Antigone

The Three Theban Plays

ANTIGONE

Elements of A Tragic Hero

Hamartia-The cause of a protagonist's misfortunes.

Nemesis-Inevitable payback or cosmic punishment.

Peripetia- A crucial action by the protagonist leading to their downfall.

Climax-The point of the highest emotional involvement.

Denouement-The point at which the tension slackens after the climax at the end of the play.

CLIMAX

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This is the place where has the most tension in the play. In climax, Antigone hangs herself just before Creon was going to set her free. Polynices is buried properly (with the rituals). Everything is falling while they can be back to good. Now, Antigone is the bride of death for real.

''...we washed the dead in a bath of holy water and plucking some fresh branches, gathering...and then we turned and made for that rocky vault of hers, the hollow, empty bed of the bride of Death.''

Vocabulary

There is a celebration in this chorus for Dioynsus. In Ancient Greek, they were making celebrations for Dioynsus which was actually the beginning of theatre in the World History. The time which the celebration took place might be connected to the period of time of this stasimon so the feast for Dionysus might happen. It might also happen because of the performances' acting in reality.

The chorus thanks Dionysus and talks about the things she has done. She gives them honor and happiness, according to the chorus. Also, the way chorus thanks to Dionysus might be an irony after the events happened.

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In the last rising action which will lead to the climax, the blind prophet Tiresias comes to talk to Creon to give an advice about the future. Tiresias notices that the bird did not burn that he sacrified and he understands that there is something wrong. Tiresias talks about the death of Polynices and Antigone who will be next. He tells Creon that death is not his work. Tiresias warns Creon not to something wrong against the Gods. Creon is blind by his arrogance and he blames Tiresias with being jealous of him. Creon treats Tiresias like an ordinary man who needs money. Tiresias gets angry and reminds that Creon has the throne with his help. Tiresias nearly puts a curse on Creon for the person he has become and leaves there. After Tiresias leaves, Creon talks to the Leader about Antigone and he decides that he will set Antigone free.

''The rites failed that might have blazed the future with a sign.''

''These arrows for your heart! Since you've raked me...''

''...I'll set her free myself. I am afraid... it's best to keep the established laws to the very day we die.''

Explicity-Clear

Implicity-Between the lines, not obvious

Irony-Contradiction between 2 pieces of information

Avian-Bird

Malignant-Evil intension,bad

Doom-To condemn

Diction-Way something's written

Ode-The part where the chorus reads

A type of poem that praises or

celebrates

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Creon

The Gods are mentioned mostly in this stasimon. The chorus is building a connection between the events of the Gods' and Antigone's. There are also Ares, Lycurgus, Dioynsus and Zeus who are the Gods.

The myth of Danae is compared to the Antigone's. They both have a fate of death in their bridal chamber. The stories of the Gods are connected to Antigone by fate and marriage. The chorus also states that she would not be same as the Gods. The enlightment of Antigone comes too late according to the chorus and now it is time for the fate.

''But even on her the Fates the gray everlasting Fates rode hard my child, my child.''

Greek Drama Terminology

Falling Action-1

Creon is the antagonist in this tragedy. He has a noble stature for being the King.

He is against Antigone.

At first, he seems to be a good leader who puts his country first but as the story goes on, he states himself as a person who cares about his family more than he cares about his country.

He is ambitious and he is bold. He does not care about the consequences.

He is sexist. He doesn't give value to woman, only man is strong and man has the power.

He has an anger control problem. He can't think mentionally when he is angry.

His arrogance and pride lead him to his fall. (Hubris and hamartia)

He says he doesn't care about the money but he does and he cares about loyalty.

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Creon finds out that his son Haemon has killed himself after the suicide of Antigone. That puts Creon and his wife Eurydice into a big pain. Creon feels himself guilty about letting Haemon kill himself.

''Haemon's gone, his blood spilled by the very hand-''

''His own... raging mad with his father for the death-''

''...he has won his bride at last, poor boy, not here but in the houses of the dead.''

''...for his father's crimes and the bed of his marriage blighted by misfortune.''

Antigone starts to feel sorry about what she has done. She remembers that she was going to get married and she feels more sad about it. Antigone calls the Gods for their help but there is no answer from the Gods. Antigone's faith in the Gods is wavering in her speech with Creon. She is questioning her faith in Gods. She wants Gods to bring justice to her. That moment might be the enlightment of Antigone which she realizes what she has done and what her actions have brought as consequences.

''...-they take me away in all my pain...''

''What law of the mighty gods have I transgressed?''

''Oh god, the voice of death. It's come, it's here.''

''I alone, see what I suffer now...''

Hubris-One of the characteristics of a tragic hero which might be pride and arrogance.

Obstacle-Anything that hinders character's desire.

Stasimon-The part sung by the chorus.

Ode- A poem expressing thoughts about a particular person or subject.

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After the defence of Haemon against his father for Antigone, the chorus talks about love. Love is impossible according to chorus. Chorus also talks about the different meanings of love. One of them which is ''philia'' is the love between Polynices and Antigone or Haemon and Creon. The other one which was ''eros'' is the love which includes more passion like Haemon and Antigone.

''Love, never conquered in battle...''

This chorus is more different because Antigone and chorus are talking against each other. Antigone is talking about her fate and chorus is blaming her for coming against her fate. The chorus is basically blaming Antigone for the things she has done.

''..do you pay for your father's terrible ordeal?''

''Your own blind will, your passion has destroyed you.''

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Falling Action-2

Haemon appeals and talks to his father Creon about the punishment of Antigone. He seems loyal and obedient to his father at first but then he tries to convince Creon to set Antigone free. Creon gets angry against the blindness of love in Haemon. Creon does not accept what Haemon says and he talks about the country like it belongs to him. He is different in his actions compared to the first appeal. Haemon threatens his father that he would die if he kills Antigone. After Haemon's speech, Creon decides that he is not going to kill Ismene who is innocent but he will kill Antigone,the real traitor.

After the death of Haemon, Creon's wife Eurydice leaves there and there is silence. Creon's enlightment moment is that. He realizes what he has done to his son and begins the judge himself. While Creon was judging himself with his agony, he learns that his beloved wife Eurydice has killed herself. That's the second strike for Creon and he is in a bigger agony now.

''What now? What's worse than this?

''The queen is dead. The mother of this dead boy...mother to the end- poor thing, her wounds are fresh.''

''I died once, you kill me again and again!''

''...what fate still waits for me?''

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ANTIGONE

In the third chorus of the play, the thoughts in ode gets darker after the previous one. This ode is talking about the bad consequences of coming against the Gods. The ode talks about the curse which will affect the generations. This curse might be taken from Oedipus and carried by Antigone. The ode also talks about Zeus- the biggest of all the Gods. The ode says that Zeus' laws prevails and Zeus sees everything so nothing can not be hidden from him. The chorus talks about a man who is putting himself in trap. According to the events, this person might be both Antigone and Creon.

''...the ruin will never cease, cresting on and on from one generation on throughout the race...''

''...unaware till he trips and puts his foot into the fire.''

INDEX

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The sentry brings Creon the one who buried the body of Polynices. Creon is shocked because the person who did that is Antigone. While the Sentry was telling what he has witnessed, he uses the word 'mother bird' for Antigone. Mother birds protect their babies and do everything for them- even though they can die for them. Antigone might be represented in that way.

''...like a bird come back to an empty nest, peering into its bed, and all the babies gone...''

Antigone confesses that she did that and Creon gets more angry for that. They struggle with each other by pointing their characters, weaknesses, families and values. (Between the lines 500-595)

Creon tells Antigone that she and her sister Ismene will be punished. Ismene defends Antigone against Creon and tells him that Antigone is his bride. Creon gets furious and decides that they will be punished in the worst way. He sents them to prison and locks them up there.

Antigone is the protagonist of this tragedy.

She is the daughter of the King. She has a noble stature.

She is brave. She is not scared to bury her brother.

She is respectful and loyal to the memory of her brother and her Gods.

She is stubborn. She will break the law in either way.

She is ethical. She cares about what is right.

Unlike Ismene, Antigone is idealist and passionate. She cares about glory and pride (Hubris) that will lead to her fall.

Denouement

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The Three Theban Plays: Antigone

http://www.shmoop.com/antigone-sophocles/plot-analysis.html

http://www.sparknotes.com/drama/antigone/

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Creon talks about loyalty and how a leader supposed to be. He claims his principles and talks about his possessing the throne of Thebes.

''I now possess the throne and all its powers.''

''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 learns that a ''man'' has buried the body of Polynices and he gets angry. He loses his control. He gives his men a command to find the ''man'' who broke the law and buried Polynices' body.

Denouement (french word) is the point at which tension slackens after the climax at the end of the play.

At the end, Creon finds himself in a personal tragedy. He has a big country with loyal people he have around but now, he has nobody from his family left. He is completely alone with the agony he carries in his heart. He is left with his fate.

''And the guilt is all mine- can never be fixed on another man, no escape for me.''

''I don't even exist-I'm no one. Nothing.''

''Whatever I touch goes wrong- once more a crushing fate's come down upon my head!''

In the second chorus of the play, the ode represents an image of a strong man who is nearly perfect. Human greatness is to ''hold steady course'', ''to wear away the earth'', ''to brace the birds'' and to ''tame his techniques''.

Human greatness is basically to do everything with all force, to make laws, to rule the earth and to fight with obstacles but the limits of human ability and action are until the time the man loses humanity and weds himself to inhumanity. At this time, a daring man can get into trouble and that might be the fall of the tragic heroes who are Antigone and Creon.

''...but the city casts out that man who weds himself to inhumanity thanks to reckless daring. Never share my hearth never think my thoughts, whoever does such things.''

Google Images

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In the first chorus of the play, we see the events in a bigger picture. We see that Polynices was the enemy in the war of Thebes. He is blamed by the chorus. The chorus mentions an avian imagery which is an eagle. Eagle is a strong, hunter, and predator bird which symbolizes strength and power. In chorus, Polynices is mentioned in a more different way than the way Antigone talks about him. He is a loving brother and a hero for Antigone. Unlike for Antigone, Polynices is the enemy which is malignant according to the chorus. Antigone now seems to be narrow-minded.

''He hovered above the roofs''

''...the warning claims of Polynices''

''The room reserved for enemies...''

Introduction

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How Did Everything Start?

Antigone asks for the help of Ismene for the burial of their brother Polynices but Ismene refuses the offer of Antigone. Antigone says that she will bury her loving brother alone. She does not care about the laws of Creon because she believes that the Gods will be on her side. She is not afraid of death which will come from Creon. She thinks that she will die with glory in either way of trying to bury her brother.

''He is my brother and - deny it as your will- your brother too. No one will ever convict me for a traitor.'' (Page 61)

''I will bury him myself. And even if I die in the act, that death will be a glory.''

(Page 63)

This chorus is the last part of the play which summarizes the entire tragedy.

''Wisdom is by far the greatest part of joy,

and reverence toward the gods must be safeguarded.

The mighty words of the proud are paid in full

with migthy blows to fate, and at long last

those blows will teach us wisdom.''

After the death of two brothers, their uncle Creon ,who is the brother of Queen Jocasta, takes the throne and becomes the King of Thebes. Creon states a law that traitors will be punished. The first example is the proper burial of Eteocles who fought for his country and unburied Polynices who was not loyal to Thebes. Antigone wants to bury her unburied brother Polynices but that is against the laws which Creon has stated.

Antigone is the daughter of Oedipus, the King of Thebes, who killed his own father and married his mother. After the death of Oedipus, two brothers, Polynices and Eteocles, were in a battle. Antigone finds out that Eteocles and Polynices have killed each other when she arrives in Thebes.