Understanding Tragedy
Background for Antigone
by Sophocles
Tragedy
• A play depicting
serious and
important
events in which
the main
character(s)
suffer great loss
or often death.
Tragedy Continued
• The nature of a
tragedy is such that
we, the audience,
have grown to care
about the character
who suffers this
loss.
Tragic Hero:
• The main
character in a
tragedy.
• The tragic
hero/heroine
has seven
characteristics.
7 Characteristics of a Tragic
Hero:
• #1. A tragic
hero is a great
character with
admirable
qualities who
holds a position
of power or
opportunity.
Characteristic #2
• Actions
involve the
well-being of
others in
his/her society
Characteristic #3
• He/She works
hard to
achieve a goal
that’s very
dear to her.
Characteristic #4
• The tragic
hero’s
actions
involve
choices.
Characteristic #5
• Tragedy is
brought
about by an
error in
judgment
Characteristic #6
• This error in
judgment sets
off a chain of
circumstances
he/she cannot
foresee or
stop.
Characteristic #7
• When it is too
late, he/she
realizes what
has happened
and dies bitter
and desperate.
Tragic Flaw:
A fundamental
character
weakness that
is partially
responsible for
the hero’s
demise.
Catharsis
• A sense of
emotional
release
experienced
from watching
a tragedy
Foil
• A character used
to contrast
another character.
Writers use a foil
to emphasize the
difference
between
characters.
Extended metaphor
• comparison
between 2
unlike things
without
using like or
as. Several
lines long.
Example:
•“Our Ship of State, which
recent storms have
threatened to destroy, has
come safely to harbor at
last, guided . . .”
~Creon, Scene I.
Verse
• Poetry. Free
Verse is poetry
that doesn’t have
a regular meter
or rhyme scheme.
In Antigone, the
Odes between
scenes are
written in verse.
Prose
• Prose is the language
of the common
people. Most of the
characters speak in
prose language.
Motivation
• Something
that causes a
character to
do something
or act in a
certain way
Verbal irony
• A contrast
between
what is said
and what is
meant. An
example can
be sarcasm.
Dramatic Irony
occurs when
the audience
knows
something
important that
a character
does not know
Situational Irony
what actually
happens is the
opposite of what
was expected to
happen
Greek and Roman
Influences on Literature
A. The way we look at literature, art, drama, philosophy,
architecture, and government has to a great
extent come down to us from the Golden Age of
Greece (500-338 B.C.)
B. Romans borrowed the Greek Gods and adapted them
to their own, more family-centered and patriotic
religion
C. Romans admired Greek learning and put it to more
practical use than the Greeks
Greek and Roman
Influences on Literature
D. The Romans spread the Greek culture to the countries they
conquered
E. Created stable governments where knowledge could be
preserved and passed on
F. By A.D. 117, the Roman Empire included all of continental
Europe west of the Rhine and Danube Rivers, Britain, Asia
Minor, and North Africa.
Carvings of Masks
Myths
A. Earliest form of literature & they
originated with religious rituals
B. Their purpose was to “explain”
mysterious ways of gods, humans,
and nature
Ex. Persephone’s death and revival explains the
seasonal cycles
Myths, Continued
C. Myths enlighten us by telling us about our fears,
desires, and what we are capable of as human beings
D. Our main source of Greek myths came from the
poet Homer and the Roman myths mainly came from
the poet Ovid
Fundamental Themes
of Old Myths
A. The idea that a true hero must be willing to sacrifice personal
desires and even his family’s well-being in order to save his
country
B. The idea that the causes of war may not justify the enormous
suffering that it produces
C. The idea that individual conscience and divine law are
superior to the dictates of civil law
Fundamental Themes
of Old Myths, Cont.
D. The idea that anger, stubbornness, and pride can lead to
tragedy
E. The idea that youth is rash and deaf to all warnings to be
moderate
F. The idea that in attempting to be “more” than human,
human beings can bring disaster upon themselves.
Sophocles
(496?-406 B.C.)
A. Greatest of Ancient Greek
Playwrights
B. Known for his dramatic, poetic, &
musical talents
C. Was a general, political leader, &
priest
Sophocles, Cont.
D. Was a choragos, chorus leader, in a dramatic
celebration of Greece’s victory over Persia
E. At the age of 28, he beat Aeschylus in a
playwriting competition
F. Won a total of 24 - 1st place prizes & 7- 2nd place
prizes out of a total of 31 competitions-Best
record out of any Greek playwright
Sophocles, Cont.
G. Wrote 120 tragedies-only 7 survive today
H. Plays always contain a moral lesson
I. Was a technical innovator: added a third character to Aeschlyus’s original
two, introduced painted sets, and expanded the size of the chorus to 15
Admired for his
Oedipus Trilogy
A. Written over a 40 year period
B. Began with the last & third part of the trilogy,
Antigone
C. Twelve years later he wrote the first part of
series, Oedipus the King
D. During the last year of his life, he wrote the
middle segment, Oedipus at Colonus
The Sphinx
Pictorial Record
Conflicts and Themes in Antigone
• Although various conflicts arise, the main conflict is btw. the requirements of
human/state law (civil law) & divine law (religious law).
Theme #1 – Strong links btw. wisdom (reason), piety & humility.
“There is no happiness where there is no wisdom;
No wisdom but in submission to the gods.
Big words are always punished,
And proud men in old age learn to be wise.”
(792, l.139-142.)
Conflicts and Themes in Antigone
• Theme #2- Folly of pride
“Think all men make mistakes,
But a good man yields when he
Knows his course is wrong,
And repairs the evil.
The only crime is pride.”
(783 l.33-35)
Conflicts and Themes in Antigone
• Theme #3-Supremacy of moral laws
“The laws of gods are mighty, and man
must serve them,
To the last day of his life!”
(786, l.108-109)