Antigone
- Created by: AmyBurns
- Created on: 25-04-17 18:44
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- Antigone
- Characters
- Antigone- daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta.
- Isolated: never mentions Haemon and cuts herself from Ismene. Martyr complex. doesn't fit Sophrosyne.
- Creon- new king of Thebes, uncle of Ismene and Antigone.
- Nomos over Themis. Trying to make Thebes strong again. quick to anger when threatened. Quick to try and fix his mistakes.
- Ismene - Sister of Antigone.
- The foil (contrast) to her strong sister. follows sophrosyne, can't violate a mans law. Is rewarded for 'knowing her place'.
- Haemon- Son of Creon and Eurydice, engaged to Antigone.
- Tactfully tries to convince Creon to release Antigone.Tells the audience what the rest of Thebes think.
- Tiresias- blind prophet.
- Eurydice- Wife of Creon.
- Antigone- daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta.
- Themes
- Stubbornness/ pride
- Excess stubbornness and pride caused Antigone's death and Creon's downfall. Creon shows the how the Gods punish excessive pride, However even Antigone isn't immune despite following the Gods.
- Nomos vs Themis
- Creon is trying to protect the state by showing strength after time of war, Antigone defying this threats the state but Creon's hubris in protecting the state causes him to defy Themis.
- Role of Women
- Antigone being a woman threatens Creon all the more as it emphasises his weakness if a woman can defy him, He thinks that letting a woman defy him goes against divine law.
- Tyranny
- Constantly changing from republic to Dictatorship meant the Greeks particularly sensitive to tyranny. While starting with noble intentions Creon then priorities the law over the good of the city.
- Stubbornness/ pride
- Chorus
- Parados- victory of peace and talks of the brutalities of war.
- Stasimon 1: Talks of the wonders of man and the problems that come when the laws of man aren't in line with the laws of the Gods,
- Stasimon 2: talks of the supreme power of the Gods and the possibility of curses they can afflict.
- Stasimon 3: talks of the power love has to make us do dangerous and reckless things.
- Stasimon 4: compares Antigone to other young Heroes who have died early.
- Stasimon 5: Honors the Gods and asks, especially Dionysus to protect Thebes.
- The Chorus are old Theban citizens and a leader, Creon uses them to give him advice, show a male dominated society.
- Plot
- Prologue:war of two brothers just ended, Creon made decree forbidding Polynices to be buried. Antigone asks Ismene to help bury, argue when Ismene is too afraid to.
- Episode 1: Creon officially announces decree. Sentry says body has been buried. Sentry runs away planning to never return.
- Episode 2: Sentry brings Antigone to Creon. Antigone tells Creon he is wrong. Creon first sentences Ismene and Antigone to death, then just Antigone.
- Episode 3: Haemon first flatters Creon and tries to convinve him to free Antigone nicely, when fails they argue he swears never see him again.
- Episode 4: Antigone is taken to her tomb, mourns how she will never marry. Hopes that the Gods will make Creon suffer.
- Episode 5: Tiresias tells Creon of the Gods unhappiness, they argue but Creon quickly agrees to free Antigone and bury Polynices.
- Exodus-Messenger enters saying Haemon is dead.Creon had buried Polynices before releasing Antigone and she had died, Eurydice walks off stage to kill herself. Creon mourns.
- Comparison
- Dangers of Tyranny- both Creon and Oedipus are paranoid that people are try to over throw them, believing all are motivated by money or power.
- Creon (To Tiresias): "You and the whole breed of seers are mad for money!"
- Oedipus: "this is the man you'd try and overthrow?"
- Like in Medea, Antigone has a foil, Ismene, to show how women are meant to behave and be. In Medea this is Glauce as she is a legitimate Greek and isn't seen or heard in the whole play- perfect sophrosyne.
- It could be argued that in both Antigone and Hippolytus both characters are punished for excessively following the Gods.
- Dangers of Tyranny- both Creon and Oedipus are paranoid that people are try to over throw them, believing all are motivated by money or power.
- Turning points
- When Haemon tells Creon that Antigone should be released.
- The point where Haemon decided to committed suicide leading to his mother's death and Creon's downfall.
- When Tiresias informs Creon the Gods are unhappy.
- This is the first point where Creon changes his mind and listens to the advice given to him.
- When the sentry brings Antigone to Creon.
- If she hadn't been caught then she wouldn't have been sentenced to death and Haemon and Eurydice wouldn't have died.
- When Haemon tells Creon that Antigone should be released.
- Characters
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