2. Write a speech to the demos from Creon’s perspective justifying his actions.
● Civil disobedience
● Satire ( King Creon is seen as a dominant/feared person and having these traits
would make sense if Creon includes satire in his slang)
● Overall an arrogant mood
● Creon ignores Tiresias warning as he does not see through his pride, he is blind
to see actions
● Unlike King Creon Antigone is loyal to her family, while Creon even having his
duties and being in a high authority position is only mindful of his fate and not
his family
She was as lost as a gazelle in a lion’s den simile
Polyneices was a traitor
Her actions were idiotic, stupid and disloyal rule of three
Repetition- eg. “I am not in the wrong”
Polysyndeton- using a lot of conjunctions in a single sentence
She was a rat metaphor
Even the birds were fighting because of her motif
1. Write an internal monologue from Ismene’s perspective reflecting on Antigone’s
and/or her own decisions leading to Antigone’s demise.
● Repetition- eg. “This isn’t fair?”
● She does not want to interfere with antigonis plan because she states their family
has suffered enough
● Metaphor- he is a rat
● I am sad, miserable and empty - rule of three
● He is as arrogant as a lion - simile
● Even the birds were fighting because of him motif
Introduction: addressing the audience, hook (150 words)
Middle: listing arguments/justifications for actions (250 words)
Justification: think he’s in the right because
- he is overly rational and logical and fails to see the
importance of familial love
- He think that he can overpower the gods’ laws through his
power (pride/arrogance)
- He is hypocritical, accusing others of being corrupted
where he is blind to his own corruption
Conclusion: Concluding that he is in the right and they should trust
his judgements as a king (50-100 words)
DRAFT: Attention Thebes, is it not arrant folly to pretend that the
gods would have a thought for this dead man? Did they not
forsooth award him a special grace. If you do not agree with the
civil right I provide thou hast disrespected my throne and your
place in Thebes! Do not displace me as one of thou as I am the
king. I was shocked when one of the guards informed Antigone
trying to bury her brother. There she was, clawing away like a
hyena… The family of Antigone has not only once but several
times disrespected my jurisdiction and got rightfully punished
and therefore deserved their fate if you believe I am in the wrong.
Die then, and love the dead if thou must; No woman shall be the
master while I live she was as lost as a gazelle in a lion’s den.
Antigone does not even deserve death as she broke the laws even
after I declared her not to do such an act once again. Her brother
did not deserve his burial as he was a traitor to the people of
Thebes and if thou do not believe he deserved such circumstance
are dull-witted beings and are disgraceful
Firstly, I have forewarned Antigone not to disobey me, she did the
opposite and buried Thebes betrayer. She has not buried
polyneices but twice, how dare she disrespect my throne and as
the position I am in right now what I did is justifiable considering
the fact that she claims she is in the right. She shall receive curses
and on her family… disliking my orders, and my rules, shame on
her!
Over and above this nonsense my family has been involved in this
massacre as well. It saddens and frustrates my heart when I know
exactly the reason tragedy has met their fate, Antigone. She
deserves to be in hell, now me and my family have met their place
up above. But if Antigone got away with defying my orders, then
everyone else would, too. Which would lead to the collapse of all
authority and order. So with all her actions and tragedy she
caused I had to send her away, for the town's development and
my beloved people of Thebes. Her actions were idiotic, stupid and
disloyal. Oh how I weep, I truly will never forgive any, who are
loyal to Antigone and truly never Antigone. She has caused me so
much pain and I truly feel like ending it all, but then she wins. I
need to help progress our city with my guide and power. Never
will we see a traitor like her again!
Thus this will provide experience for me and this community how to
handle beings like her and what to do in evil times like this. I
have lost my prince Haemon and my queen Eurydice. I will grief
and become sorrow but that is exactly not what is not needed. So I
will make this city great again starting from the bottom to the
top! If thou weep for Antigone be informed that I forewarned her
not to die as life is nothing more than the happiness that you get
out of it. But the effect of her death has heavily impacted me so
morally she deserved it. And for the people of Thebes I promise a
better society for eternity!
CREON
[...
Is it not arrant folly to pretend
That gods would have a thought for this dead man?
Did they forsooth award him special grace,
And as some benefactor bury him,
Who came to fire their hallowed sanctuaries,
To sack their shrines, to desolate their land,
And scout their ordinances? Or perchance
The gods bestow their favors on the bad.
No! no! I have long noted malcontents
Who wagged their heads, and kicked against the yoke,
Misliking these my orders, and my rule.
'Tis they, I warrant, who suborned my guards
By bribes. Of evils current upon earth
The worst is money. Money 'tis that sacks
Cities, and drives men forth from hearth and home;
Warps and seduces native innocence,
And breeds a habit of dishonesty.
[...]
Ideas/Themes
Explain in one paragraph how you explore ideas, themes and characters
from
‘Antigone’.
Remember to explain how you have drawn these ideas, themes and
messages from Sophocles’
original text ‘Antigone’. You may discuss what Sophocles’ original
message and intentions were.
-
-
civil disobedience - people in power and authority figures
demonstrate corruption and civil disobedience. They are easily
influenced by their immense power to take advantage of them/ be
blinded by their pride. Therefore, in my creative, I aim to illustrate
Creon’s inability to recognise his shortcomings wrongly believe
that his actions were justified, showing that he has not fulfilled his
civil duty in a just/moral way.
Greediness - actions, aftereffects of his actions in a unsympathetic
way, demonstrating Creon’s greed in maintaining his power and
his pride as a result of this.
pride
Language/Literary Devices
Explain in one paragraph what literary devices you chose to utilise in
your writing.
Remember: you should try to mimic/modify Sophocles use of literary
devices and make textual
Connections.
-
repetition/rule of three -Creon’s belief in his authority, leading to
his pride. Reinforcing that Creon has no doubts over his actions
and his rule
Metaphor/similes - Creon looks down on others by comparing
them to animals, dehumanising them and perceiving people as
objects that he can tame and control.
Attention people of Thebes! How dare thou support such a disobedient traitor? How
dare you think such a fool who violates my commands? How dare you clueless people
think those mindless snakes weren’t served right? This is outrageous! I am the king, and
under no circumstances must one disobey me. I warned Antigone several times and she
still didn’t listen. You all must understand that the rules and laws I establish cannot be
broken. She was as lost as a hopeless gazelle lost in a lion’s den. Her actions were
idiotic, stupud and self centered. After all I have done for this city and its people, how
dare thou support such a disobedient traitor? The fact that Antigone had done such a
disgusting act by burying her renegade brother, and you all still think she shouldn't
have been punished is horrendous! Antigone was a rat, and I did what had to be done.
To begin with, I informed and warned Antigone multiple times about the consequences
that she will face, but she still disobeyed me. She disobeyed her king. How dare she?
She thinks that the so called ‘divine’ law is more important than her own town’s laws.
She illegally performed not one, but two burials and she still has the audacity and
courage to insult me on my throne. Though I do admit that I feel bad for as she was my
son’s fiance, I did what was morally acceptable. I did what we all knew was right. She
deserved it. May Antigone rot in Tartarus with her Polyneices. Even nature was
disrupted and birds were pecking at eachother in the sky because of HER.
Furthermore, how must one that lives in my town think that they are above my laws.
That is just outrageous. How must one be so foolish to think that; and how dare thou
still support such a disobedient traitor? You must all be insane alongside Antigone, in
order to think that your king is wrong. When I say nobody is above my law, I mean that
nobody is above my law. When I say that I have the most advanced and fair rules, I
mean that I have the most advanced and fair rules. I mean everything I say, so trust me
when I say that Antigone deserved what she received.
Lastly, now I have to live with shame and guilt for the rest of my life because of
Antigone, so how dare thou still support such a disobedient traitor? Antigone is the
reason that my beloved Haemon and Eurydice are dead. She is the reason that I will feel
sadness and not joy everywhere I go. You guys supporting this just makes it worse.
Why would you all want to see your king suffer over what was right? If Antigone
listened and realised she was doing the wrong thing, your queen and future king would
be alive. If Antigone didn’t do the wrong thing, none of us would have been here right
now. More importantly, if Antigone didn’t do the wrong thing your leader wouldn’t
suffer. This feels like the end of me. I am in low spirits. I guess one can say that this is as
sad as the destruction of humanity. I am miserable, sorrowful and regretful. How must
you all still think that I am in the wrong when Eurydice and Haemon are dead. How
must you all still think that Antigone is in the right when she was the reason others
died?
No living creature could possibly execute a worse act than Antigone. All I am asking for
is for you, the citizens of Thebes, to wake up to reality. All I ask for it to open your eyes
and realise that I am right. I did the right thing! Anyone who disobeys my rules will be
punished! Polyneices was a traitor. Traitors don’t deserve burials and I can assure you
that neither does Antigone. No one must and no one will disobey me, their leader and
king. You must all obey me! Wake up to reality!