Antigone By Sophocles

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2 Greek Theatre Notes:

Beginning of Theatre:

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Three major Playwrights:

Key Terms:

Hamartia:_____________________________________________________________________

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Hubris:________________________________________________________________________

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Catharsis:_____________________________________________________________________

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Elements of Tragedy:

Tragic Hero: ________________________________________________________________

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3 Actors

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Costumes:

Cothurnus/Buskin: _____________________________________________________________

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Staging

Acropolis: ____________________________________________________________________

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Chorus

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Job Descriptions

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Greek Theatre

A. Theatron: B. Parados:

C. Skene:

D. Thymele:

E. Orchestra:

F. Proscenium:

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Antigone’s Family Tree

Key Married: Children of:

Menoeceus

Oedipus

Menoeceus

Creon

Euyrdice

6 Prologos (pgs. 506-510)

1. What information does Antigone give to Ismene at the beginning of this scene?

2. What does Antigone plan to do? Why? 3. What punishment does Antigone face? How does she feel about this punishment? 4. Does Ismene plan to join her? Why or why not? 5. Compare and contrast the characters of Ismene and Antigone:

ISMENE SIMILARIES ANTIGONE

6. Select a quote from each character you think BEST fits their personality and explain why you selected that quote:

Antigone Quote: _______________________________________________________________________________

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Explanation:

7 Ismene Quote: _____________________________________________________________________________

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Explanation:

Parados (pgs. 508-510)

1. Who are the members of the Chorus?

2. What story does the chorus tell in the Parados?

3. How does the Chorus feel about the war that has just ended?

4. Who is the new leader? How does the Chorus feel about him?

5. Who are the two gods mentioned in this first Chorus song? Why are they mentioned in this first song?

First Episode (pGS. 511-514)

1. Why has Creon chosen the Chorus to be the first to hear his proclamation? 2. Throughout Creon’s opening speech he makes several promises about what he will do as king. Look over the

following quotes and explain what kind of leader Creon presents himself to be from these quotes:

QUOTE EXPLANATION

“I have always held the view, And hold it still, that a king whose lips are sealed By fear, unwilling to seek advice, is damned.”

“And no less damned is he who puts a friend Above his country”

8 “When I see danger threatening my people, Whatever it may be, I shall declare it.”

“Our country is our life; only when she Rides safely, have we any friends at all.”

“ I am determined that never, if I can help it, Shall evil triumph over good. Alive or dead, the faithful servant of his country/ Shall be rewarded.”

3. How does the sentry act when he comes before Creon? What does this suggest about Creon’s personality or

reputation? 4. What news does the sentry bring?

5. Who does Creon think is responsible? 6. DRAMATIC IRONY: is when we know something the characters don’t know. Give an example of dramatic

irony in the play thus far.

7. How did Creon get to be king?

8. Why does Creon feel so different about Polynices and Eteocles? 9. What assumptions does Creon make about his gods when he says:

“Blasphemy, to say the gods could give a thought To carrion flesh! Held him in high esteem, I suppose, and buried him like a benefactor— A man who came to burn their temples down, Ransack their holy shrines, their land, their laws? Is that the sort of man you think the gods love?”

10. Do you think Creon would deliberately go against the gods?

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First Stasimon (pGS. Bottom of 514-516)

1. This song is often called the Ode to the Greatness of Man. Look over the song and identify at least five things they list that make mankind awesome!

2. What is one the one thing that man has been unable to conquer?

3. What warnings does the Chorus give in lines 303-310?

Second Episode (bottom of 516-521 stop at line 497)

1. Who does the sentry bring before Creon? How has the culprit been caught? 2. Read the Sentry’s speech on pg. 517 what unusual weather occurred just before the culprit was caught? 3. What could this event foreshadow?

4. Looking over this episode and the last, describe the personality of the Sentry.

5. According to Antigone’s speech on page 518, why does she believe she is not committing an act of treason? 6. What is Antigone’s attitude toward death?

10 7. Whom else does Creon want to question? Why?

8. What has he decided to do with the sisters? 9. Do you think Creon would’ve had mercy on Antigone if she were repentant of her actions? Why/why not?

10. What is Creon’s response when Antigone says: “My way is to share my love, not share my hate”? What does this reaction say about his Creon?

11. Look over the following lines used to describe the girls. What is implied with this use of animal imagery? Quote Implied meaning

Sentry: p. 517 “There was a girl, screaming like an angry bird, When it finds its nest empty and little ones gone.”

Creon: 519 “The over-obstinate spirit Is soonest broken; as the strongest iron will snap If over-tempered in the fire to brittleness. A little halter is enough to break The wildest horse.

Creon: p. 520 “You crawling viper! Lurking in my house To suck my blood!”

12. Why does Ismene lie about her involvement with Polynices’ burial? 13. Why does Antigone say to her sister “Mix not your death with mine”?

Second Stasimon (pGS. Bottom of 521-522 stop at line 527)

1. What is the “tree’s last root” that the Chorus speaks of?

2. Compare this stasimon to the previous one. How is this ode’s thoughts and tone different than the last song?

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Third Episode (pgs. 522-526 stop at “Exit”)

1. Who has come to speak with Creon?

2. How does Creon try to convince his son that Antigone isn’t worth it? Why is she not to receive mercy for her actions? 3. How does Haemon respond to this advice?

4. What does Creon say is the greatest evil that society faces? (speech on pg. 523) 5. How does Haemon tell Creon about the reactions of the Thebian people?

6. What does Haemon suggest Creon should do for his own good? 7. How does Creon react to his son’s advice? 8. What do you think Haemon mean when he says: “If she dies, she will not die alone”?

9. What does Creon seem to think Haemon means by the previous quote?

10. Do you think Creon is more concerned about the state or his own reputation? What does he seem to value?

11. How has Haemon’s tone/attitude toward Creon changed from the beginning to end of scene 3?

12. How does the Chorus respond to the argument between Creon and his son?

Third Stasimon (pgs. 526)

1. The ancient Greeks had two words for “love” philia meaning “friendship” and eros meaning “passion”. What kind of

love does the Chorus seem to be singing about?

12 2. What does the Chorus conclude about love? Is love a good or bad quality here? Explain.

Fourth Episode (pgs. 526- top of 530)

1. How does Antigone feel as she is being led away?

2. Does Creon appear to have any qualms about his decision to sentence his niece to her death? 3. What does Antigone mean when she says that Persephone has already counted many of Antigone’s kin? 4. Why does Antigone say she would only make this sacrifice for a brother and not a husband or son? 5. Does Antigone seem to have any doubts about whether she has done the right thing? Did she fully realize that she

would be killed for burying her brother?

Fourth Stasimon (pg. 530)

1. After Antigone is taken away, why does the Chorus comment on Danae, Lycurgus and Phineus?

2. What does the Chorus mean by their last lines in this scene: “Thus the grey spinners wove their spell/ On her, as upon thee, my child.”?

3. What then, is the Chorus’ attitude toward Fate and Destiny?

Fifth Episode (pgs. 530-534 stop at “Exit”)

1. What do you remember in the previous story about Teiresias?

2. Does Creon trust Teiresias? Why/why not?

13 3. What TWO omens does Tiresias observe, that tells him the gods are unhappy? 4. Towards the end of his speech Teiresias says:

“Mark this, my son: all men fall into sin. But sinning, he is not forever lost Hapless and helpless, who can make amends And has not set his face against repentance. Only a fool is governed by self-will” What does Teiresias mean by this? How does this quote apply to Creon’s condition?

5. What is Tiresias’ advice to Creon? 6. How does Creon react to Tiresias’ advice? Why does he react this way? 7. Read the quotes below and explain Teiresias’ predictions for Creon and for Thebes:

Quote Prediction “Ere the chariot of the sun Has rounded once or twice his wheeling way, You shall have given a son of your own loins To death, in payment for death—two debts to pay: One for the life you have abominably entombed; One for the dead still lying above ground Unburied, unhonoured, unblest by the gods below.”

“The time will come, And soon, When your house will be filled with the lamentation Of men and of women; and every neighbouring city Will be goaded to fury against you, for upon them Too the pollution falls when the dogs and vultures Bring the defilement of the blood to their hearths and altars”

8. How does Creon react to Teiresias’ visions now? Why?

fifth Stasimon (Bottom of pg. 534-535)

1. How does the Chorus react to Creon’s decision?

2. What is the mood of this ode? What purpose does this have in the play?

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3. Who do the Chorus call on in this ode? Why?

Epilogos (pgs. 536-540)

1. What news does the Messenger bring to the Chorus and Eurydice? 2. How does Eurydice react to the Messenger’s news?

3. Why is the Chorus concerned about her reaction? 4. What is Creon’s attitude at the end of the play?

5. What does Creon wish for? What does the Chorus tell him about his request?

Exodos (pgs. 540)

1. Summarize the lesson given in final ode from the Chorus:

“Of happiness the crown And chief est part Is wisdom, and to hold The gods in awe. This is the law That, seeing the stricken heart Of pride brought down, We learn when we are old.”

2. In your opinion, are Creon and Antigone victims of circumstances beyond their control, or do they freely choose their fates?

3. The play is called Antigone, does the name fit? Is Antigone the protagonist or antagonist of the story?

15 Tragic Hero

Copy below the definition of a tragic hero below: Identify how Antigone and Creon both have elements of the Tragic Hero in the charts below:

Antigone Creon