Conflict- a struggle between opposing forces.
Protagonist- central character and the one who the reader sympathizes with.
Antagonist- is the person or force that opposes the protagonist.
Imagery- the “word pictures” that appeal to the senses and bring the written word to life.
Background-
This play takes place in Ancient Greece, in the city of Thebes. The Greeks of Sophocles’s time (Sophocles is the author) believed that if a corpse was not buried or cremated according to strict ritual, its soul would be forced to wander the earth, bringing shame upon the relatives and angering the Gods.
What are Ismene and Antigone talking about?
The death of their brother Polyneices.
What do they say Creon, the King, is telling everyone?
If you mourn or bury Polyneices it is a crime.
The conflict in the play could be…
Who is going to betray Creon’s orders and be true to the family.
What does Antigone plan on doing? How does Ismene feel about it?
Antigone plans to bury her brother Polyneices. Ismene says she’s not going to have any part of it. Ismene will not break the law.
Antigone is doing this to please the gods and not shame her family.
Ismene swears she will keep it a secret, but Antigone says, tell people. They will hate you when they find out you didn’t help.
Even though Ismene disagrees with Antigone, she recognizes she is loyal.
Polyneices and his brother are at war. The chorus sets up the battle scene.
Scene I
Creon is the King of Thebes. He delivers this speech to the elders/ people who are in charge of the city. The people never hesitated duty to past kings, and please don’t do that to me. Explains that you respect your friends, but when they wrong you, you remember.
Explains that Polyneices came back to fight his city. Because he fought against his city, he will not receive a proper burial. He will lay there and the birds can eat him.
However, his brother, Etocles, will get a proper burial.
Older men of group wonder why Creon is telling them this info. Creon explains that they should not support anyone who breaks the law.
A sentry (soldier) came in to tell Creon that someone has tried to bury Polyneices. They’ve given the body a light dusting of dirt.
Choragos questions if the Gods could have done it. This puts Creon in the position to think that his decision could be wrong.
Creon is upset because he thinks that people have schemed against him in anarchy. He thinks that people have been paid off so this burying could have happened. Creon says to the Sentry, if you don’t find who did this, you will die.
SCENE 2
The Sentry brings in Antigone. He tells Creon that she is the one trying to bury her brother Polyneices. He explains that they found her weeping over the body and she was covering it with dust.
Creon is shocked that Antigone would do such a thing. She’s a princess and he thought she would follow his law. However, she was following the God’s law so her family had no shame.
Antigone confesses that she did try to bury him.
Creon asks the servants to bring Ismene that both the girls are guilty.
Antigone begs for her death. She also says that others would speak out against Creon only if they were not afraid of him.
Creon is a little flustered, because he can’t understand why Antigone would honor a traitor. She believes that both brothers should be honored. Creon explains that she’ll die too. Creon believes the two sisters are going after his throne.
Ismene is brought before the king. Creon thought both of them were guilty.
Ismene had refused to help Antigone bury him.
Before the king, Ismene is now saying she is guilty. Antigone is a little upset because she is taking the credit when she didn’t do anything.
Both of the girls are being sent away. Creon says to guard them well.
Ode 2
Zeus’s ultimate sin is being prideful.
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Greeks believed that if someone died and went to the underworld, the unfortunate were condemned to Tartarus. Tartarus was the deepest pit of hell. They were then tortured by hideous women called Furies.
Tragic Flaw- a fault within a character.
Haimon- is Creon’s youngest son. He was to marry Antigone.
Creon explains that a son should respect his father and not lose his head over a woman. Creon thinks that Antigone is guilty and not worth his son. Even though his son loves Antigone, Creon will not go back on his word.
Haimon argues with is father that what Antigone did does not deserve death. She should be honored for her respect for her family. Haimon knows how stubborn Creon is and Creon has to change his mind. He will not be seen as weak for doing so.
Haimon questions the loyalty of his father to the gods. Creon reacts by striking back at him he says that he is “taken in by a woman”. Everything he does is for Antigone.
Creon has a tragic flaw. He cannot control his emotions. He feels that his power is threatened.
Creon says he will send Antigone deep into the woods, put her in a stone building and feed her. She will have to pray to the gods of hell for what she’s done.
Ode 3- The theme of this ode is love. Love can be anywhere and is a strong emotion. Sophocles (author) shows that the public is now openly sympathizes with Antigone’s fate.
Scene 4
Antigone is preparing for her death. She feels sad and depressed. She is starting to feel sorry for herself. She blames the relationship between her mother (Jocasta) and brother/father (Oedipus).
Antigone think wronged any gods and that if she hasn’t Creon should get equal punishment.
Tragic Flaw- Antigone’s fate might have been caused by her stubbornness and refusal to follow Creon’s authority. 695
Ode 4
Sophocles (author) compares Antigone to Danae. Danae was imprisioned by her father when it was foretold that she was going to have a baby that would kill her father. Danae had Zeus’s baby and did end up killing Danae’s father. They are similar because things were foretold about each ones future.
Antigone, again, is compared to Dryas’s son. He refused to worship the God Dionysos. He was locked up and went mad.
Fate will have it’s place for Antigone.
Scene 5
Teiresias comes to Creon to tell him what he has heard.
Teiresias sits on a bench and listens to the birds. He interprets the bird’s chatter as messages from the gods. This has allowed him to foretell the future. The birds have been fighting, and he interprets that the situation is not good.
Creon’s tragic flaw is that he is too prideful. He will not admit he has made a mistake and it could cost him in the end.
Creon questions Teiresias’s loyalty. He says that because Teiresias is paid for his wisdom, that it may not be true.
Teiresias gives Creon his final warning. A time will come when Creon will pay, flesh for flesh. Because Antigone is locked up, Creon has not given a child to the underworld (Polynieces). Denying him the grave is Creon’s crime. Creon will be punished.
Choragos tells Creon to let Antigone out of the vault and build a tomb for Polynieces. Creon agrees. Choragos tells Creon he must do it himself.
Sophocles builds suspense when Creon starts to go to free Antigone, it may be too late!
Creon has changed his attitude about obeying the gods. Choragos had told Creon that Teiresias has never been wrong about his messages.
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Paean- song of praise, joy or thanksgiving.
The chorus sings to Dionysos to come to Thebes and drive out the evil.
Dionysos was raised by nymphs, or long-lived women who were associated with trees and other parts of nature.
They urge Dionysos to bring forgiveness and mercy to their city.
Exodos- last part of the play
The messenger gives his view on life. He states that you cannot change your fate. People are fated to be happy or unhappy.
The messenger gives Creon’s life as an example, he started out happy with wonderful things around him, but when he lost those things, he has nothing but his money and unhappiness.
The messenger comes to tell Choragos that Haiman is dead.
Creon’s men go to bury Polyneices. When they are done they go to Antigone’s vault. When they get there they see that Antigone has hung herself. Haimon is with Antigone’s body.
Creon asks Haimon what has he done. Haimon spits in his father’s face. Haimon draws his sword. Haimon tries to hit Creon with the blade and misses. He takes the blade and kills himself.
Creon says “Why did it take me so long to realize the truth.” He chose to go by the law of man rather than the law of the gods.
Creon then finds out that his wife, the Queen Eurydice, is now dead. She has stabbed herself.
Creon begs for his death to come. He just wants to end it all. Choragos says don’t worry about the future, it will happen.
Why do you think Sophocles (author) lets Creon live while others all die? Suffer because he’s made bad decisions. Going against the Gods will not be a good outcome.
What is the play’s final position on loyalty? Your loyalty must lie with the gods.