another man but never to a woman.
The Chorus Motif
In all Greek tragedy the Chorus consists of ten people who are "death messengers" and commentators rolled into one. In "Antigone" Anouilh alters this dynamic and has one person representing the Chorus. His function is the same, however, and the motif of the Chorus is present throughout as a kind of narrator as the action unfolds before him. He also aligns himself with the audience rather than the characters in the play, for example saying that "we are here tonight" rather than addressing the audience he is stating that he is one of them. His role throughout the play is to commentate on the actions that unfold and to voice what the audience are actually thinking.
The Nature of Femininity Motif
This is a constant motif because the key to the rivalry between Ismene and Antigone is their oppositional appearances and views on what it means to be feminine. Thus, femininity is discussed and presented throughout the play. Femininity is portrayed in Ismene's image and Antigone is therefore portrayed as the very opposite of feminine, which in turn is the key to understanding her character and her actions correctly.
