1. How Are Antigone and Ismene Alike? How Are They Different?

Antigone Study Guide

Prologue & Parados

Name______Date______

1. How are Antigone and Ismene alike? How are they different?

2. What does Ismene’s decision to not help Antigone reveal to us about her character?

3. What evidence from the text supports the idea that Antigone is a determined character?

4. What does Creon’s decree regarding his nephew tell us about Creon’s character?

5. What are Antigone’s reasons for burying her brother?

6. For what reasons does Ismene say Antigone should abide by Creon’s decree?

7. What does the Choragos compare Polyneices to in the Parodos?

8. Based on the Parodos, how is Antigone’s opinion of her brother Polyneices different from that of the citizens of Thebes?

Scene 2 and Ode 2:

9. Explain the dramatic irony in the Sentry leading Antigone to Creon in the beginning of scene 2?

10. What was the relationship between Antigone and a mother bird according to the Sentry?

What literary device is this an example of?

11. For what reasons does Antigone give for defying her uncle’s decree?

12. What does Creon’s belief about Antigone disrespecting Etocles’ memory say about his

character?

13. How could you compare the characters of Antigone and Creon in Scene 2?

14. Why did Creon feel Antigone was a threat to his manhood?

15. How would you describe the character of Ismene?

16. How does Sophocles develop the plot in the text through the character of Ismene?

Scene 3 and Ode 3:

17. How does Haemon challenge his father Creon during scene 3? Why is Creon so

bothered by what Haemon says?

18. According to Haemon, why are the people of Thebes loyal to Creon?

19. While Creon sees Antigone as a criminal, how do the people of Thebes view her? Use

evidence from the text that supports your claim?

20. What is Haemon’s motive in speaking to his father?

21. Compare Haemon’s view of a good leader to Creon’s view of a good leader? Whose opinion is right, father or son? Whose opinion does the Choragus support, father or son?

22. What are some choices that Creon has to make as a result of this argument with his son?

23. Was it right for Haemon to approach his father with his concerns? Why or why not?

24. How does Creon show a darker side in this scene? What does it reveal about his character?

Scene 4 and Ode 4:

25. Whose fate does Antigone compare to her own? According to the Chorus why is this an illogical comparison?

26. Who does Antigone blame for her terrible misfortune? Does the Chorus agree with her? Why or why not?

27. According to the chorus, what virtue does Antigone not have? How can this be one of her tragic flaws?

28. In Scene 4, what is another similarity between the characters of Creon and Antigone?

Scene 5-Paen

29. What do you suppose Creon was thinking as Teiresias explained to him his suspicions about the gods being angry at Thebes?

30. What was the turning point in Scene 5? How did this have an impact on the outcome of events in the play?

31. How does Creon show that is full of arrogance and pride? How is he humbled at the end of the play? Why is this ironic?

32. Explain the irony in Teiresias’ special gift?

33. Analyze how Creon’s feelings change in the play? What caused him to have this change? Why was it too little too late?

34. What is your opinion of Creon’s actions and words throughout the course of the play? Although he is not the main character, in your opinion what is his tragic flaw(s)?

35. Make one final comparison between Creon and Antigone? What similar lesson(s) do both characters learn in the end of the play?