THE BURIAL AT THEBES
Antigone (Grace)
Eurydice (Naiwen)
Ismene (Jenna)
Creon (Anton)
Haemon (Parker)
Tiresias
Chorus
Guard (Josh)
Messenger (Jacob)
Characters:
The Theban Royal Family Tree:
A Few Facts about Greek Theatre:






Greek theatre was originally meant as a way to honor the Gods
The three Greek genres were: tragedy, comedy, and satire
The theatres were large open, outdoor, auditorium- like, stone structures
There were 3 main parts to the theatre building: the Orchestra, the Skene, and the
Audience
Ancient Greek actors had to use large gestures so that the entire audience could see and if
they could not hear, be able to understand what was going on
The actors were all males

Because the actors were so far away from the audience, their costumes and masks had to
be just as exaggerated as their vocal performance
History of Oedipus:
King Lauis of Thebes bore a son who was destined to kill him, or so warned by the God Apollo.
After this warning was given, and Lauis’ son, Oedipus, was born, he was given to a servant who
instead of disposing him, gave him to a shepherd who gave him to Polybus, his adoptive father.
When Oedipus grew up, he travelled to Delphi to learn about his true parentage. Then he found
out that he would kill his father and marry his mother. He decided never to go back to Corinth,
where he was raised by Polybus. He began travelling in the direction of Thebes, where he ran in
to Laius, at a “place where the roads met” and they began a fight where Oedipus killed Lauis.
When he got to Thebes, Creon, brother of Jocasta and regent of Thebes, offered the city and his
sister to whomever killed the Sphinx who was terrorizing the city at the time. When Oedipus
answered the Sphinx’s riddle correctly, she killed herself and the city became Oedipus’. Jocasta
and Oedipus had four children, Eteocles, Polyneices, Antigone, and Ismene. When it was
discovered that Oedipus had married his mother, Jocasta killed herself and Oedipus continued his
rule of Thebes. When the city of Thebes had fallen to famine and plague, the Delphic Oracle said
that the city would be successful when the killer of Lauis was expelled from the city. When it
was discovered that it was Oedipus who had killed Lauis, his father, he blinded himself, retired
in Thebes and later was exiled accompanied by Antigone. The two travelled to Colonus, where
he died. Oedipus and his family were surrounded by tragedy.
Summary of the Play:
After the War of the Seven against Thebes, Antigone, daughter of Oedipus, finds that her
two brothers have killed one another. The two were forced to fight on opposite sides of the
battle. The King of Thebes, Creon, issues a verdict stating that Polyneices, Antigone’s brother,
will not be laid to rest, and if any citizen of Thebes tries to do so, the will be put to death.
Antigone is infuriated and takes it upon herself to give her brother the proper burial he deserves.
Why should one of her brothers receive different treatment than the other? After she is
discovered, Creon, her soon-to-be father in-law, condemns her to death. After hearing the
verdict, Creon’s son, Antigone’s fiancé, Haemon, gives his father the ultimatum that if he kills
Antigone, Haemon will die as well.
Tiresias, the blind prophet, warns Creon that if he follows through with Antigone’s
sentencing, he will suffer grave consequences. He reminds Creon that it was once his word that
helped him save the city of Thebes. He gives forewarning that another will die if Antigone is
killed. Creon heeds to his advice and opens the tomb in which he enclosed Antigone to release
her. But it is too late, Antigone has hung herself. Stricken with grief, Haemon attempts to murder
his father as revenge, but when he misses, turns the blade on himself and takes his own life.
After discovering that Haemon is dead, Eurydice, Creon’s wife, kills herself as well. Creon is left
alone to dwell in his sorrow and misery.