Background Information for Antigone

Political Climate in Athens

!  Religious Tradition !   dictated thinking !   controlled behavior

!   Intellectual Inquiry !   radical ideas !   democracy !   philosophy !   arts & sciences

Gender Roles Patriarchy !   social system in which

men are regarded as the authority within family and society; power & possessions are passed on father to son

Women’s Roles !   limiting expectations

!   do not get involved in issues !   do not meddle in politics !   virtually no rights

!   domestic duties !   bear children !   manage household !   direct household slaves

Importance of

Burial Rights !  provide guidance to afterlife !  prevent suffering of deceased !  prevent haunting of family members

Funeral Traditions !   Visual Display !   family wealth, pride, and bonding !   mourners in black

!   Hades’ Judgement !   evil to Tartarus !   average to Asphodel !   heroic and blessed to Elysium

!  Payment of Charon !   ferries souls across Styx !   coin in mouth

Three Part Procedure !   I: Laying Out of the Body (2 days) !   washed, anointed, dressed !   flowers and crown !   mouth and eyes shut

(to prevent psyche—soul—from leaving the body)

!   II: Cart Procession to Tomb !  men lead !  women follow

!  III: Internment !   men burry ashes or corpse with possessions !   placement of grave marker !   women return to prepare banquet

Stele: Grave Marker

* 317 B.C.E. Athens: elaborate stelai forbidden

deceased with surviving father and son circa 340 B.C.E.

marker for a devotee of Isis circa 165 C.E.

(Rome)

marker for a young girl circa 445 B.C.E.

family grave marker

circa 360 B.C.E.

Tending the Dead !   Post Funeral Visitation !   day 3 !   day 9 !   day 30

!   Periodic Rituals !   monthly !   annually !   holidays

“Farewell & the Last Touch” circa 400 B.C.

Background Information for Antigone

Founders of Drama

!   Athens !   480 B.C.E. !   greatest city/state

after Persian Wars

!   Patronage of Wealthy Citizens !   provided costuming !   paid for actors’ training !   considered a public and religious duty !   theater contributions tax exempt

Dionysian Festivals !   Spring Season !   open-air !   natural lighting !   Theater of Dionysus !   Athens

!   Competition !   4 to 5 days

(i.e. Lollapolooza)

!   official judges !   awards ceremony

Theater of Dionysus

Reserved seating for patron gods & goddesses (empty seats)

Amphitheater Attendance !   1500 spectators

!   prisoners released on bail

!   public business suspended

The Stage !   facility !   amphitheater !   tents

!   skenes !   temples !   palaces

The Actors !   First Plays

one actor only

!   Later 3 per playwrite !   multiple roles !   all male !   elaborate masks

!   portray women !   distinguish characters

!   5th Century BCE as many as 3 actors

on stage at a time

Chorus & Choragos

!   Purpose !   summarize !   preview !   community

viewpoint

!   Talented Amateurs !   Choragos: spokesman !   15 member chorus: Athenians !   singers & dancers !   engage in dialogue (not narrators)

Literary Terms !   paraodos

chanted entrance song

!   paean hymns sung to Apollo

!   ode lyric poem marked by exaltation of feeling with varying line lengths

Background Information for Antigone

Sophocles

496 to 406 BCE !   123 plays !   only 7 survive !   Athenian Festival

first prize 18 times !   highly popular !   well respected

The Trilogy !   Oedipus Rex !   written second !   429 B.C.E.

!   Antigone !   written first !   441 B.C.E. !   last chronologically

!   Oedipus at Colonus !   written last

before his own death !   circa 409 B.C.E.

The Protagonist !   Heroine !   one of the earliest

in world literature !   young: 12 to 15 !   fights patriarchy

!   Αντιγονε !   “against the family” !   “opposed to” !   “close to”

!   filial hyperbole !   mention of pairs !   Ismene responds

Greek Tragedy !   Single Unified Action !   complete & probably !   of a certain magnitude !   one character; two at most !   language embellished

!  Human Error & Frailty !   not vice or depravity !   arouses reader’s emotion

!   pity !   terror

!   may lead to death

Tragic Hero !   High Position !   conspicuous !   wealth & power !   good fortune !   great potential

!   Human !   both good & bad !   pitied & feared !   doomed to fail !   punishment

outweighs misfortune

Tragic Flaw

!   Hubris !   a common flaw !   excessive pride !   arrogance

!   Harmatia “error of jugement”

Fate vs. Responsibility !   Fate !   preordained by prophecy !   hero is doomed, not evil

!   Responsibility !   choice !   wrong decision

!   Ultimate Outcome !   realize mistake !   accept punishment !   feel remorse

Τηε Ενδ