Antigone Introduction
Theme – religion vs. state
1. Antigone- she is the protagonist , she feel she needs
to break the law for religious beliefs
2. Ismene- antigones sister , believes that her sister
should obey the law
3. Eurydice- creons wife , Antigone and ismene’s aunt
4. Creon- king of thebes ( maternal)uncle of Antigone
and ismenes
5. Haimon- creons son and engaged to Antigone
6. Teiresias – blind prophet
7. Chorus – represents the beliefs and knowledge or
thebes
8. Choragus- leader of chorus
9. Guard- he is preventing the burial of polyneices
10.Polyneices- is dead , brother of antigone and
ismene ,and he brought the army of argos against
Eteocles his brother and king of thebes
11. Eteocles- is dead killed by polynecices he died
defending his right to rule thebes
Setting:
Thebes immidetly after the attack of the argive army
Conflict: creon has forbidden the burial of
polynecices this is against Antigone who must bury
her brother or condemn his soul to hell
Creons reason for not burying polynencices is that
he brought a foreign army against thebes he wants
to prevent further revolution
Role –
Miryam and rider are directors
Robbie – stage directions
Antigone- Ashley
Creon- sebation
Haimon- teddy
Kolten, Dominick, and pedro- chorus
John – the guard
Kat – notes
Jenna- back up notes
Taylor p.- ismene
Eurydice- kayla
Choragus- Michael, alejandro, and j.
Teiresias- Cristian
Taylor m. and alex – servants
Backup people – shola , Victoria , and Carolina
1. Characterize Antigone: find lines that characterize
her.
2. “Creon is not strong enough to stand against
me.”(Sophacles, L36). So this means that she feels
that no matter how big and powerful creon is that
she is bigger and that he will not stop her.
3. Characterize Ismene :
4. What is the punishment for burying Polynenecies
– being stoned in the public square.
5. To whom do we have a greater obligation the
living or the dead - we have a greater obligation
to the dead because death is eternal.
6. Carrion birds/ vultures who feed on dead animals
7. Sophocles, L. 66-67 (Ismene is a law-binding
citizen, she does what she is told. She does not
have strength to break the laws.)
Notes from choragos: Thebes had seven gates, it is a
very big city and vulnerable to attack. They have to
have money and many soldiers to protect the city.
Stanza 1: polynecies is a commanding figure ,
arrogance , prideful , traitor , selfish
Thebes response to the attack: the city is angry
without fear “ they rose like a screaming dragon”
(line 20)
They gods do not like pride and arrogance and
punish severely.
Polynecies fell and died
The 7 generals of Thebes decide to let the two
brother fight for the throne
After the battle Thebes feels happy, celebratory
Scene 1:
Creon characterization: was not afraid to speak out
for what he believes – (line 29, “I should not be
afraid to speak out plainly”), he is brave (line 46-49, “
and the birds and the scavenging dogs can do with
his whatever they like...as long as I am king no traitor
will be honored.”)
Creon’s decry was that polynecies does not get a
burial and that Eteocles will get full honors.
Here Creon is engaging the elder of the city of
potentially accepting bribes
What is the guard telling Creon and what is his
response?
-the guard told Creon about the body being
disturbed and that they think it’s the gods not the
guards.
“What a tragedy it is when the right judge judges
wrongly”
how does this characterize the guard?
Creon just wants to blain someone but the guard
tells him he’s making a mistake
Name:
Seminar topic: when is it morally right to break the
law?
Text title: Antigone
Author: Sophocles
Opening question(s):
1. What conditions are necessary and sufficient to
warrant “moral” civil disobedience?
2. Is Creon justified in prohibiting Polyneice’s burial?
3. Is Antigone justified in trying to save her brother’s
soul?
4. Could you ever see yourself breaking the law to do
what is right? Please explain.
1. summery of key ideas: (at least 5)
2. that Antigone was justified because he was her
brother and even though he was a traitor the
family should still be able to decide if he should
be buried… the entire family should decide not
just Creon
3. No because it’s not moral to feed the dead to
wild animals… no because even though he was a
traitor he is still family
4. yes because if someone was attempting to
murder you in self-defense it is ok to kill them…
yes to lethal force on a assailant
5.
6.
Reaction:
1. Who does she want to bury his body if he is
attacking their city and she’s inside the city
putting his family in danger.
2. Disagreement with Creon because of the
relation to family
3. Agree with j you done need to bury him
within or by the city but you should still bury
him for religious beliefs and reason.
4. Creon is the ruler so he gets to decide he is
the law… even if he had the final say he
should of consulted the family… family should
come first you won’t have more power…if you
really disagree with the law you have a moral
right
5. In most cases it not against the law to kill in
self-defense… use self-defense you can give a
warning shot … at the same time even if its
legal you’re not morally clean…