Antigone

The main characters

Antigone※The flat character

- A woman in the sense of her firm stand against the world, and in her integrity. Like her father Oedipus, she pursues truth to the end, no matter the consequence.

※Emphasize the family more than the country

- “ Give me glory! What greater glory could I win than to give my own brother decent burial?”

Antigone※Full of justice and be brave to resist the authority

-“Nor did I think your edict had such force that you, a mere mortal, could override the gods, the great unwritten, unshakable traditions…”

※Be loyal to her mind and not afraid to sacrifice herself

-“Let the dead and the god of death bear witness! I’ve no love for a friend who loves in words alone.”

-”You chose to live, I chose to die.”

Creon※The round character

-He is only interested in political and social order. Creon is bound to ideas of good sense, simplicity, and the banal happiness of everyday life.

- In his mind, he only believe himself and do what he thinks that is good to his county no matter the thing is true or false.

※ Emphasize the country than his family and observe the traditional rules seriously

-” I could never stand by silent, watching destruction march against our city, putting safety to rout…Remember this: Our country is our safety.”

-” These are my principles. Never at my hands will the traitor be honored above the patriot. But whoever proves his loyalty to the state: I’ll prize that man in death as well as life.”

Creon※Tend to control the power and he is the one who everyone should listen to.

-”The city is the king’s- that’ the law!”

-That’s what a man prays for: to produce good sons…match the respect their father shows his friend.

Ismene※The round character

-Ismene is cautious, a rule-follower who counsels Antigone to leave their

brother unburied and to leave to men the job of dying for one’s ideas.

-”We must be sensible. Remember we are women, we’re not born to contend

with men. Then too, we’re underlining, ruled by much stronger hands, so we

must submit in this, and things still worse.”

-”Oh no, my sister, don’t reject me, please, let me die beside you, consecrating the dead together.

Hamon※The flat character

-He is a loyal man and insist the truth.Haemon is betrothed to Antigone. He must choose between his father (whom he has always followed) and his lover Antigone.

-” Relax your anger-change! I am young, I know, but let me offer this: …if a man were born infallible, right by nature. If not-and things don’t often go that way, it’s best to learn from those with good advice.

But in the end, when he fails to avert his father from fulfilling the law to punish his fiancee, he chooses to be buried with her in her cave, and when he finds she has hung herself, he plunges his sword into his own chest and dies. The love to Antigone isn’t change from the start to the end.

• Chorus• They are a group of elder men who co

mment on and interpret the action taking place on stage.

• Messenger• At the end, the Messenger tells a chilli

ng tale of Hamon’s agonized death and Euridyce’s death, and then departs.

• Exposition: Antigone's decision to defy Creon's orders and bury her brother.

• Conflict: Creon decides to pardon Antigone for defying his orders and burying her brother, but it’s too late to avert tragedy.

• Denouement: Creon decides to free Antigone from the prison, but he arrives too late and finds that Antigone has hanged herself. Haemon kills himself and lies down by her side. Later, Creon's wife stabs herself.

Themes

Pride

• A human trait• Despise by Gods• Punish without mercy• Example: Creon creates law• Does not admit his (Creon) mistake• Tiresias words come true

Individual vs State

• (Individual), Antigone performing the burial of her brother, Po

lynices, is thinking for her individual need

• (State), Creon believes Polynices should be punished

as a traitor, thinking for the States’ need

Conscience vs Law• (Conscience), Antigone -Goes with her conscience of what is right, n

ot concerning going against Creon, who gives out the rules for the State

-The time when one thinks he/she is right• (Law), Creon Everything follows with what the King says

Divine Law vs Human Law• Divine Law, (Antigone) Brings this as a defense for her action, As for devotion she sacrifices herself• Human Law, (Creon) Authority, his position of reign should

have the right to judge

Gender Position

• Women roles are limited in the Greek world

• Extremely limited freedom• Antigone’s rebellion threatens the

rules she must obey (men, hierarchies)• Creon, even when wrong believes he s

hould not be defeated by a woman• Ismene is a good model to follow

Tyranny

• Creon abuses his power• There is a line between a ruler and a t

yrant• Sympathetic• Noble intentions but poor judgement• “tradition” vs progressive, beneficia

l State (Thebans)

Symbol

Antigone’s Entombment• Seal her rebellion against Thebes along wit

h her death• To face the similarities her family had to fac

e (Her father, mother, brother)• The opposite of leaving a dead body outsid

e to rot• A misjudgment of Creon that will also lead t

o all his suffers• The string of other deaths

Bibliographies

• http://www.gradesaver.com/antigone/study-guide/major-themes/

• http://www.sparknotes.com/drama/oedipus/themes.html