Antigone
Questions for Discussion
Literature and Language
1. The play opens with a dialogue between Antigone and Ismene. How do their attitudes
toward Creon’s decree characterize the two sisters? Do you support Antigone’s defense
of her civil disobedience? Is she a character we are meant to admire? Do you admire
her? Explain.
2. How does Antigone differentiate between human and divine law? How is this distinction
at the thematic heart of the play?
3. At the start of the play, what motivates Creon? What reasons does he give for his edict?
How do his definitions of terms such as “traitor” and “patriot” reveal his concerns?
4. The first encounter between Antigone and Creon begins with her statement, “I did it. I
don’t deny a thing” (l. 493). From then on in the scene, each character presents an
argument defending his or her position. What are these arguments? What assumptions
underlie them? At what point does accusation and name-calling begin to replace logical
argument?
5. How convincing is Ismene’s change of heart beginning on line 604? Do you believe her?
Why or why not?
6. What words would best describe Haemon? What is Haemon’s strategy going into his
conversation with Creon (l. 710)? How would you describe Creon’s reasoning in his
conversation with Haemon? What does this conflict say about the power of reason and
authority?
7. What role do marriage and the image of the bridal chamber play in Antigone? Consider
Antigone’s speech as she is being taken away (ll. 979-1013), the scene in which Haemon
is discovered in the tomb (ll. 1345-72), and the death of Eurydice.
8. In their encounter, Creon accuses Tiresias of being motivated by the desire for money
(beginning 1. 1091). Why? What other instances have there been of Creon responding to
resistance with accusations of bribery or monetary gain? What does this pattern say
about Creon as a leader?
9. Over the course of his confrontation with Tiresias (beginning l. 1091), Creon reverses his
position several times. Why? What causes shift from heeding the prophet’s advice as he
has in the past to denouncing Tiresias’s prophecies and finally to taking the prophet’s
advice to heart?
10. What is Sophocles’ position regarding the actions of Antigone and Creon? How can you
tell? What does the play have to say about the conflict between order and civil
disobedience and about the nature of justice and injustice? What does it say about the
nature of peace?
11. What does the play tell us about how “a sense of judgment, wisdom / is the greatest gift
we have” (ll. 1166-67)? Do you think Sophocles is arguing against acting on passion and
convictions?
12. Antigone focuses our attention on the conflict between public and private realms, the
divisive impact of war on families, and the consequences of differing views of honor.
How do these issues manifest themselves in conflicts we see going on today?