Antigone Flashcards
Who invaded what at the beginning
Thebes has been invaded by Argos
Who were the major deaths that sparked the conflict
Eteocles (Thebes) and Polyneices(Argo) who were twin brothers
Who is Creon and why is he king of Thebes
Creon is the uncle of Eteocles, Polyneices , Ismene and Antigone. He is king because Eteocles and Polynices, who were currently sharing being the king, died, making him next in line
Why is Antigone angry at Creon?
Because of his proclamation that Polyneices is not to recieve a burial or funeral rights while Eteocles is to be given an honourable funeral and that anyone who publically opposes this law is to be stoned to death
Why does Antigone consider Creon’s law unjust?
Because the gods decree that every mortal must be given a proper funeral
What does Antigone do due to her anger at Creon?
She buries Polyneices and gives him his funeral rights
Why does Ismene not help Antigone in burying Polynices?
She feared Creon’s punishment, and that their family has already suffered enough tragedy
How does Antigone get caught?
The guards catch Antigone when she revisits the grave she has prepared for Polyneices
How does she defend her actions?
By claiming she has honoured the gods whose laws are more important that mortal laws
Why does Haemon disagree with Creon’s choice to excecute Antigone?
Since she betrothed to him and that most of Thebes, as well as him, view her as a hero snd as a martyr
What is Antigone’s punishment and why did Creon select this punishment?
To be entombed alive in a cave and he chose this punishement so he wouldn’t directly have her blood on his hands, especially since he was her uncle
Who warns Creon about what prophecy?
The blind prophet Tiresias about a prophecy in which he saw the gods were furious with him and urges to free Antigone before its too late
What does Creon do when he realised that Tiresias is serious
He does as quickly as possible what he was advised, which was to free Antigone and bury Polyneices
What does the messenger tell Creon at the play’s climax?
He announces that Haeman killed himself after he found Antigone hanging from a noose in the cave
What does Creon witness
His son’s death when he arrives at the cave
What happens when Creon’s wife finds out about Haemon’s death?
Eurydice kills herself
What happens at the end of the play?
Creon is regretful and miserable, realising he inevertantly killed his whole family
What is the message of the play?
To respect the gods and to know one’s place on this Earth
What are Antigone’s relations
Oedipus’s daughter
Creon’s niece
Haemon’s fiancé
Polyneices, Etoecles and Ismene’s sister
How are we shown that Antigone is passionate about her beliefs?
When she admits that she is willing to die to uphold them - the beliefs being that honouring the gods is more important than mortal laws
What are the main points of Ismene’s character?
- Antigone’s sister
- Does not help bury
- Polyneices
- She believes enough tragedy has befallen their family
- but when Antigone is caught, she falsely confesses to having helped her
Why does Antigone refute Ismene’s lie about burying Polyneices?
Because she is worried that lying will offend the gods, as well as because it will take away from her glory, as she was the one who did it not Ismene
What are Creon’s main points
- Oedipus’s brother
- Antigone and Ismene’s uncle
- Haemon’s father
- New king of Thebes
- Believes his law is absolute
What is Creon’s fatal flaw?
Arrogance - his arrogance that his law is above the gods leads to the deaths of everyone he loves
Haemon main points
- son of Creon and Eurydice
- Engaged to Antigone
Haemon advises Creon to not punish Antigone since the citizens of Thebes do not support Creon’s judgement.
Haemon ultimately disowns his own father and kills himself upon seeing Antigone has killed herself
Who are the chorus
- group of elderly men
- chorus leader speaks for them
- chorus offers narration and judgements about the characters
- shows how the audience should feel
Who eventually convinced Creon to stop being arrogant
The chorus
What are the themes of Antigone
- Laws of gods vs Laws of mortals
- Devotion vs Duty
- Courage vs Conviction
- ## Flexibility vs Stubbornness
Who wrote Antigone
Sophocles
When was the play written
In 441 BC
What is the punishment for burying Polyneices?
Being stoned to death
