Antigone Test English 10
Oedipus
Jocasta
Creon
Antigone
Ismene Eteocles
Sophocles Polybus
Name_____________________________
Eurydice
Teiresias
Haimon
Polyneices
Laius
Sphinx
Part I Identification. Using each of the above names only once, fill in the blanks to
identify these figures. (2.5 points each)
1. ______________ a resident of Colonus, near Athens, from 496- 406 BC. He
wrote the plays Oedipus the King and Antigone.
2. ______________daughter of Oedipus who broke the law and buried her brother.
3. ______________ wife and mother of Oedipus. She is Queen of Thebes.
4. ______________ a monster who terrifies Thebes until Oedipus solves her riddle
and she throws herself into the sea.
5. ______________ a prophet. He tells Oedipus the truth about who killed Laius and
comes back to predict doom for Creon.
6. ______________ son of Creon, engaged to Antigone.
7. ______________ Antigone’s sister, she refuses to help Antigone because she is
afraid of breaking Creon’s law.
8.
9.
_____________ brother of Jocasta, brother-in-law (and uncle) of Oedipus. He
becomes King of Thebes after Oedipus leaves the city and the sons of Oedipus
both die in battle.
____________ wife of Creon and Queen of Thebes (after Jocasta hangs herself).
10. _____________ King of Corinth. Oedipus believes that this man is his real
father, but in fact he has only adopted Oedipus.
11. ______________ King of Thebes and Oedipus’ real father. Oedipus kills him on
the road from Corinth.
12. ______________King of Thebes after Laius. It has been predicted that this man
will kill his own father and marry his own mother.
13. _____________________ brother of Antigone and son of Oedipus who brings
the Argive army to Thebes to fight for the throne against his brother. Creon
decrees that no one can bury him and his body is left to rot on the filed.
14. ______________________ brother of Antigone who fights for Thebes and is
buried with full military honors.
Part II Short answer. Use complete sentences for each answer. Answer all parts of
the questions. Be detailed and refer directly to the text when possible. (4 points each)
15. Why are Polyneices and Eteocles fighting? How does the battle end? How does
Creon decree each of them should be treated?
16. When Antigone is sentenced to die, Ismene changes her mind and says she wants
to die too. Why does Ismene decide to share her sister’s sentence? What does
Antigone have to say about this?
17. Haimon argues with Creon about Antigone’s sentence. What are two reasons he
gives for Creon to change his mind? How do Creon and Haimon differ in their
visions of how a city should be ruled?
18. When Teiresias tells Creon that he will soon have to pay for Antigone’s death,
Creon does not change his mind about the sentence. Who changes his mind
finally? How does Creon end up “paying” for the death of Antigone?
19. What is a moral or message of the play that is directly applicable to your life?
20. What is the climax of Antigone? What happens during the “denouement,” or
falling action?
21. This play was originally presented at the festival of Dionysus. In what ways is the
play a religious celebration?
Part III Quotes. For each quotation be sure to identify: A speaker, B. context (what’s
going on in the play?), and C. Significance (why it’s important). Ismene and Tiresias
each have one quote. Creon has two and Antigone has two. (3 points each)
22. “Come, each of you,/ take up axes,/…I and my better judgement/ have come
round to this- I shackled her,/ I’ll set her free myself.”
23. “There you have it. You’ll soon show what you are,/ worth your breeding, Ismene,
or a coward-/ for all your royal blood.”
24. “Enough./ Give me glory! What greater glory could I win/ than to give my own
brother decent burial?/ These citizens here would all agree,/ they’d praise me too/
if their lips weren’t locked in fear.”
25. “why, if I bring up my own kin to be rebels,/ think what I’d suffer from the world
at large.”
26. “The chariot of the sun will not race through/ so many circuits more, before you
have surrendered/ one of your own loins, your own flesh and blood”
27. “we must be sensible. Remember we are women,/ we’re not born to contend with
men.”
Part IV Extra Credit Questions (3 points each)
28. Who is more responsible for the outcome of the play, the characters, acting of their
own free will, or the gods, who have decided upon a given fate for individuals?
Remember to give details from the text to make your argument.
29. What basis do Creon and Antigone have in terms of deciding upon how to act,
according to Kohlberg’s theory of moral development- doing one’s duty/having
regard for other’s expectations/maintaining order (IV), concern for the good of
society as a whole/evaluation of the law on the basis of its potential benefits for
all (V), or obeying individual principles of conscience/a universal standard of
right and wrong (VI)? Answer for both and explain your answers.
Part V Short essay. Two paragraphs (20 points)
Tragedy shows the destruction of a person caught up in a sequence of events that
result in disaster. That person also possesses a fatal flaw which helps lead to their
downfall. Who is the tragic hero of Antigone, Creon or Antigone? Why do you think
so?