Antigone Background Notes
Author Information

Sophocles
 496
– 406 B.C.
 Grew up in the most intellectual period of
Athens
 Wrote 123 plays in his lifetime but only 7
survive
 Good-natured and well-liked
 Comes from a wealthy family; well-educated
 Involved heavily in politics and the
government
Author Information

Sophocles
 What
did you already know about this author?
 What can you predict about his writing based
on the biographical information?
The Background Story
(watch video, write down three
interesting things, discuss)
Antigone is just one story in a
three-part mini-series written by
Sophocles. It’s important to know
what happens in the plays before
it to better understand the story.
VII. The Original Dysfunctional Family
King Menoeceus
King Laius
Jocasta
King Oedipus
Eteocles
Polyneices
Creon
Eurydice
Jocasta
Ismene
Antigone
Megareus
Haemon
VII. The Original Dysfunctional
Family
What’s wrong with that family tree chart?
King Laius (pronounced LAY USE) and
Jocasta have a son, Oedipus. The Oracle
predicts Oedipus will grow up and kill his
father, so Laius drops Oedipus over a cliff
into the ocean.
Baby Oedipus is rescued by a shepherd. He
grows up and hits the road. Meets the
Sphinx. Answers the Sphinx’s riddle.
Sphinx kills herself.
The Riddle of the Sphinx
What goes on four legs in
the morning, on two legs at
noon, and on three legs in
the evening?
Oedipus argues with and kills a man on the
road who, unbeknownst to Oedipus, is his
father Laius.
Oedipus continues and when he reaches
Thebes, he is rewarded for killing the
Sphinx that has been plaguing their town
(no one has been able to come and go
since the Sphinx has been guarding the
road).
Oedipus is given the newly widowed queen
to marry.
Oedipus and his “wife” have four children.
Eventually, a new plague strikes Thebes and
the Oracle is consulted again.
The soothsayer, Teiresias (pronounced TIE REE
SEE US), tells them that Thebes is suffering
because of Oedipus and Jocasta’s crime
against nature.
Jocasta hangs herself and Oedipus takes her
brooch and blinds himself.
He is exiled from Thebes and Antigone
(pronounced AN TIG OH KNEE) and
Ismene (pronounced IS MAY NAY), his
daughters, dutifully lead their father
through the lands during his exile.
A civil war breaks out about who will be the
new ruler of Thebes.
Eteocles (pronounced EH TEE OH CLEES) and
Polyneices (pronounced POLY NICES) fight
to be heir to the throne. They kill each
other and their Uncle Creon steps up.
This is where Antigone, the play, begins.
I. Origin of Tragedy
(watch 2 videos, write down three
interesting things from each, discuss)
(2nd video)
A.
Religious festivals in the spring to honor Dionysus
-Each year, playwrights were chosen to produce three
tragedies, and a satyr play – comic interlude, for a
competition at the festival
Dionysus (Bacchus),
god of wine and revelry
B. Thespis, “Father of Drama” (thespians)
1. introduced the first actor and dialogue
C. Sophocles
1. added third actor
2. fixed number of the Chorus to 15
3. introduced painted scenery
4. Used masks to differentiate between actors
4. made each play of a trilogy separate in nature
(each play could stand alone)
 Oedipus
Rex
 Oedipus on Colunus
 Antigone
Sophocles
II. Structure of Theatre
A. theatron: “seeing” place where the audience sat
B. orchestra: circular dancing place where actors and
Chorus performed
C. thymele: altar to Dionysus in center of the
orchestra
D. skene: building used as dressing room
E. proskenion: façade of skene building which served
as backdrop
F. parados: entrance to the theatre used by Chorus
II. Structure of Theatre
What aspects of our modern theaters seem to be
taken from Greek theater?
Basic Parts of a Greek Tragedy
1. Prologue:
a. Spoken by one or two characters before the chorus appear
b. Gives mythological background
2. Parodos
a. Song sung by the chorus as it first enters the orchestra and dances.
3. Ode:
a. Type of lyrical verse (sung)
b. Greek odes were originally poetic pieces accompanied by symphonic orchestras.
4. Strophe:
a. Forms the first part of the ode in Ancient Greek tragedy, followed by the
antistrophe
b. Chanted by a Greek chorus as it moved from right to left across the skênê.
5. Antistrophe:
a. Portion of an ode sung by the chorus in its returning movement from west to east
b. It has the nature of a reply and balances the effect of the strophe.
6. Exodos:
a. At the end of play, the chorus exits singing a processional song
b. Offers words of wisdom related to the actions and outcome of the play
Basic Parts of a Greek Tragedy
What would this structure do for an audience?
Greek Theatre
(show video)
III. Actors and Acting
A. The playwright took the leading role
B. All male performers (played female roles too)
C. Never more than 3 actors (changed characters)
1. protagonist, deuteragonist, tritagonist
D. Costumes and Masks
1. long, flowing robes (colored symbolically)
2. high boots with raised soles
3. large masks made of wood, linen, cork
a. identified age, gender, emotion
b. exaggerated features (eyes, open mouth)
III. Actors and Acting
Do modern actors have more of a challenge than
Greek actors did?
IV. The Chorus
A. Music and Dance
1. music: flute, lyre, drums
2. dance: expressive rhythmic movements
B. Function of the Chorus
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
sets overall mood and expresses theme
adds beauty through song and dance
gives background information
divides action and offers reflection on events
questions, advises, expresses opinion (usually
through Chorus leader)
IV. The Chorus
Would this be a distraction for modern
viewers?
V. Conventions of Greek Theatre
A. Aristotle’s Unities
1. action (simple plot)
2. time (single day)
3. place (one scene throughout)
B. The Messenger (sentry)
1. tells news happening away from the scene
2. reports acts of violence not allowed to be seen
C. Limitations of the Theatre
1. the Chorus is constantly on the stage
2. no intermission
3. no lighting, no curtains
V. Conventions of Greek Theatre
Why do you think Greek audiences might have needed the
simplification that Aristotle’s unities provided?
What does it say about their society that violence wasn’t
allowed to be shown? What does it say about our society
that we allow it to and even sometimes glorify it?
VI. Important Terms
1. tragedy: an imitation of a serious action
which will arouse pity and fear in the viewer
2. tragic hero: a character, usually of noble
birth, neither totally good nor totally evil,
whose downfall is brought about by some
weakness and error in judgment (a tragic
flaw)
3. hamartia: a tragic flaw, weakness of character
or error in judgment which causes the downfall
of the hero (tragic flaw)
4. hubris: the tragic flaw of pride
5. catharsis: the “purging” or release of emotions
the audience feels
6. deus ex machina: a person or god that
intervenes in the action
Important Pieces of Greek Culture
You can’t escape your fate
 There is no guilty act without a guilty
mind
 Family is everything
 Curses bear power
 Truth matters

Important Pieces of Greek Culture

If someone asked you to imitate this type
of list for our culture, what would you add
to it?
QUIZ – were you paying
attention?!