Name: ______________________________
Period: _______
Antigone by Sophocles
English 10 CP
Reading Guide
THE GREEK THEATER: Read pages 808-809 to define the following terms.
DRAMATIC STRUCTURE
1. Prologue:
2. Parados:
3. Odes:
4. Paean:
5. Exodos:
THE CHORUS
1. Choragos:
2. Strophe:
3. Antistrophe:
4. Epode:
PROLOGUE
1. PROTAGONIST: Page 815 - What do we learn about Antigone? How do these qualities help her as a
Protagonist?
2. CONFLICT: What conflict between Antigone and Creon does Antigone begin explaining here?
3. What order will Creon give about Polyneices’ body?
4. SUMMARIZE: Page 816 - Review Ismene’s speech and retell the tragic history of Antigone’s family.
Name: ______________________________
Period: _______
5. PROTAGONIST: What personality traits make Ismene unlike Antigone? What personality traits make
Antigone the stronger character? (pg. 816)
6. What details in Antigone’s speech give the reader reason to sympathize with Antigone? (lines 54-66)
7. Which details of the image on pg. 817 convey the intense emotions of Antigone and Ismene’s
conversation?
8. What does Antigone ask Ismene to decide?
9. SUMMARIZE: Reread the Parados on pg. 818 and summarize Polyneices’ attack on Thebes.
10. What is the subject or idea of Creon’s point of view? (pg. 819-820, lines 20-34) How might his point of
view be different if he were a subject rather than a leader of the state?
11. Why is Creon named the king?
12. ANTAGONIST: How do Creon’s words in lines 42-49 show that he is Antigone’s antagonist?
13. SUMMARIZE: Summarize the main points in Creon’s speech (lines 35-52)
14. Why does the Sentry hesitate when responding to Creon? (pg. 821, lines 63-72)
15. What has happened to Polyneices’ body?
16. SUMMARIZE: Summarize the Sentry’s report through line 102.
Name: ______________________________
Period: _______
17. ANTAGONIST: Why does Creon not think the gods will favor burying Polyneices? What does
Creon’s fear of people scheming against him show about his conflict with Antigone?
18. PROTAGONIST: What characteristics does Antigone display?
19. What does Creon order the Sentry to do?
20. SUMMARIZE: Summarize the main ideas of the Chorus’s ode in lines 10-14 on pages 824-825.
21. What has the sentry seen Antigone doing?
22. ANTAGONIST: Has Creon realized that he is Antigone’s antagonist before this point on page 826?
23. PROTAGONIST: What laws does Antigone say she follows in burying Polyneices? How has she
broken the law according to Creon?
24. Which details in Scene II solidify Antigone’s role as the protagonist and Creon’s role as the
antagonist?
25. What is Antigone’s response to the charges on pg. 827?
26. ANTAGONIST: What two crimes does Creon accuse Antigone of? What additional motive beyond
upholding the law does Creon reveal here?
27. Why does Antigone beg Creon to kill her?
Name: ______________________________
Period: _______
28. SUMMARIZE: Summarize the argument between Creon and Antigone on page 829, lines120-130.
29. What does Creon decide will be done with Antigone?
30. PROTAGONIST: Why does Ismene now want to share the guilt for burying Polyneices? How does
the contrast between the sisters emphasize Antigone’s role as the protagonist?
31. Who is Haimon?
32. PROTAGONIST/ANTAGONIST: What fact may force Haimon to become involved in the conflict
between Creon and Antigone?
33. What does Ismene say she wants to do?
34. SUMMARIZE: Summarize the main ideas in the concluding ode.