VOCABULARY:
Parts of the theater: Use PowerPoint slides.
orchestra: __________________________________________________________________________________
theatron: __________________________________________________________________________________
skene: _____________________________________________________________________________________
parados: ___________________________________________________________________________________
LABEL THE DIAGRAM
VOCABULARY:
Use pages 71-75 and PowerPoint slides.
aphorism: __________________________________________________________________________________
edict: ______________________________________________________________________________________
fratricidal: __________________________________________________________________________________
libations: ___________________________________________________________________________________
suppliant: __________________________________________________________________________________
pollution: ___________________________________________________________________________________
tragedy: ____________________________________________________________________________________
Sophocles: __________________________________________________________________________________
Dionysus: ___________________________________________________________________________________
polytheism: _________________________________________________________________________________
hamartia: ___________________________________________________________________________________
hubris: _____________________________________________________________________________________
protagonist: ________________________________________________________________________________
antagonist: _________________________________________________________________________________
parados (pg. 70): _____________________________________________________________________________
GREEK THEATER:
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THE GREEK CHORUS:
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ELEMENTS OF A TRAGEDY:
Define:
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Revolves around tragic hero who possesses:
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The hero’s downfall is a combination of:
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Hero doesn’t:
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OEDIPUS PLAYS:
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Character List
Oedipus: protagonist (Colonus, Rex), name means “swollen foot”, known for intelligence and ability
to solve riddles, stubborn and blind to the truth about himself
Jocasta: sister to Creon, wife AND mother to Oedipus, comforting and loving
Antigone: daughter to Oedipus and Jocasta, protagonist in Antigone
Creon: brother in law to Oedipus, appears the most in all three plays combined, able to see the rise
and fall of one man’s power the most through his character, bossy and assertive
Polynices: son to Oedipus, appears only briefly in Colonus
Tiresias: blind prophet of Thebes, appears in Rex and Antigone, his literal blindness points out the
metaphorical blindness of others
Haemon: son to Creon, only in Antigone, engaged to Antigone
Ismene: daughter to Oedipus and Jocasta, minor role contrasts Antigone’s grandeur
Theseus: king of Athens in Colonus, renowned and powerful warrior
Eurydice: wife to Creon
Chorus: group of people to depict the voice of the people
MYTHOLOGICAL BACKGROUND:
For Antigone
Laius, king of Thebes, received a prophecy that his son would kill him so to avoid this outcome, he and
his wife Jocasta, exiled his first born son (Oedipus) to Mount Cithaeron after nailing his feet together.
Unfortunately, the baby survived and was raised as the prince of Corinth. Many years later, Oedipus and
Laius met at a crossroads and Oedipus killed Laius, fulfilling the prophecy. Also during this time, Thebes
was suffering from a plague brought on by a curse from the Sphinx, where only the solution to a riddle will
bring relief. Oedipus solved the riddle and became king of Thebes, marrying a recently widowed queen,
Jocasta. Years passed before the tainted marriage was brought to light. When finally uncovered, Jocasta
killed herself and Oedipus blinded himself and lived the rest of his life as a homeless wanderer.
ANTIGONE:
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Facts
Setting: surrounding the palace at Thebes, set in mythical past of Ancient Greece
Genre: Greek Tragedy (wore masks, limited staging, set outside, props to a minimum)
Importance of Burial: In Greek religion, those who were not buried were doomed to wander by the
river Styx for eternity, and their souls would never be at rest. The buried were granted access to
Hades (the underworld and god of the underworld), but only if family carried out extreme funeral
preparations.
CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS:
Lines: 1-100
1. Describe the differences in personality between Ismene and Antigone.
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2. Who is Antigone concerned with being a “traitor” to? ____________________________________________
3. Who is Creon concerned with being a “traitor” to? _______________________________________________
4. How can one be loyal and unwise at the same time?
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5. Who is Antigone professing her loyalty to in lines 69-77?
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Lines: 101-161
6. Contrast the picture of Polynices’ death drawn by the chorus (146), with Antigone's earlier discussion of
her brother (27).
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7. Describe what is being compared in the metaphor in line 112.
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8. What function does the chorus have in lines 155-161?
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Lines: 162-342
9. What does Creon put above private friendships and personal relationships?
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10. What is Creon’s decree in lines 193-214?
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11. Why does the guard enter so apprehensively and with so much fear in lines 226-285?
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12. Why does the chorus “chime in” on lines 286-287?
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13. How does Creon use the gods to justify his actions in lines 290-297? How is this different from Antigone’s
view of the gods?
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14. What does the guard mean in line 329? Why do you think he says that line?
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Lines: 343-391
15. What image of man does this ode depict in lines 343-374?
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16. What is the one thing that can “beat” man (370-374)?
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17. What are the rules that man should observe, and what are the consequences of breaking them (375-384)?
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Lines: 392-595
18. This scene shows us that _____________________________________ is the protagonist of the play, while
___________________________________ is the antagonist.
19. How does Antigone justify her actions based on the gods? What laws does she follow (459-472)?
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20. What is the chorus pointing out in lines 485-486? What is the Greek term for this?
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21. What is Antigone’s “second offense?” Why is Creon so firm against Antigone (in spite of being related to
her) (495-512)?
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22.
What was Ismene’s original stance
What did she change her mind
Why do you think she changed her
on the burial of Polynices?
about?
mind?
Give 3 reasons why Antigone doesn’t want Ismene to participate.
23. What new relationship is referenced in this section? How do you think this relationship will influence the
rest of the play?
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24. Who has always been a fool, and who just became a fool? Why? (577-578)
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Lines: 596-639
25. How does this ode describe the vengeance of Zeus?
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Lines: 640-794
26. What is Creon’s focus in lines 648-691? What is he telling Haimon? How does Creon feel about women in
general?
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27. How does Creon feel a ruler should act and be treated?
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28. What can we tell about Haemon’s personality in lines 694-735? What he attempting to do by speaking to
Creon this way?
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29. How does the discussion go between Haemon and Creon in lines 738-778? What point is Haemon trying
to make and how does Creon respond?
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30. What is Haemon implying with line 764?
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31. After this exchange, will Creon budge on his stance? Why? How do you know?
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32. Why does Creon chose the particular method of execution that he does (786-794)? What does this say
about Creon’s character?
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Lines: 795-948
33. What commentary is the chorus making about love in lines 795-808? What does love do to men (800805)?
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34. The chorus says Antigone is “heading for the bridal chamber” in line 813. Who are they implying she is a
bride to? (Hint: Look a bit further into the text, at Antigone’s next line that follows the chorus.)
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35. Antigone compares herself to Niobe in line 831. How is she like Niobe? (Read the marginal notes.)
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36. What function does the response of the chorus have in lines 840-844? (Read the marginal notes.)
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37. What conclusion does the chorus come to in lines 877-880? Does Antigone see herself as responsible for
her actions, or as more of a victim?
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38. How does Antigone explain herself in lines 910-925?
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Lines: 949-990
39. Why is Antigone compared to Danae in lines 949-959? What does this say about the power of fate?
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40. What is the overall purpose of this ode?
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Lines: 991-1099
41. Why does Tiresias tell Creon about the failed offering in lines 1001 to 1016?
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42. Which of Tiresias’ lines puts direct blame on Creon?
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43. What is Creon’s tragic flaw? What lines in Creon’s response to Tiresias (1038-1054) reveal his tragic flaw?
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44. What does Creon accuse Tiresias of during this exchange?
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45. What is the prophecy that Tiresias tell Creon in lines 1072-1099?
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46. What are Creon’s two crimes according to Tiresias in lines 132-137?
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Lines: 1100-1159
47. Explain the line, “…since I took this white hair in place of black, he has never spoken falsely to this city.”
that is spoken by the chorus.
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48. Why does Creon’s attitude change during his exchange with the chorus?
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49. What does Creon mean by “…keep the established laws…” in line 1123?
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50. Why does the chorus have an optimistic attitude at this point in the play?
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Lines: 1160-1267
51. What “cause and effect news” does the messenger report?
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52. What does Eurydice mean when she says, ”…I am already used to trouble.” in line 1198?
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53. Why did Antigone take her own life?
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54. Explain the lines 158-159 spoken by the chorus.
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Lines: 1268-End
55. In what way might Creon’s loss of his son be fitting punishment for his misjudgments?
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56. Who has applied blame to Creon and how?
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57. Eurydice, although only in the play briefly, plays a key role in Creon’s disaster. How?
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58. Describe the irony of the ending.
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59. Is Creon a tragic figure? Do you feel sympathy for him at the end as someone who initially tried to do
good yet was overwhelmed by circumstance?
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60. Could this play be called Creon instead? Why or why not?
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ESSAY QUESTIONS:
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5.
Should the audience feel sympathy for Creon? Does he deserve his fate? Why / why not?
Are the lessons of Sophocles truthful and/or valuable in today’s society? Why / why not?
What lessons can we learn from the stubbornness of both Antigone and Creon?
What messages about government and power are conveyed by the play’s end?
What function does off-stage action have in Antigone? Why, for example, does Sophocles sometimes
have messengers describe actions that have occurred rather than portraying events directly?
6. How is Antigone a tragic heroine? How is Creon a tragic hero?
THEMES:
Blindness vs. Sight: In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus mocks the blindness of the seer Tiresias, who responds by
telling Oedipus that he is blind to the corruption in his own life, and soon will be literally blind, too. Issues of
blindness and sight aren’t quite as obvious in Antigone, but the same basic tension is there. Tiresias gives the
current king, Creon, a warning, and the king is unable to see the wisdom of the seer’s words. Creon is blinded
by pride—his unwillingness to compromise, to listen to the opinions of his people, or to appear to be defeated
by a woman. The blind Tiresias can see that the gods are angry and that tragedy will strike if Creon doesn’t
rethink his decision and change his mind. Creon lacks the insight to see this. In that sense, he is blind.
Citizenship vs. Family Loyalty: Antigone and Creon represent the extreme opposite political views
regarding where a citizen of a city should place his or her loyalties. In the play, Creon has a strict definition of
citizenship that calls for the state to come first. From Creon’s perspective, Polynices has forfeited the right to
a proper burial as a citizen of Thebes because he has attacked the city. In fact, Creon is more devoted to his
laws than he is to even his own son Haemon’s happiness, refusing to pardon Antigone, his fiancé. Antigone,
on the other hand, places long held traditions and loyalty to her family above obedience to the city or to its
ruler. In doing so, she makes the case that there are loyalties to both the gods and one’s own family that
outweigh one’s loyalty to a city.
Civil Disobedience: Creon says that the laws enacted by the leader of the city “must be obeyed, large and
small, right and wrong.” In other words, Creon is arguing that the law is the basis for justice, so there can be
no such thing as an unjust law. Antigone, on the other hand, believes that there are unjust laws, and that she
has a moral duty to disobey a law that contradicts what she thinks is right. This is particularly the case when
the law of the city contradicts the customs of the people and the traditional laws of the gods. Antigone’s
decision not to follow Creon’s decree against giving Polynices a proper burial is therefore an example of civil
disobedience, or a refusal to obey the law on moral grounds.
Fate vs. Free Will: The ancient Greeks believed that their gods could see the future, and that certain people
could access this information. Independent prophets called “seers” saw visions of things to come. Long
before the beginning of Antigone, Oedipus, fulfilled one of the most famous prophecies in world literature—
that he would kill his father and marry his mother. Despite his efforts to avoid this terrible fate, it came to
pass. When Oedipus learned what he had inadvertently done, he gouged out his own eyes and was banished
from Thebes. Before dying, he prophesied that his two sons, Polynices and Eteocles, would kill each other in
the battle for Thebes. This, too, comes to pass. Yet when the prophet Tiresias visits Creon in Antigone, he
comes to deliver a warning, not an unavoidable prophecy. He says that Creon has made a bad decision, but
that he can redeem himself. While Oedipus never has a choice—his fate was sealed—in this case Creon seems
to have more free will. He chooses to remain stubborn, however, until it’s too late and he is caught in the grip
of a terrible fate that he can’t escape.