Research and Thoughts On 'Antigone'

Antigone's Family Tree:

1. I really like the concepts that are presented in the play as I think there important and are relevant to today. Of course there are many ideas shown in the play but the one I think has the most relevance is this idea of moral/religious law vs state law. In particular, the moral vs state laws as sometimes society does put the state law above their morals which I believe is wrong. The story, being a tragedy, is extremely dramatic because it shows the worst senario which is that most of the characters die. This would probably not be the case in reality. While I do think that some of these deaths are unnecessary I do understand that in order to make a point the writer has shown the worst to increase the impact on the viewers and make them reflect. The fact that King Creon accepts responsibility at the end is a great way to end the piece as it demonstrates the concept of owning your wrong doing. This concludes the play as it reiterates the concept of responsibility, a theme throughout the play, and ends with King Creon feeling a moral consequence to his actions and not a state one. 

2. Sophocles wrote Antigone to conclude the 'Theban plays'  The play concludes the series as the theme shows that the protagonist is about to meet a fate that cannot be controlled, therefore leading to the end of it all. He also wrote it to raise issues in society without causing any disturbance in society. Some significant themes of Antigone are: 

• Free will and fate 
• Rules and order
• Determination 
• Power
• The role of women
• Morals

3. The Greeks would have wanted to this play as its the final part of the 'Theban plays', therefore the audience would have been excited to see how it all ends. It was also written by Sophocles who was a well known and respected writer therefore people may have wanted to see his work a lot more. 

1.What information does Antigone give to Ismene at the beginning of this scene?

She tells Ismene that King Creon has ruled that Polynices shall not be buried as he was the brother that invaded and killed his brother, Eteocles, while Eteocles will recovered a full honored burial. 

2.What has just happened in the sisters’ family?
Their brothers,Eteocles and Polynices, have just died in battle. 


3.What does Antigone plan to do? Why?
Antigone wishes to bury her brother,Polynices, even though the King has forbidden it. 

4.Does Ismene plan to join her? Why or why not?
Ismene refuses to join her because she feels there is nothing they can do as King Creon,the man holding the power, has ruled against burying him.  


5.What story does the chorus tell us about?

At the beginning the chours tell the story of the battle that takes place before Antigone begins. It ends with both male descendent from Oedipus dead and leaves the city without a ruler descended from Oedipus. Creon becomes king.