Name: ________________________________ Date: __________ Period: ___________
Antigone Discussion Questions: Prologue, Scene 1 and Scene 2
Directions: Answer each question thoroughly, (you may write on this paper). You
must write the page number where you found your answer.
1. What new suffering must Antigone and Ismene endure?
3. What does Antigone plan to do? Why? What consequences will she face?
3. Contrast Ismene and Antigone in terms of their character traits.
4. Why is it so important to Antigone that she give Polyneices a burial?
5. What is Antigone’s most notable characteristic in this section?
6. Why does Creon order that Eteocles be buried with great honors but that Polynices’ body be
left to rot on the battlefield where it lay?
7. What is Creon’s attitude toward the chorus?
8. For what reason has Creon called the chorus to the palace to speak with them?
9. What news does the sentry bring? How does Creon treat the sentry?
10. What character traits does Creon show in this scene (with the sentry)?
11. Why does Creon become angry with the choragos?
12. What is Creon’s belief regarding money and corruption? Do you agree with him?
13. What does the sentry report the second time he comes?
Name: ________________________________ Date: __________ Period: ___________
14. What does Antigone make clear to Creon?
15. What is the choragos’ opinion of Antigone?
16. When Ismene tries to take part of the blame/credit, Antigone refuses to let her. Do you
think that Antigone is trying to shield her sister from harm, or is she so stubborn and
headstrong that she would not let Ismene take any of the credit because Ismene refused to
become involved when Antigone had first asked her?
17. How does Creon treat Ismene and Antigone? What does this reveal about his attitude
toward others? What does he decide to do with them?
18. Give two more examples of Creon’s insensitivity from somewhere else in the play.
19. Do you think Antigone will live or die? Support your answer.
Questions for Antigone: Part 2
Answer the questions as thoroughly as possible.
What is the theme (central message) of Antigone? __________________________
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1. In your opinion, is Antigone or Creon the more tragic character? __________________
which suffers the great downfall? Give evidence from the play to support your answer.
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Name: ________________________________ Date: __________ Period: ___________
2. What role, if any, does fate—the Greek concept that lives are predetermined—play in each
downfall? _____________________________________________________________________
3. How is the struggle between Antigone and Creon resolved? __________________________
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4. Identify the climax, and list two events that take place in the resolution of the play. ________
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5. How does the resolution stress the tragic nature of the characters? ______________________
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6. How does the resolution reveal the play’s theme, or central message? ___________________
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7. With which character do you most identify—Antigone or Creon, or one of the others? Give reasons
or evidence from the play to support your answer. _______________________________
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8. Near the end of the play, Creon says, “The pains that men will take to come to pain!” How do his
words apply to contemporary society? _________________________________________
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9. . How do the checks and balances of democracy protect against Creon’s style of leadership?
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10. Creon says, “Oh it is hard to give in! but it is worse
To risk everything for stubborn pride.”
(a) How is it worse for Creon? ____________________________________________________
(b) If a leader or person in authority is wrong about something, should he/she admit it? Why or why
not? _____________________________________________________________________
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ESLRs: WHS students will be…**Inspired Learners**Effective
Communicators**Contributing Members of the Global Community