Annotated by Kerri Beauchesne Miller
ELA Academy
LEGEND
Rhetorical devices (Ethos, pathos, logos)
Diction
Allusions
Metaphors
Motifs
SCENE: Before the Palace of Creon, King of Thebes. A central double door, and two
lateral doors. A platform extends the length of the façade, and from this platform
three steps lead down into the “orchestra”, or chorus-ground. TIME: Dawn of the
day after the repulse of the Argive army from the assault on Thebes.
PROLOGUE
[ANTIGONE and ISMENE enter from the central door of the Palace.]
ANTIGONE:
Ismene, dear sister,
You would think that we had already suffered enough
For the curse on Oedipus:1
I cannot imagine any grief
That you and I have not gone through. And now ––
Have they told you of the new decree of our King Creon?
ISMENE:
I have heard nothing: I know
That two sisters lost two brothers, a double death
In a single hour; and I know that the Argive army
Fled in the night; but beyond this, nothing.
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ANTIGONE:
I thought so. And that is why I wanted you
To come out here with me. There is something we must do.
ISMENE:
Why do you speak so strangely?
Commented [KM1]: ALLUSION: The story of Oedipus is
explained briefly in the footnote. WHY does she bring it up?
She is about to break the terrible news of Creon’s decree
forbidding the burial of Polyneices, and referring briefly to
the great tragedies their family has already suffered is a way
to ease into it, rather than just hitting Ismene with the news
with no preparation. WHY is the “curse” significant? She
argues that the situation with Polyneices is a continuation of
that curse. WHY does she think that? She clearly believes
that the gods are willing to punish children for the sins of
their parents (even if the parents didn’t even know they were
doing wrong). WHY else does she bring it up? Antigone is
part of a series of plays that deal with the family history of
Oedipus. Alluding to the curse of Oedipus at the very
beginning of the play is a signal to the audience that the two
stories are connected and notifies/reminds them that
Antigone and Ismene were two of Oedipus’s children.
ANTIGONE:
Listen, Ismenê:
Creon buried our brother Eteoclês
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Oedipus, once King of Thebes, was the father of Antigone and Ismene, and of their brothers Polyneices and Eteocles. Oedipus
unwittingly killed his father, Laios, and married his own mother, Iocaste. When he learned what he had done, he blinded himself
and left Thebes. Eteocles and Polyneices quarreled, Polyneices was driven out but returned to assault Thebes. In the battle each
brother killed the other; Creon became king and ordered that Polyneices be left to rot unburied on the battlefield as a traitor.
[Editors’ note]
Commented [KM2]: DICTION: Antigone’s speech to
Ismene is written in high, formal style. WHY? This sounds
more like a formal speech to a crowd or a king, not to a
sister. WHY? She wants to impress the seriousness of the
situation on her. WHY? The consequences extend beyond
death. WHY? The gods will punish those who break their
laws. WHY? The gods demand a certain reverence for life
and respect to the bodies of the dead.
With military honors, gave him a soldier’s funeral,
And it was right that he should; but Polyneicês,
Who fought as bravely and died as miserably,-They say that Creon has sworn
No one shall bury him, no one mourn for him,
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But this body must lie in the fields, a sweet treasure
For carrion birds to find as they search for food.
That is what they say, and our good Creon is coming here
To announce it publicly; and the penalty ––
Stoning to death in the public square!
There it is,
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And now you can prove what you are:
Commented [KM4]: DICTION and METAPHOR: She
uses poetic diction to describe her brother’s body; it is also a
metaphor (he is not literally a treasure, as in gold and jewels,
but he is a treasure in her heart). WHY? She wants to
emphasize how precious his body is. WHY? Because she
loved him and is mourning his death. WHY? Also because
his body is being treated as the opposite of precious – it was
thrown out like the trash. WHY does this matter so much? It
feels like her brother is being disrespected and shamed.
WHY? This also comes back to the gods demanding the
dead be buried with proper ceremony.
A true sister, or a traitor to your family.
ISMENE:
Antigone, you are mad! What could I possibly do?
ANTIGONE:
You must decide whether you will help me or not.
ISMENE:
I do not understand you. Help you in what?
ANTIGONE:
Ismene, I am going to bury him. Will you come?
ISMENE:
Bury him! You have just said the new law forbids it.
Commented [KM3]: PATHOS: Antigone vividly
describes a scene in which vultures are tearing strips of flesh
off of their brother’s body and eating it. WHY? She wants to
shock and horrify Ismene. WHY? Since Ismene has not seen
her brother’s body, Antigone might suspect that his unburied
body will just be abstract to Ismene, an idea that has little
real emotional impact on her beyond simple grief at his
death. WHAT effect would that abstraction have on Ismene?
She would be less likely to disobey Creon’s order and help
bury Polyneices. WHAT effect does Antigone hope her
verbal picture of his body will have? She hopes that
Ismene’s horror at this disrespectful treatment of his body
will prompt her to help bury him.
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Commented [KM5]: DICTION and PATHOS: She calls
attention to these words through the use of alliteration (the
repetition of the “t” sound at the beginning of “true” and
“traitor.”) WHY? It highlights their importance in her
argument: what it all comes down to is for Ismene to prove
whether she loves her family or not. WHY? The words
“true” and “traitor” also carry connotations that are
important. “True” connotes steadfast loyalty, a person who
will never waver from what is right: a strong positive.
“Traitor,” on the other hand, is a strong negative. It conjures
images of the Judas who sells out a good friend for profit and
implies a person who is a no-good, lowdown scumbag.
WHY give Ismene these two particular options? It is obvious
what the “correct” answer is: if Ismene refuses to help, then
she is a traitor, the worst of the worst. This may also be
considered a “false alternative” fallacy: Antigone presents
two and only two choices, when in fact Ismene might like to
think that there is at least one other option – declining to help
and retaining her honor. Although she loved her brother and
respects the gods, she thinks it is foolish to throw her life
away on a gesture that won’t actually help her brother. WHY
is this false alternative significant? It reveals that Antigone is
a strong, forceful woman who is determined to get her way.
In this way, Antigone is more like the male hero stereotype
than the passive, weak female stereotype (which is embodied
by Ismene).
ANTIGONE:
He is my brother. And he is your brother, too.
ISMENE:
But think of the danger! Think what Creon will do!
ANTIGONE:
Creon is not enough to stand in my way.
ISMENE:
Ah sister!
Oedipus died, everyone hating him
For what his own search brought to light, his eyes
Ripped out by his own hand; and Iocaste died,
His mother and wife at once: she twisted the cords
That strangled her life; and our two brothers died,
Each killed by the other’s sword. And we are left:
But oh, Antigone,
Think how much more terrible than these
Our own death would be if we should go against Creon
And do what he has forbidden! We are only women,
We cannot fight with men, Antigone!
The law is strong, we must give in to the law
In this thing, and in worse. I beg the Dead
To forgive me, but I am helpless: I must yield
To
those in authority. And I think it is dangerous business
To be always meddling.
ANTIGONE:
If that is what you think,
I should not want you, even if you asked to come.
You have made your choice, you can be what you want to be.
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Commented [KM6]: ALLUSION: Ismene alludes to
(mentions without detailed explanation) various aspects of
their family history, which is part of the saga of Oedipus.
WHY? She focuses on how each person brought about his or
her own downfall. WHY? Antigone mentioned their family
tragedies first, so Ismene is using the same history to
contradict her. HOW? Antigone is basically saying,
“Haven’t we suffered enough? Let’s stand up for ourselves
and our family honor.” Ismene says, “All of these tragedies
could have been prevented if they had simply minded their
own business and not sought conflict with others.” WHY?
This is part of Ismene’s argument for not disobeying Creon’s
order.
But I will bury him; and if I must die,
I say that this crime is holy: I shall lie
down With him in death, and I shall be as
dear To him as he to me.
It is the dead
Not the living, who make the longest demands:
We die for ever…
You may do as you like
Since apparently the laws of the gods mean nothing to you.
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Commented [KM7]: LOGOS and PATHOS: This is both
a logical argument and an emotional one. If one accepts the
view of the gods that Antigone espouses, then it is a simple
fact that the afterlife is far longer than the actual life, and
thus your fate in the afterlife should be of much greater
importance. Therefore, one should make the gods happy (by
following their laws, in this case regarding burial of the
dead) even at the expense of great suffering during life. But
it is also an emotional argument: there is great pride in her
assertion that “this crime is holy,” and she strongly implies
that Ismene should fear the afterlife consequences of not
helping.
ISMENE:
They mean a great deal to me, but I have no strength
To break laws that were made for the public good.
ANTIGONE:
That must be your excuse, I suppose. But as for me,
I will bury the brother I love.
Commented [KM8]: PATHOS: This accusation fits in
with the false alternative from earlier: either you help (and
respect the gods) or you do not help (which means you do
not respect the gods at all). Ismene contradicts this false
alternative in the next two lines, but Antigone refuses to
accept Ismene’s explanation. WHY does Antigone accuse
Ismene in this way? She is trying to get a rise out of Ismene
and shame her into helping. WHY does she change from her
earlier tactic of simply explaining the situation to one in
which she is insulting her sister? When the first tactic
doesn’t work, she tries something stronger. She hopes that if
love for her brother isn’t a strong enough motive, that fear of
the gods in the afterlife (for eternity!) will do the trick.
ISMENE:
Antigone,
I am so afraid for you!
ANTIGONE:
You need not be:
You have yourself to consider, after all.
ISMENE:
But no one must hear of this, you must tell no one!
I will keep it a secret, I promise!
ANTIGONE:
Oh tell it! Tell everyone
Think how they’ll hate you when it all comes out
If they learn that you knew about it all the time!
ISMENE:
So fiery! You should be cold with fear.
ANTIGONE:
Perhaps. But I am doing only what I must.
ISMENE:
But can you do it? I say that you cannot.
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Commented [KM9]: METAPHOR: Ismene figuratively
associates fire with Antigone’s bravery and determination
and cold with the emotion of fear. WHAT does fire
symbolize? Literal fire is hot, and it has its good and bad
sides. Carefully controlled, it can provide much-needed heat,
protection from wild animals, cook food, and so on.
Uncontrolled, however, it can burn and destroy. WHY does
Ismene use this for Antigone’s bravery and determination?
From the context, it is clear that Ismene sees Antigone’s
“fire” as being negative; therefore, she is saying that
Antigone’s bravery and determination to bury Polyneices
despite Creon’s order will be as destructive to herself and
those around her (namely, Ismene) as a fire would be.
WHAT does cold symbolize? Enough cold can cause
freezing, which would literally mean the slowing or halting
of motion. WHY does she associate it with fear? She thinks
that Antigone should be afraid of Creon’s power and that the
fear should stop her from taking action.
ANTIGONE
Very well: when my strength gives out, I shall do no more.
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ISMENE:
Impossible things should not be tried at all.
ANTIGONE:
Go away, Ismene:
I shall be hating you soon, and the dead will too, For
your words are hateful. Leave me my foolish plan:
I am not afraid of the danger; if it means death,
It will not be the worst of deaths ––death without honor.
ISMENE:
Go then, if you feel that you must.
You are unwise,
But a loyal friend indeed to those who love you.
[Exit into the Palace. ANTIGONE goes off, L. Enter the CHORUS.]
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Commented [KM10]: MOTIFS: All of the text
highlighted in gray consists of motifs related to death. Taken
together, they help to paint a picture of Antigone’s attitude
and beliefs regarding death and the afterlife. The “carrion”
eating their “sweet treasure” are imbued with a sense of
horror because leaving the dead unburied is a great offense
to the gods. The dead are apparently aware of what is
happening in the world of the living, for they can “hat[e]”
and “forgive” you and be “dear” to each other. There are also
some “demands” they can make of each other in the afterlife
(seemingly of a moral nature), which will be affected by
whether one dies with or without “honor.”
Commented [KM11]: DICTION: Ismene avoids the
“either-or” characterization that Antigone used. Instead, she
says that Antigone has both negative and positive traits
(instead of all one or the other, true sister OR traitor).
WHY? She recognizes that not everything is black and white
– it isn’t as simple as Antigone makes it out to be. WHY
does she both criticize and praise Antigone? She is more
interested in being a peacemaker than in being a
revolutionary. WHY does she praise Antigone after
Antigone insulted her? From one perspective, one might say
that she has refused to fall prey to the pathos in Antigone’s
argument and instead remains true to herself, doing what she
thinks is right but not holding Antigone’s negativity against
her. From another perspective, she feels guilty because she
knows that Antigone is right; ashamed at her own cowardice,
she offers a weak praise of that determination that she wish
she possessed.