antigone key notes

8/12/2019 Antigone Key Notes

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ANTIGONE KEY LITERARY ELEMENTS

SETTING

This tragedy is set against the background of the Oedipus legend. It illustrates how the

curse on the House of Labdacus (who is the grandson of Cadmus, founder of Thebes,

and the father of Laius, whose son is Oedipus brought about the deaths of Oedipus

and his wife!mother, "ocasta, as well as the double fratricide of #teocles and$olynices. %urthermore, &ntigone dies after defying 'ing Creon.

The play is set in Thebes, a powerful city!state north of &thens. &lthough the play

itself was written in ) *.C., the legend goes back to the foundations of Hellenic

culture, many centuries before +ophocles time.

&ll the scenes take place in front of the royal palace at Thebes. Thus +ophocles

conforms to the principle of the unity of place. The e-ents unfold in little more than

twenty four hours. The play begins on the night when &ntigone attempts to bury her

brother for the first time. Her second attempt at burial occurs at noon the following

day, when &ntigone is apprehended. +he is con-icted and kept o-ernight in a cell.

The net morning she is taken to a ca-e, her place of entombment.

On Thebes/ Thebes was the most important city of *oeotia, on mainland 0reece. Itwas one of the chief city!states of ancient 0reece, after &thens and +parta. +ophocles

described it as 1the only city where mortal women are the mothers of gods.2

&ccording to 0reek legends, the city was founded by Cadmus and was destroyed by

the #pigonoi in the time before the Tro3an 4ar. In the sith century *.C., Thebes

reco-ered its glory to some etent, and in +ophocles time it was still a powerful state.

LIST OF CHARACTERS

5a3or

Antigone

The daughter of Oedipus, the former 'ing of Thebes. Her mother, "ocasta, was

Creons sister. +he is willing to risk her life in order to bury $olynices, her dead

brother, thereby defying 'ing Creons edict. +he is sentenced to death, but commits

suicide by hanging herself.

Creon

The brother of "ocasta, who was the wife and mother of Oedipus. Creon becomes

ruler of Thebes after the deaths of Oedipus two sons in the recent ci-il war. He

orders a state funeral for #teocles, but denies the rites of burial to $olynices. He is

compelled to sentence &ntigone to death when she defies his law. In the end, he

accepts that he has acted wrongly and repents.

The Chorus

The -oice of the elders of the city of Thebes. They are the main -ictims of therecently fought ci-il war and hence long for peace and stability. They comment on the

ma3or e-ents that occur in the play and pro-ide the audience with the public reaction

to the pri-ate struggles of the ruling family of Thebes.

5inor

Haemon

The only sur-i-ing son of Creon. He is in lo-e with &ntigone, to whom he is engaged.

He pleads in -ain with his father for her life. He commits suicide in &ntigones tomb

after he disco-ers that &ntigone has taken her own life.

Ismene

The elder sister of &ntigone, who initially has reser-ations about helping &ntigone to

bury the body of their brother, $olynices. +he later claims a share in &ntigones guiltand punishment6 Creon refuses to punish her as he considers her temporarily insane.


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Tiresias (or Teiresias)

The blind prophet of Thebes, who also appears in +ophocles Oedipus 7e. He comes

to warn Creon that dire conse8uences will follow if he stands by his decision to lea-e

$olynices body unburied.

Eur!i"eThe wife of Creon. +he appears only once in the play, when she hears the news of her

sons (Haemons

The #at"hman

Comes to inform death. +he commits suicide at the end of the play.

Creon that someone has attempted to bury $olynices during the night. Threatened

with se-ere punishment for what Creon feels is neglect of duty, the watchman returns

to his watch and succeeds in arresting &ntigone. He hands her o-er to Creon for

sentencing.

The $irst Messenger

Comes to inform #urydice about the death of Haemon. He accompanies Creon to the

tomb and later gi-es a first! hand account of the deaths of &ntigone and Haemon.The Se"on! Messenger

Comes to inform Creon about the death of #urydice.

The %ea!er o$ the Chorus

Occasionally speaks a few lines addressed mainly to the audience. He is gi-en the

final lines of the play, in which he draws a moral from the se8uence of tragic e-ents

the audience has 3ust witnessed.

CONFLICT

&rotagonist

&ntigone is the resolute and strong!willed daughter of 'ing Oedipus. +he is

determined to gi-e her brother, $olynices, a decent burial. +he consciously risks her

life with this action, which -iolates both Creons un3ust decree, as well as the ancient

custom of denying burial to enemies of the state. +he obeys only the laws of the gods

and the dictates of familial loyalty and social decency.

Antagonist

'ing Creon regards only the re8uirement of political epediency. +oon after the ci-il

strife between #teocles and $olynices ends in their deaths, he announces a decree

denying $olynices burial. He is unrelenting in his stance, as he wants Thebans to

know that he is a firm ruler. Thus he sentences his own niece, &ntigone, to death for

defying his law.

C%ima'The clima of the play occurs during the encounter between Creon and &ntigone. It is

a scene marked by dramatic contrast. Here one can see the incompatibility between

Creons world of physical power (which he takes to be absolute and the world of

spiritual, idealistic strength which &ntigone represents. Creons -anity is hurt and his

anger aroused by the stubborn disobedience of one whom he considers to be merely a

mad woman. 4hen he reali9es he cannot break or bend her will, he resol-es to send

her to her doom.

Out"ome

The resolution of the play begins when the Chorus succeeds in making Creon see the

in3ustice of his recent decisions. He orders the burial of $olynices body and rushes to

&ntigones ca-e, only to find that she has hanged herself. The deaths of Haemon and#urydice soon ensue, and at end of the play, Creon is left alone in his wretchedness.


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He has paid a hea-y price for his folly and rashness. The tragedy lies in the fact that

reali9ation has come to late for Creon.

SHORT &LOT SMMARY (Snosis)

&ntigones brothers, $olynices and #teocles, had fought a battle for the throne of

Thebes. &t the beginning of the play, they are both dead, ha-ing killed each other incombat. Creon, the new monarch, has decided to honor the memory of the younger

brother, #teocles, by gi-ing him a state funeral. :uring his lifetime #teocles had

broken his pact with $olynices, according to which the two brothers had agreed to

take turns at ruling Thebes. This enraged $olynices, who brought an army of &rgi-es

to fight against #teocles and the Thebans. Creon had supported #teocles in this

dispute. &fter the ci-il war has ended, Creon brands $olynices a 1traitor2 and

proclaims that anyone who attempts to bury $olynices body will ha-e to face death.

&ntigone resol-es to defy Creons edict, and in the opening scene (or $rologus she

asks her sister, Ismene, to 3oin her in the act of burying $olynices. Ismene refuses to

help &ntigone because she does not wish to -iolate Creons order.

&ntigones strong respect for family bonds and di-ine laws prompt her to conductfuneral rites for her brother. +he is caught by Creons watchman and brought before

the enraged king. &t her trial, &ntigone pleads that her defiant act is in accordance

with the o-erriding laws of the gods.

Creon is reluctant to accept this 3ustification and is unrelenting in his harsh stance as

he condemns &ntigone to be immured (buried ali-e in a ca-e. Ismene comes forward

to claim a share in &ntigones guilt and in the penalty that goes with the crime. Creon

dismisses her pleas as he considers her present beha-ior to be a temporary mental

abnormality, although he had earlier accused her of being &ntigones partner in crime.

Then Creons son, Haemon, pleads -ainly with his father to forgi-e &ntigone. The

blind prophet, Tiresias, also threatens Creon with the catastrophic conse8uences of

defying all di-ine laws in refusing burial to $olynices. %inally, the Chorus begs Creon

to relent and release &ntigone.

&t last Creon is mo-ed, and he goes to the ca-e to find Haemon clasping the dead

&ntigone, who has hanged herself. In blind fury, Haemon charges with his sword

towards his father, but misses him and then kills himself. %illed with remorse, Creon

returns to his palace to find that his wife, #urydice, has already recei-ed the tragic

news of the two deaths from a messenger. In deep despair, #urydice takes her own

life, lea-ing Creon to grie-e alone.

THEMES

Ma*or Themes+ophocles plays often deal with the specific struggle of a strong! willed indi-idual

against fate. In &ntigone he depicts a resolute and heroic female protagonist, who pits

her indi-idual free will against the intractable forces of fate and against the irrational

and un3ust laws of tyrannical men, like Creon. *asically, the play centers on the

conflict between the steadfast protagonist and an e8ually resolute antagonist.

+ophocles two main characters are placed in peculiar circumstances that force them

to act the way they do. There are fatal conse8uences for themsel-es and others. Their

-ery personalities seem to initiate the plays central action, and a conflict of interests

soon erupts between these two people of almost e8ual heroic stature. One is

committed to ser-ing the public, and the other is led by the demands of her

conscience.


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&s a dramatist, +ophocles learned his art from &eschylus. He was instrumental in

increasing the number of singers of the chorus from twel-e to fifteen. He also had

painted scenery in his productions and used three actors, instead of only two, in his

dramas. He is known to ha-e had at least eighteen to twenty -ictories at drama

festi-als (besides being ranked second on se-eral occasions. These festi-als were

held at the theater of :ionysus in &thens. His greatest sur-i-ing play, Oedipus 7emanaged only second place. +ophocles also staged his plays at the 1Lenaea,2 or feast

of the wine!-ats, held annually in "anuary after A? *.C. at the theater of :ionysus in

&thens.

+ophocles married twice (first to Bicostrate, and then to Theoris of +ccyon and had

two sons/ Iophon, the tragedian, and &gathon, father of the younger +ophocles, also a

writer of tragedies. The 0reeks regarded +ophocles as a kind of tragic Homer, hailed

him as the fa-orite of the gods and honored him with state sacrifices long after his

death. The last part of his life coincided with the glorious age of Cimon and $ericles,

the period of &thens greatest prosperity. &lthough he showed little interest in politics

and had no special military skills, he was elected as a 1strategos2 to ser-e as one of

the ten generals who led the war of )!> *.C. He was also chairman of the&thenian treasury from )!)? *.C., ser-ing alongside the eminent statesman,

$ericles. In ) *.C., after the great &thenian disaster in +icily, he was made one of

the 1$robouloi2 (special commissioners, mainly due to his widespread fame.

%rom reliable contemporary accounts one learns that +ophocles was a handsome,

wealthy man of great charm. He had friends like $ericles and Herodotus, the great

0reek historian. The Dictorian critic, 5atthew &rnold, praised +ophocles as a man

1who saw life steadily and saw it whole.2 The ancient biographer, $hyrnicus, says that

+ophocles life was happy and that he retained all his faculties to the -ery end.

+ophocles is reported to ha-e died either by choking on raw grapes or by running out

of breath while reciting lines from &ntigone, his fa-orite play.

The 4orks of +ophocles

+ophocles plays were not like those of either &eschylus or #uripides. His tragedies

did not deal with abstract problems of guilt and punishment stretching o-er

generations, like those of &eschylus (namely his famous trilogy, Oresteia. +ophocles

preferred to depict the specific struggles of resolute indi-iduals against the unyielding

forces of fate. He did not fa-or the writing of a whole trilogy to co-er one sub3ect but

wrote only single plays, such as &ntigone or &3a.

Howe-er, +ophocles did write three plays connected to the Oedipus legend from

0reek mythology. The first, called Oedipus 7e, deals with the ill!fated reign of

Oedipus as 'ing of Thebes. It was written in the middle of his career, while the

second, titled Oedipus at Colonus, was written in ?= *.C., when +ophocles wasninety years old. This play narrates the incidents following Oedipus downfall as king

and his life in eile in the forests of Colonus. Here he was looked after by his loyal

daughters, &ntigone and Ismene, until his death. The third play in this series is

&ntigone, which was actually written first in ) *.C.

LITERARY 3 HISTORICAL INFORMATION

To understand a classical play like &ntigone it is essential to ha-e a general idea of

0reek tragedy (as a form of drama as well as specific information about the ill!fated

House of Cadmus, whose tragic family history comes full circle with the death of

&ntigone.


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Gree4 Trage!5

It was originally associated with religious festi-als like that of :ionysus, the god of

wine. It was often solemn, poetic and philosophical. It told the tale of a central

character (the protagonist, who was an admirable but not necessarily flawless person.

+Ehe was confronted by hostile forces and often had to make difficult moral choices in

trying to resol-e these conflicts. The protagonists struggle ended mostly in defeat ordeath.

5ost 0reek tragedies were based on myths and consisted of a series of dramatic

episodes interspersed with choral odes chanted by an on!stage chorus of ten to fifteen

people. This chorus often commented on the dramatic action or analy9ed the pattern

of e-ents in its own way. They sang, danced and recited the odes to the

accompaniment of musical instruments like the lyre, flute or drums. The main

episodes were performed usually by not more than three actors appearing

simultaneously on stage. 5en played the womens parts, and the same actor appeared

in multiple roles. The performers in 0reek tragedy wore masks to depict the kind of

characters they were enacting.

In his critical work, The $oetics, &ristotle deals with the ma3or elements of 0reektragedy. %or &ristotle, the most important part of tragedy was the plot (or action. He

felt that any tragic action must be long enough to depict a dramatic change in fortune

(from prosperity to misfortune of the protagonist. In &ntigone it is the antagonist,

Creon, who at the start of the play has 3ust become king. *y the end of the play, Creon

has lost both his wife and son and is left despondent. &ristotle holds that character is

the second most significant feature which gi-es drama its moral dimensions. The

central personage in 0reek tragedy must be morally good, of a heroic stature, true to

life and consistent in hisEher actions. The change in fortune of the main personage is

often the conse8uence of a fatal flaw in hisEher character, or an error of 3udgment

called 1hamartia.2 The failure of the hero (or heroine is also due to hisEher 1hubris,2 a

false sense of pride in hisEher own secure position.

The tragic dramatist must choose suitably heroic characters and place them in a well

constructed plot, which aims at representing actions that will in-oke 1pity and fear2 in

the audience. Tragedy ideally e-okes these dual emotions. The downfall of a noble,

well! known, prosperous and moral person naturally e-okes ones pity (in reaction to

the heros misfortune and ones fear (that such misfortune can o-erwhelm human

beings. This leads finally to an effect of catharsis, the purgation of these emotions of

pity and fear. This gi-es tragedy a psychological dimension, as it pro-ides an outlet

for undesirable emotions that humans ine-itably eperience.

&ristotle also pointed out two important de-ices of the plot/ 1peripeteia2 and

1anagnorisis.2 1$eripeteia2 is often wrongly translated as 1re-ersal of fortune,2 butmore accurately, it refers to a re-ersal of the situation/ the action turns in a direction

opposite from its original course. 1&nagnorisis2 refers to a persons reali9ation of a

situation. It is a change from the state of ignorance to that of enlightenment. +uch

changes wrought through 1peripeteia2 or through 1anagnorisis2 must occur within the

limits of probability and help to create the effect of dramatic irony.

The I%%/Fate! House o$ Ca!mus/

&ntigone is -irtually the last in the line of Theban royalty belonging to this family of

Cadmus, who was the founder of Thebes. The story of &ntigone can be read and

understood entirely only when one takes into account all the tragic conse8uences that

troubled the family of the founding father, Cadmus.

Cadmus was the legendary founder of the 0reek city of Thebes and the son of&genor, 'ing of Tyre. Cadmus sister, #uropa, was carried off by Feus in the disguise


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of a bull. Cadmus, who went in search of #uropa, disco-ered instead the site of

Thebes. Cadmus slew the dragon who was guarding Thebes and planted half the

dragons teeth in the soil. %rom these teeth sprang a group of armed men who fought

each other until only fi-e sur-i-ed. These fi-e, known as the 1spartoi,2 were belie-ed

to be the ancestors of the Theban nobility. Thus the city of Thebes was born in a

-iolent manner.Cadmus married Harmonia, the daughter of &res and &phrodite, and presented his

bride with a necklace which was to pro-e fatal to the Theban dynasty. &t the end of

their li-es, Cadmus and his wife were changed into serpents by the gods.

Cadmus daughter, +emele, was lo-ed by Feus and ga-e birth to the god :ionysus.

+emele was killed when Feus appeared before her in all his godly glory. :ionysus

himself punished the women of Thebes with madness for refusing to accept his

di-inity. &ga-e, the sister of +emele, brought about the death of her own son,

$entheus. This story is related in #uripides tragedy, *acchae.

Laius, the father of Oedipus, was the great!grandson of Cadmus. He was killed by his

own son, Oedipus, who was unaware of his fathers identity. The god &pollo had

warned Laius that his own son would kill him. Thus, when Oedipus was born to Laiusand his wife, "ocasta, Laius took the boy and eposed him to the elements on 5ount

Cithaeron. *ut Oedipus sur-i-ed and was brought up by the 'ing of Corinth. #ager to

disco-er his true identity, Oedipus set out in the direction of Thebes. In a chance

encounter en route, Oedipus met, 8uarreled with and then killed his own father, Laius.

He became the monarch of Thebes and unwittingly married his own mother, "ocasta.

The couple had four children/ two sons, $olynices and #teocles, and two daughters,

&ntigone and Ismene.

Homer relates that when it was disco-ered that Oedipus had married his own mother,

"ocasta hanged herself, but he continued to rule as king. Howe-er, in +ophocles

tragedy, Oedipus 7e, Oedipus willfully blinds himself and wanders off in self!

imposed eile, accompanied by &ntigone. He later went to Colonus where he died.

The present play, &ntigone, begins with a reference to the battle fought between

Oedipus two sons, $olynices and #teocles. They had 8uarreled o-er their fathers

throne during Oedipus lifetime. Oedipus had pronounced a curse on the two,

predicting that they would kill each other. 4hen Oedipus died, his sons decided to

share power. They agreed to allow each other to rule separately for alternate periods

of the year. #teocles, the younger of the two, began to rule first, but when his reign

was o-er, he refused to gi-e up the throne to his brother. $olynices, in the meanwhile,

had married the $rincess of &rgos. &ngered at his brothers betrayal of trust,

$olynices set out with an army from &rgos towards Thebes. He placed se-en

commanders at the se-en gates of Thebes. The &rgi-e army was hopelessly routed bythe Theban army, led by #teocles, and the two brothers fought and killed each other in

battle. This tale was dramati9ed by &eschylus in his +e-en &gainst Thebes.

Creon, the brother of "ocasta and the senior most member of the royal family of

Thebes, assumed power. He had fa-ored #teocles before the battle and now proclaims

that #teocles is a hero who will be gi-en a state funeral. Howe-er, Creon ordered that

the bodies of the enemies, including $olynices body, should not be buried. There are

many traditions and legends regarding what happened net. +ophocles tells one of

these in his play, &ntigone. Other stories tell how &ntigone was killed by Creon

himself, or was sent into eile for defying Creons law and daring to bury her

brothers body.


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Thus the House of Cadmus had from ancient times been plagued by disaster and

tragedy. &ntigones tragedy is a culmination of the earlier e-ents that look place in

and around Thebes.

SCENE SMMARIES AN+ NOTES

Bote/ +ince this particular play has no di-isions into acts and scenes, sections ha-ebeen created and are designated by line numbers. *reaks ha-e been inserted at the

points when an important character enters or eits.

Lines )!


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%or Ismene, womanhood is weakness, and she submissi-ely subscribes to the

con-entional -iew that women must obey men. &ntigone, on the other hand, does not

wish to please any man, least of all Creon. +he is not the 1hapless maiden2 that

Ismene describes her to be in this scene. Ismene reali9es that despite her sisters

apparent lack of wisdom, there is in her (&ntigone a de-otion to duty and a strong

bond of familial lo-e that remains faithful to the -ery end.Towards the end of the scene, the sisters are still at odds with each other. &ntigone

cannot force Ismene to 3oin her in breaking Creons law, nor can Ismene coerce

&ntigone into altering her decision regarding the burial of $olynices. In a way,

&ntigones desire to bury her dead brother is almost a death!wish. +o that she can die

an honorable death, she does not want her action to be kept secret. Here again, the two

sisters are polar opposites of each other. 4hile &ntigone wishes to die heroically,

Ismene chooses to li-e a meaningless and cowardly life, in conformity to Creons law.

This fact is made more e-ident in a later scene when &ntigone tells Ismene that she

(Ismene has, in fact, chosen life o-er death. Howe-er, &ntigone prefers to die nobly

rather than li-e a life of timidity and sub3ugation to con-entional authority.

Lines )??!)A The opening Chorus (or $arodos

+ummary

&fter the initial debate between Ismene and &ntigone, the Chorus enters for the first

time in the play. It describes the beginning of a new day which dawns o-er the se-en

gates of Thebes and the fountain of :irce. &ccording to the Chorus, this is the

1brightest2 and 1fairest2 day that Thebes has seen. The Chorus then gi-es an account

of the battle recently fought at the gates of Thebes between the two brothers,

$olynices and #teocles. The soldiers from &rgos, who had supported $olynices,

hurried away from the battle because they were losing to the Thebans, led by #teocles

and Creon.

The Chorus net relates how the warriors of &rgos came to wreak destruction on

Thebes/ the man of &rgos bears 1sharp menace2 within his breast and is co-ered in

armor. The Chorus describes the sights and sounds of the furious battle, as the spears

fired by the enemy, 1(yawned wide around the gates that guard (their homes.2

The Chorus belie-es that the king of the 0reek gods, Feus, and his son, &tres, the god

of war, were both on the side of Thebes. Feus hurled down fire on the enemy, and

&res fought in open battle against the foe. :uring the battle the se-en champions of

the &rgi-e army were matched against se-en champions of the Theban forces. The

two brothers, $olynices and #teocles, were paired against each other and were killed

when they met in combat.

&fterwards the Chorus sings a song about -ictory and peace. It wishes that thememories of this battle would be wiped out of peoples minds and that thoughts of

peace would reign once more o-er Thebes. The Chorus plans to indulge in 1holy

dances of delight2 and -isit e-ery shrine to gi-e thanks to the gods for this newly

found peace.

Botes

In its first appearance the Chorus gi-es further information about the background of

the play. The Chorus represents the people of the city celebrating the -ictory of

Thebes o-er the &rgi-es. It -i-idly describes the battle between the two brothers and

is con-entional in outlook, displaying a strong faith in the gods. Feus and &res are

said to ha-e fought for Thebes. The Chorus eults in Thebes -ictory, and at the same

time, it prays for a lasting peace. "oy gi-es way to ecstasy as the Chorus pays tributeto *acchus with 1dances of delight2 lasting through the night.


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+ophocles uses a wide array of imagery in this opening Chorus. The rays of the sun

are compared to the weapons of war that the Thebans used to dri-e away the &rgi-es.

In an etended metaphor, the man of &rgos rises 1on eagle wing,2 hoping to bring

ruin to Thebes. Like an eagle, the enemy screeches 1sharp menace from his breast2

and has a 1plumed crest2 crowning his helmet. His body is described as wrapped in

armor of steel. Thebes, on the other hand, is the 1serpent struggling to be free2 of thepredator. Therefore, the Chorus pro-ides a graphic account of the recent battle.

The gods are seen to be taking sides, and they support Thebes. It is $olynices who

comes 1breathing madness at the gate.2 The battle hangs in the balance until &res, the

god of war, hurls himself among the &rgi-es and fights for Thebes.

&t the end of the battle, the Chorus claims that $allas &thena, the godess of war (and

-ictory, descended upon Thebes as a hea-enly omen of Thebes -ictory. Hence, to

gi-e thanks to the gods, the Theban chorus -isits e-ery shrine 1in solemn round.2 It

concludes its opening se8uence by performing a ritual dance on stage. The Chorus

pays homage not only to the gods of war and -ictory, but also to Terpsichore, the

5use of dancing and choral singing.

The Chorus echoes the common citi9ens desire for peace and stability, instead ofwar. Ironically, the peace for which the Chorus offers such gratitude will soon be

disturbed by &ntigones re-olt against Creon.

Lines )AA!@@A The %irst #pisode or Creons Opening +peech

+ummary

The leader of the Chorus announces Creons arri-al and informs the audience of

Creons newly ac8uired power. The leader wonders why Creon has called for a

conference of the elders of Thebes.

Creon enters and assures the elders that the kingdom of Thebes is, once again, 1on a

smooth course2 after the terrible battle between the two sons of Oedipus. Creon has

specially selected the audience of elders from those among the Thebans who are loyal

to the throne of Laius. Creon stakes his claim to rule the land as the net of kin of the

slain ruler, #teocles. He belie-es that a good leader should use his power to maintain

order.

Creon promises that he will not 1keep silence2 if any danger threatens his citi9ens. He

will not befriend anyone who does not lo-e Thebes. In order to rebuild Thebes as a

great city, Creon proclaims his new decree regarding the two sons of Oedipus. Creon

considers one of them a hero and acords him a proper burial/ #teocles, who had

fought on the Theban side. *y contrast, he considers $olynices to be a traitor who

wanted to destroy Thebes. &ccordingly, he orders that there will be no burial for

$olynices corpse6 the body shall lie in the open for dogs and carrion to feed on.Creon swears that he will ne-er let a crime against the state go unpunished. &t the

same time, he promises to honor all those who lo-e the state.

The Chorus accepts Creons laws as all!powerful. Creon asks the Chorus of elders to

support and maintain his law. 4hen the Chorus asks Creon if he wants them to watch

o-er the corpse, he replies in the negati-e. He wishes only that they do not show fa-or

to anyone who breaks the law of the state. The Chorus responds by saying that it is

not 1in lo-e with death.2 Creon belie-es that some man in the Chorus, hoping for

financial retribution, may betray him by breaking his law.

Botes

In this scene Creon, the antagonist of the play, is introduced. He is &ntigones uncle

and has now become 'ing of Thebes following #teocles death. Creon is an epert at


11/38

political maneu-ering. Comparing the state of Thebes to 1a noble -essel2 (a ship, he

positions himself firmly at the helm.

Creon calls a conference among the elders of Thebes in order to make known to them

his decree. He fa-ors #teocles. He tells the Chorus of elders that he is not unwilling to

use force to curb any threat to the state. He brands $olynices a traitor to the state and

refuses to gi-e him a decent burial.In this scene Creon portrays himself as a 3ust and noble ruler, who is willing to go to

any etent to protect the state. In acceptance of Creons edict, the Chorus asks, 14ho

is so fond as to be in lo-e with deathG2 This rhetorical 8uestion underscores the

absolute authority of the king.

Creons speech appears to be a -eiled threat to the elders. He does not want any of

them to aid potential sub-erters of his law. The Chorus promises obedience to Creon/

1&nd sure, tis thine to enforce what law thou wiltE *oth on the dead and all of us who

li-e.2

Lines @@=!) The 4atchmen and Creon

+ummary& watchman (guard enters. He has come unwillingly to meet Creon. He curses his

fate and tells Creon of his reluctance to come to the palace. The watchman keeps

babbling until Creon demands that he epress himself clearly. The watchman tells

Creon that the corpse of $olynices has been gi-en a burial by some unknown person,

who had crept up to it, e-en though it was guarded by soldiers, during the night. The

net morning, the watchman and his companions disco-ered that the body had been

co-ered with a fine layer of dust, and that certain religious rites had been performed

o-er it. The sentinels then fought amongst themsel-es and accused each other of

committing the deed. There were no signs that any animals had disturbed the body

during the night. The sentinels had decided to draw lots to select someone to inform

'ing Creon about the burial. The watchman now speaking is the unlucky one who

was chosen to bring the bad news.

The Chorus tells Creon that some di-ine power may be at work6 it has caused

$olynices to be buried without lea-ing a trace of human in-ol-ement. Creon

admonishes the Chorus of elders, describing them as foolish old men. Once again,

Creon asserts that $olynices was a destroyer and traitor who came to lay waste to the

land of Thebes and its temples. Creon belie-es that the gods cannot honor such

-illainy. Creon angrily accuses the watchman of accepting a bribe from some

1malcontents of Thebes2 to bury $olynices body. He rants against the e-il influence

of money. 5oney, according to Creon, brings cities to their doom and turns honest

men into thie-es and -illains. It has taught mankind to be wicked. Creon asserts thatwhoe-er has buried $olynices body will surely be punished, and he threatens the

watchman with death, unless he (the watchman can manage to bring to the court the

person who has buried $olynices. The watchman -ehemently denies ha-ing anything

to do with the burial and tells Creon that he (Creon has erred in his 3udgment. Creon

orders the watchman to lea-e. The watchman predicts that he will ne-er again be seen

in Creons presence. He thanks hea-en for his escape this time and eits.

Botes

In this scene, the plot of the tragedy truly begins to unfold. & ma3or e-ent has

occurred which will affect all further action in the play. True to the principles of

0reek tragedy, the ma3or e-ent (the burial of $olynices body by &ntigone has taken

place off!stage. Therefore, it needs to be reported by means of a messenger. Here, themessenger is the unhappy watchman. His reluctance to meet Creon is partly amusing


12/38

and partly pathetic. His fears are 8uite reasonable. He knows that being the bearer of

1unwelcome news,2 he is likely to face Creons wrath, as indeed he does. The

watchman gi-es the audience (or reader a detailed, first!hand account of how he and

his fellow sentinels had disco-ered that the body of $olynices was gi-en a swift and

incomplete burial. The person who committed this deed was ob-iously in a great

hurry, as the corpse was only partly co-ered by dust.+ophocles creates suspense by delaying the watchmans description of the night burial

until he (the watchman has o-ercome his initial fears. Once again, the element of fate

or destiny appears to play a part here/ the watchman is selected by a draw of lots to

con-ey the news to Creon. The superstitious nature of the Chorus is re-ealed when it

states that the burial must be the work of a di-ine being, as there is no trace of the

guilty person.

Creon, ha-ing no one else to turn his wrath upon, berates the watchman. Creon also

deliberately mentions the gods in his speech. He wants the people of Thebes to

belie-e that the gods support his (Creonslaw. The Chorus has already suggested that

the gods may be against Creon by stating that some di-ine power has been the cause

of the burial.Creon puts on a false show of being 3ust and laments that people will do anything for

money. He is aware that there are malcontents within Thebes who will not accept his

rule and are turning restless. He belie-es that one of these malcontents has bribed the

watchman with gold to bury the body. Creon seems to be well aware of weakness in

others but does not reali9e that he, too, has his faults.

Lines @!>? The %irst +tasimon

The Chorus/ 15any a wonder li-es...2

+ummary

The Chorus sings an ode to man, praising him as the wonder of all things that li-e and

mo-e. 5en ha-e built -essels in which they tra-el 1the gray ocean2 and 1high!

swelling seas.2 The Chorus asserts that man has e-en subdued the earth by means of

farming/ his ploughs turn the earth year by year. He has learned to hunt for his food

by catching birds, fish and animals in 1wo-en coils of nets.2 5an, according to the

Chorus, is thus 1craftywise.2

5an, says the Chorus, has been able to tame the wild horse and the tireless mountain

bull by means of his etreme intelligence. He uses these beasts to farm the land. 5an

has learned to create shelters against all kinds ofweather, against 1biting frost2 and

1sharp, roof! penetrating rain.2 5an, continues the Chorus, is in-enti-e and

imaginati-e, endowed with many skills. He meets each new challenge with a new

de-ice. The only thing that mankind cannot -an8uish is :eath. Howe-er, the Choruspraises the fact that man has been able to disco-er cures for the most baffling and

dangerous diseases.

5an, the Chorus belie-es, mo-es toward either e-il or good, depending on whether he

lo-es his land and fears the gods abo-e. If he follows the laws of the land and remains

true to hea-en, the Chorus maintains, then man will keep his high position in the state.

*ut if he acts dishonorably by committing crimes against the state as well as against

the gods, he will become an outcast, shunned by all.

Bow the leader of the Chorus speaks. He notices a sign of e-il, an ill!omen from the

gods. He sees that &ntigone, the 1hapless child of hapless sire2 has been arrested. He


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assumes that she has recklessly broken Creons law and has now been caught in the

act.

Botes

This choral interlude ser-es to reduce the tension created in the pre-ious scene. It is

the only respite that the audience (or reader will ha-e for a long time. &fter this

point, the drama mo-es headlong into tragedy.The Chorus song in praise of man is highly musical and rich with images

fromagriculture, sailing, fishing, and hunting. 5an is shown as noble and all!

powerful. He triumphs o-er both earth and sea, o-er birds, animals and fish. He is

resourceful and is able to find solutions to almost e-ery problem he faces. Only :eath

stands in his way. ;et the Chorus does not praise man blindly. Towards the end of the

song, man is shown to ha-e a capacity for good as well as e-il. The good man is one

who follows the laws of the state and of hea-en, whereas the bad man breaks these

laws. The Chorus accepts the good man as a respectable member of society, but the

bad man becomes a social outcast. Thus, the Chorus predicts the general reaction to

&ntigones act of rebellion when it becomes public.

The Chorus distinction between good and e-il is too simplistic in nature, and willsoon be pro-ed wrong. The Chorus indulges in moralistic preaching and displays

certain pre3udices. &ntigone may ha-e broken the law of the state, but she is still in

the right. :espite the buoyant mood of the choral song in praise of man, the mention

of :eaths presence changes the tone. It is a harbinger of things to come. &nd soon

enough, the leader of the Chorus tells of the arrest of the 1girl &ntigone.2 Bow the

play is on the threshold of tragedy.

Lines >)!

The +econd #pisode/

The 4atchman, &ntigone and Creon

+ummary

The watchman enters, bringing along with him &ntigone, his prisoner. He announces

that it is &ntigone who has committed the crime by burying her dead brother and now

demands to meet the king.

Creon enters and in8uires into the matter. The watchman tells him that the first

3udgment is often pro-ed wrong by subse8uent reflection. He had thought that after

the threats he recei-ed from Creon the first time, he would ne-er again wish to come

to the palace. *ut now he has come willingly, bearing &ntigone as his prisoner. +he

has been/ 1Caught in the act of caring for the dead.2

This time there was no need to cast lots, and the watchman came -oluntarily to bring

the news to Creon. He asks Creon to eamine and 3udge &ntigone. The watchmanwishes to be free and to get away from 1 the bad business2 that he has become a part

of because of his duty as a guard.

&t first Creon cannot belie-e that &ntigone is responsible for the deed, but he is soon

persuaded by the watchmans detailed eplanation as to how &ntigone was

apprehended. &fter the burial that took place on the pre-ious night, the guards had

once again laid bare $olynices body, according to Creons orders. 4hile they were

keeping watch o-er the corpse in the heat of the noon, there suddenly arose 1a

whirlwind from the ground.2 & dust!storm ensued and the sentinels were forced to

shut their eyes to keep out the dust. 4hen the storm had ceased and the sentries had

opened their eyes, they saw the girl, &ntigone, who cried aloud 1in high and bitter

key2 when she saw that her brothers body was, once more, laid bare. &ntigonecursed the guards for undoing her deed of the pre-ious night. Then she took a 3ar of


14/38


15/38

&ntigone does not want to incur the wrath of the gods by breaking their di-ine laws

only because they clash with the man!made laws of the state. +he is aware that she

has to die one day, and it does not matter if she dies young. In fact, she prefers an

early death, as she has li-ed a life of 1boundless woe.2

&ntigone is not afraid or saddened by the prospect of her own death. Howe-er, she

declares that she could not allow her 1own mothers child2 (her brother, $olynices tolie in the open without a proper burial. +he taunts Creon by telling him that if he calls

her a fool for committing the deed, then she is foolish only 1in the 3udgment of a

fool,2 the 1fool2 being Creon.

The Chorus admires &ntigones fierce resol-e and courage in the face of calamity.

*ut Creon is confident that &ntigones self! assurance will soon break down. He

asserts that the strongest bar of steel which has been hardened by a long process in the

fire is often shattered to pieces afterwards. He brands &ntigone a criminal and

remarks that she has added insolence to her crime by laughing off her offense and

appearing to 1glory in it.2 Creon declares that he cannot let &ntigone go free on the

pretet that she is a woman. He must pro-e his manliness and new!found powers by

punishing her for the 1crime2 she has willfully committed. Bor will he spare herbecause she is his sisters daughter.

Creon now states that Ismene, &ntigones younger sister, is a 1co! partner in this

plotted funeral.2 He considers her e8ually guilty of the 1crime,2 and he summons

Ismene to appear before him. He claims to ha-e seen her recently, walking around the

palace in a frantic manner, like a person who is scheming to undertake some de-ilish

plot. He belie-es that Ismenes disturbed spirit is a sure sign of her guilt although she

has not been caught in the act of committing the deed. Creon promises that the two

sisters shall surely be gi-en the 1worst of deaths2 by the state.

&ntigone asks Creon whether he wants more from her than her life. 4hen Creon

replies that he claims only her life, &ntigone re8uests that she be gi-en death

immediately. Bothing Creon says can change her mind now. +he belie-es that she

could find no greater honor than in burying her own brother. +he tells Creon that the

men of Thebes appro-e of her deed but are unable to speak out openly because they

fear Creons power. &ntigone sarcastically remarks that being a king has its benefits,

the chief of these being the ability to do as one wishes.

Creon tells &ntigone that no Theban supports her, but &ntigone rebukes him by

asserting that they do support her, but 1curb their -oices2 due to Creons absolute

power. Creon asks &ntigone whether she is not ashamed to be the only one to break

the law. &ntigone responds by saying that her sisterly piety bears no trace of shame.Creon asks &ntigone if her actions ha-e been harmful to the memory of her other

brother, #teocles. He tells &ntigone that $olynices was a -ile traitor who had come to

destroy Thebes. &ntigone respects her brothers e8ually. 1:eath knows no difference,2

she says.

Creon maintains that enemies must be hated e-en if they are dead. &ntigone, for her

part, has faith in the power of lo-e and not hatred. Creon then sentences her to death

and asserts that he will not be ruled by a woman.

Botes

This is the first ma3or agon (debate, or dramatic conflict in the play between the two

main characters, &ntigone and Creon. Creon tries to subdue &ntigone by proclaiming

that she has broken 1the published law.2 *ut &ntigone is not to be defeated. +he ismorally correct and she uses this fact to her ad-antage. &ntigone 8uite sensibly


16/38

belie-es in following Hea-ens laws and not those laid down by mortals like Creon.

The laws of Hea-en are 1infallible2 for her, as they ha-e eisted from the beginning

of time. Creons law, on the other hand, is but 1newly!born,2 as &ntigone points out.

%or &ntigone, the established laws of Hea-en ha-e been tried and pro-en to be

correct.

&ntigone holds that death will not bring her as much sorrow as the fact that herbrothers body lies unburied. Her fierce pride and loyalty to family are e-ident in this

scene. The Chorus is the first to obser-e this/ 1%ierce shows the maidens -einfrom

her fierce sire6E Calamity doth not subdue her will.2

The Chorus notes that &ntigones traits ha-e come down to her from her father, 'ing

Oedipus. :espite &ntigones fierce resol-e in the face of calamity, Creon is confident

that he will be able to break her spirit. He accuses her of being insolent and

shameless. His insecurity is e-ident/ her defiance is a threat to his status as a king, and

so he must destroy her, e-en though she is his sisters child. Creon tries to detract

from the fact that &ntigones action is an honorable one by claiming that &ntigone

and Ismene had entered into a conspiracy against the state. &ntigone, on the other

hand, maintains that she has performed a glorious deed.The entire debate is an attempt by Creon to demorali9e &ntigone. He tries to pro-e

that she is wrong so that he can gain the upper hand in his attempt to win o-er the

people of Thebes. He asks &ntigone whether she has not betrayed the memory of

#teocles (the brother who had refused to gi-e up the throne of Thebes. nlike Creon,

who supported #teocles because it was politically epedient for him to do so,

&ntigone treats both her brothers as e8uals. +he does not accept Creons argument

that $olynices was a traitor who came to destroy Thebes. %or Creon, $olynices is the

wicked brother, hated e-en in death6 but &ntigone adheres to the law of lo-e and is

not consumed by hatred for anyone. +he makes a powerful and telling statement/

1:eath knows no difference, but demands his due.2

&t the end of the scene Creon has lost his composure and states that he will ne-er

allow himself to be ruled by a woman. This scene is the climactic point/ it

demonstrates the clash between Creons world of power and &ntigones world of

ideals. &ntigone is resolute to the end and thoroughly enrages 'ing Creon.

Lines A@!A>@

Creon, Ismene and &ntigone

+ummary

The Chorus announces the arri-al of Ismene, in tears and full of aniety. Creon

describes Ismene as 1a serpent coiled in the house2 and a sub-erter of his throne. He

asks her whether she will acknowledge her role in the burial of $olynices body.Ismene falsely admits to being a partner in crime with &ntigone. Ismene wishes to

bear her part of the blame. &ntigone, howe-er, denies that Ismene played any part in

the burial. Ismene wishes to go with her sister to her death, but &ntigone forbids her

to do so. &ntigone asserts that she has done the deed alone and that she does not need

this -erbal support from her sister. Ismene is hurt as she feels that &ntigone is now

scorning her.

Ismene laments that she has no 3oy left in life, but &ntigone tells her to sa-e herself.

Ismene had earlier chosen life o-er death when &ntigone first re-ealed to her the

secret burial plan. &ntigone obser-es that her life, too, has long been spent in the

ser-ice of the dead.

Creon upbraids Ismene for taking lea-e of her senses. He forbids her from addressing&ntigone as her sister, for &ntigone is 1nothing now.2 Ismene asks Creon whether he
http://www.pinkmonkey.com/booknotes/monkeynotes/pmAntigone17.asphttp://www.pinkmonkey.com/booknotes/monkeynotes/pmAntigone17.asp


17/38

intends to kill his sons (Haemons betrothed. Creon replies by saying that Haemon

1may find other fields to plough upon.2 He remarks that &ntigone would make a

1wicked consort,2 not worthy of Haemon. He resol-es that 1death must come2

between Haemon and 1his 3oy.2 He orders that &ntigone and Ismene be taken away

and locked up. It is now settled that &ntigone must die.

BotesThis scene includes a debate between &ntigone and Ismene. Ismene wishes to claim a

part in the deed so that she will be able to share the fatal punishment with her sister.

*ut &ntigone is unwilling to share with her sister the honor she will recei-e for

burying her brother in defiance of Creons law.

*esides, &ntigone reminds Ismene that she (Ismene has already chosen life o-er

death. One may recall that in the opening scene of the play, &ntigone had re8uested

Ismene to 3oin her in burying their brother, but Ismene had refused to do so. &t that

time, Ismene was afraid that Creon would punish them with death if they were caught.

In the present scene, howe-er, Ismene shows some dignity and nobility. &lthough shehas not been an accomplice in the deed, she is now willing to accept death with her

sister. Ismene makes a noble offer, but &ntigone re3ects it. Ismene belie-es that

&ntigone is now scorning her because she (Ismene had earlier refused to help

&ntigone with the burial plan. It is true that &ntigone does not want Ismene to share

her glory in dying for her brother6 howe-er, &ntigone also wants Ismene to li-e. +he

tells Ismene/ 1Life was the choice you made. 5ine was to die.2

&gain, as in the first scene, the 8uestion of choice or free will arises. &ntigone chose

freely to break the law, for which she knew she would be punished, whereas Ismene

chose to li-e by the laws of the land. Therefore, Ismene has not ac8uired the right to

die at this point. %or &ntigone, facing death (e-en as a 1criminal2 is a gift from the

gods, a release from earthly sorrows. Ismene displays the etent of her sisterly

affection in this scene.

4hen Creon obser-es the two sisters 8uarreling o-er whether Ismene should die with

&ntigone or not, he naturally concludes that these two ha-e lost their minds. In any

case it is not up to the sisters to decide whether Ismene should be accused or not6 that

is Creons prerogati-e. Creon has already decided that &ntigone must die, e-en

though she is engaged to his son, Haemon. He does not care that he will be causing

great pain to Haemon. Creon is still unsure of whether Ismene should be punished,

although he is certain that Ismene has played her part in the burial by being a silent

supporter of &ntigones cause.

Lines A>!=@

The +econd +tasimon

The Chorus/ 1*lest is the life that ne-er tasted woe.2

+ummary

The Chorus now sings a song of woe which forms a prelude to the final scenes of

tragedy which are to follow. They state that the person who has ne-er suffered pain

and anguish in hisEher life is indeed blessed. The Chorus remarks that when a house

(here meaning 1family2 has undergone its first tragedy, then troubles come upon it in

e-er!increasing numbers. :eeper and darker tragedies soon ensue in the manner of the

storms that arise near Thrace and disrupt land and sea.

The descendants of Cadmus, according to the Chorus, ha-e suffered terriblecalamities in 8uick succession. %resh sorrows ha-e distressed each new ruler of


18/38

Thebes upon ascending the throne. #-en the most recent 1smiling light2 of Thebes has

been etinguished. The Chorus belie-es that the gods ha-e been ruthless in reducing

the powerful Cadmus dynasty to ashes.

The Chorus then prays to Feus, the highest of all the 0reek gods. They reali9e that

man is powerless in the face of Feus might. The Chorus remarks that Feus has ruled

fore-er.The Chorus belie-es that there eists in the world a law of misery which does not

spare anyone. Those who are comforted by hope soon begin to desire more and are

destroyed by the fire of their desire. The Chorus 8uotes one of the wise men of

ancient 0reece as saying that the mind often mistakes e-il for good. In this present

time and age, the Chorus considers few people to be able to li-e a life free of troubles.

Botes

The subdued note that the Chorus strikes in this +tasimon is in sharp contrast to the

note of celebration e-ident in the pre-ious choral song, 15any a wonder li-es.2 This

Choral song sets the mood for the remainder of the play/ a mood of solemnity and

tragic gloom.

The image of a storm in the sea near Thrace is used to describe the nature of the

problems faced by the House of Cadmus. Cadmus was the legendary founder of

Thebes and the son of the 'ing of Tyre. He was turned into a serpent and taken to

#lysium, and all of his daughters met with disastrous ends. Thus, for a long time, 1the

stock of Cadmus2 has suffered tragedies. Laius, Oedipus father, was the great!

grandson of Cadmus. 4hen he was the 'ing of Thebes, Laius was killed by his own

son, Oedipus, who was ignorant of his fathers identity. Oedipus himself had a tragic

life. He unknowingly married his own mother, "ocasta, and ended his life in tragedy.

Bow it is the turn of Oedipus daughter, &ntigone, to face death. &lready her two

brothers ha-e fought against and killed each other. Therefore, as the Chorus rightly

puts it, this is a family destined for disaster. The gods do not e-er seem to smile

kindly on them.

1The new smiling light2 that the Chorus admires is &ntigone, who will soon be lost

1in dark Bonentity.2 +he used to think about the facts surrounding her birth and life.

In a way, the Chorus reiterates that she, like her father before her, is destined to die a

wretched death.

%or the Chorus, it is the gods who control the li-es of men. Feus, the king of the

0reek gods, rules mens li-es from the lofty 5ount Olympus. Olympus is the highest

mountain in 0reece. &ccording to 0reek mythology, twel-e Olympian gods li-ed on

the summit of the mountain.The Chorus now sounds pessimistic. They belie-e that misery is endemic to the world

in general, and e-en if hope eists, it soon results in destruction because it gi-es rise

to fatal desires. The days seem full of despair, and one cannot tell the difference

between e-il and good, for the 1angry 0od2 of desire that rules mans mind also

makes him blind to the truth.

Thrace was a region in the northeast of the *alkan $eninsula. Historians belie-e that

0reece owes the beginnings of its music, mythology and philosophy to the early

inhabitants of Thrace.

Lines =@!J>The Third #pisode/


19/38

Creon and Haemon

+ummary

The leader of the Chorus announces the arri-al of Haemon, Creons youngest child.

Haemon appears to be mourning since he has heard of &ntigones misfortune. The

leader of the Chorus wonders whether Haemon is mourning because &ntigone will be

lost in the prime of her youth or because he is to lose a bride.4hen Haemon enters, Creon asks him whether he is angry with his father for ha-ing

sentenced &ntigone, Haemons 1promised bride,2 to death, or whether he will

un8uestioningly accept his fathers will. Haemon mildly responds that he will follow

Creons orders and that he prefers his fathers 1wise go-ernment2 to the fairest bride.

Creon is pleased with his sons response and enters into a lengthy monologue on the

-irtue of ha-ing obedient children. He is happy that Haemon has bowed his 1constant

mind2 to his fathers will. & childs loyalty to his father, remarks Creon, is important

because the child can support the father in moments of danger. *ut a child who is

disloyal brings, according to Creon, only sorrow to his unfortunate father. Creon

ad-ises Haemon against gi-ing up his own worth for the sake of a woman. He

eplains that a 1wicked wife,2 such as &ntigone, brings no comfort. He asks Haemonto re3ect such a woman and to lea-e her to her wretched fate.

&ntigone was the only one among all the Thebans who refused to submit to Creons

law. Creon has asserted that she must die, and now he cannot break his 1word before

the state.2 Creon cannot tolerate rebels within his own state. He belie-es that the law

of the state must be respected and obeyed at all costs. His speech now turns into a

lecture on the politics of the state. Creon argues that it is law!breakers, like &ntigone,

who destroy law and order, thereby bringing about the downfall of cities. +uch

1traitors2 cause wars which conse8uently bring death and destruction. Creon asserts

that he must 1defend the law2 at all costs and not submit to a womans will. He

declares that he would rather be struck down by a man. The Chorus praises Creon for

speaking wisely.

Haemon initially accepts that his father speaks wisely, insofar as he (Creon is

concerned with protecting the safety of the state. *ut Haemon warns Creon that the

citi9ens of Thebes are unhappy that their monarch has condemned &ntigone to death.

Haemon obser-es that the citi9ens are unable to speak out against Creons decision

for fear of punishment. The Thebans in the street, re-eals Haemon, mourn for

&ntigone and hold her in high esteem for her glorious deed. They feel that &ntigones

deed merits the highest praise. Haemon labels this unrest among the people as 1the

dark rumor spreading silently.2

Haemon declares that his father, a king of high renown, is precious to him. Children

glory in their parents fame, notes Haemon. ;et he ad-ises Creon against neglectingto take into consideration others points of -iew. Haemon states that the man who

presumes he alone is wise is actually a fool. He tells Creon that it is no disgrace to

listen to the -oice of reason. Haemon cites the eample of the tiny plant which yields

to the flow of torrential waters in order to sa-e its twigs, while the huge tree, which

stubbornly resists the torrent, is swept away. +imilarly, Haemon speaks of the mariner

who does not loosen the sail when caught in a storm, and conse8uently causes his

-essel to capsi9e because his sail is too tightly set. Haemon pleads with Creon to

relent and accept change, as it is ine-itable. Haemon understands that it is good to

possess wisdom, but he also recogni9es that man is not infallible, as far as his

3udgment is concerned, and so he must learn to accept criticism.

The Chorus now begins to reali9e that Haemons arguments are correct. The Chorusasks Creon to learn from his son, but it also ad-ises Haemon to be guided by his


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father. The truth lies somewhere between the two etreme stances adopted by father

and son.

'ing Creon will not tolerate being lectured to by his young son. Haemon responds to

this by saying that when it comes to the 8uestion of what is right and what is wrong,

age makes no difference. Creon asks Haemon whether he (Haemon considers

&ntigone to be a criminal. Haemons reply is that the whole of Thebes denies theallegation that she has committed a crime. Creon rebukes him by asking, 1&m I ruled

by ThebesG2 Haemon candidly remarks that a single person does not make up a city.

Creon now accuses Haemon of defending &ntigone, to which Haemon replies that he

cares about Creon, his father. Creon had already labeled Haemon 1the womans

champion26 now Haemon asserts that Creon is 1the woman2 for whom he is trying to

rescue the situation. Creon is angry with Haemon for showing such impudence.

Haemon obser-es that he (Creon has spurned the gods. Creon describes his son as an

1(abominable spirit, woman!ledK2 He proclaims that &ntigone will not li-e to be his

wife. Haemon warns Creon that &ntigones death will ruin him (Creon. Creon takes

this to be a threat and promises that Haemon shall pay for his insolence. He orders

&ntigone to be brought and put to death immediately in the presence of her lo-er,Haemon. *ut Haemon refuses to stay and watch her suffer. He swears that he will

ne-er again see his father and walks out.

The Chorus obser-es that Haemon has left angrily and warns Creon that Haemons

youthful spirit may, in its present condition, cause him to act irresponsibly. Creon

does not care for what Haemon may do, as he has already decided to stand by his

decision to destroy both the sisters, Ismene and &ntigone. 4hen the Chorus asks

whether Creon intends to eecute both the sisters, Creon finally concedes that only

&ntigone, the one who performed the deed, should die. The Chorus asks to be made

aware of the means of eecution that Creon proposes to use. Creon replies that

&ntigone will be buried ali-e in a 1ca-e!like -ault2 in the desert.

Botes

&nother important player is introduced in the scene/ Haemon, the youngest son of

Creon. Haemon has been betrothed to &ntigone, his cousin, and now comes before his

father to challenge his (Creons decision that &ntigone must die. This leads to the

third ma3or agon (debate of the play.

&t first, Haemon succeeds in pleasing his father, by stating that he would follow his

fathers will. Creon then enters into one of his lengthy monologues in which he

stresses to Haemon the importance of being obedient to ones parents. He also dubs

&ntigone a 1wicked consort2 who is notfitfor Haemon. *esides, &ntigone is a threat

to the state of Thebes, as she has openly defied Creons law. Therefore, she must die.

This is Creons reasoning, and he wishes to impress upon his son that he (Creon isright and that &ntigone is in the wrong. In a way, Creon now e8uates &ntigone with

her brother, $olynices, whom he had also branded a traitor. +uch people, pronounces

Creon, are a threat to the state, and therefore they should be dealt with firmly. Once

again Creon ends one of his monologues by stating that he will not gi-e in to a

womans will. He fears that his image will be tarnished if he allows a woman to get

the better of him. Thus, by 3ustifying &ntigones punishment, Creon attempts to

pacify Haemon.

Haemon continues to address his father with respect. He accepts that his father is in

the right, as far as matters of the state are concerned. Then he introduces his first note

of dissent. He informs Creon about the unrest among the people of Thebes, who feel

that &ntigone is being treated un3ustly. 4hile common people cannot speak outagainst Creon for fear of incurring his terrible wrath, Haemon can speak more openly,
http://www.pinkmonkey.com/booknotes/monkeynotes/pmAntigone21.asphttp://www.pinkmonkey.com/booknotes/monkeynotes/pmAntigone21.asphttp://www.pinkmonkey.com/booknotes/monkeynotes/pmAntigone21.asphttp://www.pinkmonkey.com/booknotes/monkeynotes/pmAntigone21.asp


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as he is Creons own son. He does not speak as a rebel, but as an ad-isor, gi-ing

Creon fair warning about the situation. #-en as he praises his father for carrying out

the responsibility of a king, Haemon admonishes Creon for not lending1an ear to

reason.2 The Chorus had earlier accepted Creons words as wise, but now they

acknowledge that Haemon, too, is correct. The Chorus, characteristically, does not

take a side during this debate. It cannot tell which of the two, father or son, isabsolutely correct.

Creon is right in asserting that the law of the state is all!powerful. Howe-er, he is

morally wrong because his law contradicts that of the gods. Creons insensiti-ity is

e-ident in this scene, as he discredits &ntigones name while speaking to Haemon, her

lo-er. He does not try to soothe Haemon or calm him down, but instead pro-okes

Haemon to the point where his son is forced to walk away. Creon shows little human

understanding here. He is utterly tactless in dealing with his son and altogether brutal

in the manner in which he dismisses the idea that Haemon and &ntigone could ha-e

been man and wife. His ob-ious insensiti-ity stands in sharp contrast to Haemons

deep concern, both for &ntigone and his father. Creon sees Haemons concern as

insolence and swears that he will ha-e &ntigone killed in front of Haemon. Creonsruthlessness is the last straw for Haemon, who eits in anger, but not before warning

his father against acting like a cold!blooded dictator/ 1Bo city is property of a single

man.2

&fter Haemons eit, Creon states that he wishes to put to death both &ntigone and

Ismene. Howe-er, the Chorus 8uestion causes him to change his mind, and he

decides that only &ntigone will die. The painful nature of her death (by li-e burial

makes the situation appear more tragic and shows Creon in a ruthless light.

Lines J>A!>?

The Third +tasimon/

The Chorus/ 1Lo-e uncon8uered in fight2

+ummary

The Chorus sings an ode in praise of lo-e. Lo-e is described as a warrior, who is

1ne-er con8uered in fight.2 Lo-e wreaks ha-oc on the wealthy and the famous. Lo-e

is personified as a human being, or a lo-er, who keeps watch the whole night long in

order to make ad-ances towards a young maiden. Lo-e roams o-er seas and resides in

lonely dwellings in the forest. Bobody can a-oid the thrills and pains of lo-e.

Humans, as well as the gods, are o-ercome by lo-e and eperience its fren9y.

Lo-e, in a light and fri-olous manner, leads 1righteous minds2 into wrong. Thus lo-e

brings about the ruin of those who were once good people. The Chorus blames lo-e

for causing the 1unkindly 8uarrel2 to erupt between Creon and Haemon. The Chorusasserts that e-en kings and makers of mighty laws are subordinate to the 1heart!

compelling eye of winsome bride.2

The Chorus ends with the line, 15adly thou mockest men, dread &phrodite.2 The

leader of the Chorus now speaks. He is unable to restrain his tears, for he sees

&ntigone making her way to her final resting place.

Botes

Haemons appearance in the pre-ious scene and his 8uarrel with Creon has had its

effect on the Chorus. The Chorus now sings about lo-e and its ability to rule o-er all.

Lo-e is compared to a soldier who destroys rich, established people. Lo-e keeps

watch all night in order to seduce a young maiden. Lo-e eists in e-ery corner of the

world and rules o-er e-eryone, both mortal and immortal. &ccording to 0reekmythology, e-en the gods hadlo-e affairs.


22/38

The Chorus sees lo-e as a distraction which draws righteous men to their doom. It

con-eys the belief that Haemons lo-e for &ntigone has caused a rift between Creon

and Haemon. The Chorus maintains that a beautiful bride can possess more power

than a mighty king. Therefore, the Chorus concludes that men are helpless under the

spell of the all!powerful emotion of lo-e. &phrodite, the goddess of lo-e, rules o-er

mens hearts and sways men so that they are led towards disaster. +he is aptlydescribed as 1dread &phrodite.2

The leader of the Chorus is deeply mo-ed when he sees &ntigone walking to her

place of eecution. &s a citi9en of Thebes, he sympathi9es with &ntigone and is

unable to distance himself from what is happening. Like the Chorus, the audience

begins to pity &ntigone. They respect and admire her for her fascinating courage

Lines >?!


23/38

The Chorus admits that &ntigones deed was 1pious.2 Howe-er, they also reali9e that

Creon, whose 1power would show,2 must not allow anyone in Thebes to defy the laws

that he lays down. The Chorus tells &ntigone that she is going to her death because of

1a self!willed passion.2

&ntigone once again mourns that she goes 1friendless, uncomforted2 and

1unmourned2 to her death. &s dawn breaks, &ntigone is led towards her doom.Creon now enters and mocks &ntigone by remarking that if criminals were gi-en time

to make final speeches before their eecution, such speeches would ne-er come to an

end. He orders that &ntigone be taken away to her 1-aulty tomb.2 He does not care

whether she li-es on or dies in the walled!up cell. He claims that he is not guilty of

causing &ntigones death.

&ntigone begins once again to grie-e for herself. &lthough she is sad that she has to

die young, she is happy at the prospect that she will soon 3oin her father, Oedipus, and

her mother, "ocasta, as well as her brother, $olynices, for whom she has gi-en up her

life. +he admits that she would not do as much for a child or a husband as she has

done for her brother/ she considers that a husband or child can be replaced, but a

brother cannot. &ntigones parents are both dead, and she therefore understands whatit means to lose a family member. &ntigone breaks down and cries to Hea-en. +he is

miserable o-er ha-ing been robbed of the right to be a mother or a wife. :espite her

piety, she is being punished as a criminal. +he swears that if Creons law is to the

liking of the gods, she will repent and ask forgi-eness for her deed, but if Creons law

is ultimately un3ust, then &ntigone demands that Creon, too, should suffer the pain

that she is suffering.

The Chorus obser-es that &ntigones soul is still passionate, e-en as she faces death.

&s &ntigone is led out by the guards, she tells the people of Thebes to obser-e that

she goes 1oppressed2 and 1unworthily2 to her death.

Botes

p to this point in the play, &ntigone has been etremely stoic, not re-ealing much

emotion. In an earlier scene soon after her arrest, &ntigone stated that life to her

meant nothing (lines =!=, as she has li-ed a life of sorrow. *ut now, as she is

being led to her tomb, she cannot control her emotions any longer and laments that

she will not be able to li-e life to its fullest6 she will not fulfill her womanly needs.

+he will not be able to en3oy the pleasures of married life or raise children. Only death

waits for her/ she becomes in a sense, the bride of death.

The Chorus tries to console her by saying that her death is a glorious and honorable

one, unmatched by any other, for she goes ali-e to the land of the dead. &ntigone

recalls that Biobe, the daughter of Tantalus, had met with a fate similar to her own,

when she was turned to stone on the heights of 5ount +ipylus. The use of imagesfrom nature, the 1tearful stream2 and eternal snows,2 adds to the pathos of the

description. The Chorus remarks that since Biobe was born of a goddess, and since

&ntigone will suffer a similar fate to Biobes, &ntigones death is indeed a glorious

one.

&ntigone belie-es that the Chorus is making fun of her in her moment of despair. +he

asks all those present, as well as the natural landmarks of Thebes (the fountain and

gro-e, to bear witness to her unwarranted death. &ntigone is e-en more despondent

because she goes ali-e and friendless to her tomb. &t this moment she belongs to

neither the land of the li-ing nor that of the dead. The Chorus attempts to soothe her,

howe-er, ha-e the re-erse effect, when they remind her of her father, Oedipus, and his

fall. +he addresses her dead brother, $olynices, saying that his 1princely marriage2 to


24/38

the daughter of the 'ing of &rgos ultimately brought his downfall, as well as

&ntigones (since $olynices led an army from &rgos against Thebes.

The Chorus now stops trying to console her and instead tries to prepare her for her

death. They play a double game, at times sympathi9ing with &ntigone, at others

asserting that Creon must enforce the law of the state in order for Thebes to ha-e a

stable eistence. They point out that it is her 1self willed passion2 which is the causeof her downfall.

Creon enters and in his turn tries to wash his hands of the entire matter, claiming that

the state is 1guiltless in the matter of this maid.2

He asserts that he is not taking &ntigones life, but only ordering that she be walled

up in a tomb, with pro-isions. 4hether she li-es or dies is none of his business. This

is Creon at his hypocritical best. He knows -ery well that &ntigone is bound to die in

the walled!up ca-e, yet he pretends that the sentence he has passed on her is not so

serious.

&ntigone, who reali9es the horror of her impending entombment, now bursts into a

heart!rending lament for herself. +he finds comfort in the belief that after death, she

will meet her belo-ed parents and brothers. +he has lost all her composure now andwonders why she, who has acted honorably, should die the death of a criminal. +he

lea-es it in the hands of the gods to decide whether she was right or wrong in burying

her brother. If she was right, &ntigone asks that the people who pass 3udgment against

her on earth should suffer as she suffered. This curse becomes something of a

prophecy, as Creon does suffer terrible calamity at the end of play. The Chorus

reali9es that &ntigones spirited nature is still ali-e, e-en in her last moments. %inally,

&ntigone is taken away. This is the last the audience shall see of her.

The %ourth +tasimon/

The Chorus 1#-en :anas beauty left the lightsome day.2

+ummary

The Chorus sings of :ana, the daughter of &crisius, 'ing of &rgos, who was

confined in a tower of brass by her father. ;et Feus lo-ed :ana and came to meet

her as a shower of gold(1the golden rain2.

5isfortune, which is destined to occur, will come no matter how great or powerful the

sufferers may be. The Chorus recalls how the son of :ryas was trapped in an 1eyeless

-ault of stone2 by the 0reek god, :ionysus, as a punishment for ha-ing played a

prank on the god and his followers.

The Chorus then sings about the legend of $hineus two sons, who were blinded by

their father at the behest of their stepmother. The sons cried out to Hea-en for re-enge

until Feus responded by blinding their father, $hineus. Howe-er, the sons of $hineuscried chiefly for their mother, Cleopatra, who was 1the source of their re3ected birth.2

Cleopatra came from the family of #rechtheus and li-ed out her life in far off ca-es,

where she endured terrible storms. &lthough she was born of di-inity, she too

suffered a terrible fate.

Botes

In this choral piece, the audience is told about the ine-itability of doom. The Chorus

has 3ust seen &ntigone being led to her death and asserts the belief that destiny rules

the li-es of e-eryone, both mortal and immortal. It cites the eample of &crisius, the

'ing of &rgos, who imprisoned his daughter, :ana, because an oracle had predicted

that her son would kill him. *ut &crisius could not escape the hand of %ate and was

killed by his daughters son.


25/38

The Chorus goes on to tell of the imprisonment of the son of :ryas by :ionysus, and

of the blinding of the sons of $hineus. %ate is seen as striking a blow at $hineus with

her shuttle (a kind of weapon. The Chorus ends by relating the tale of Cleopatra, the

mother of $hineus children, who spent her days in isolation in remote ca-es.

Lines >!)?


26/38

for the dead. He warns Creon that the people of the cities whose unburied sons lie

outside Thebes are forming armies to attack Thebes. He ends by telling Creon that

since Creon has attacked Tiresias personally, it is now his (Tiresias turn to play the

archer and shoot arrows at Creon. Tiresias arrows take the form of curses. He lea-es

in a hurry, warning Creon not to act unwisely.

BotesTiresias, the blind prophet of Thebes, appears as a character in +ophocles Oedipus

7e and #uripides *acchae and $hoenissae. Tiresias was granted the gift of

prophecy by Feus. &s in Oedipus 7e, Tiresias comes to warn the 'ing of Thebes

about the impending dangers awaiting him, and as in the Oedipus play, the king

insults Tiresias and at first refuses to listen to him.

Tiresias, although blind, can 1see2 more clearly than most men. He has heard the

8uarreling among the birds who were fighting for their share of $olynices body. %or

Tiresias, such an e-ent is a bad omen. %urthermore, his sacrifice to the gods at the

altar of Thebes was re3ected. Tiresias concludes that something is wrong within

Thebes, and it is none other than Creons edict concerning the burial of $olynices.

The body has begun to decompose and the air surrounding Thebes is now rife withinfection. Tiresias asks Creon to change his thinking and allow for $olynices body to

be buried, so that the gods may be satisfied. Then, the people of Thebes can once

again li-e in an atmosphere free of the stench of death.

Creon is stubbornly unrelenting. He wildly accuses Tiresias of accepting a bribe from

those who wish to see $olynices buried.

Creon has at this point pro-oked Tiresias wrath. Tiresias re-eals to Creon all that he

sees as a prophet. He foretells the deaths of two members of Creons family in

echange for the cruel treatment that Creon has meted out to &ntigone and for his

refusal to allow $olynices burial. Tiresias obser-es that the gods of the nderworld

are unhappy because $olynices body needs to be buried so that his spirit can reach

Hades. Tiresias warns Creon that unless he retracts his proclamation and forgi-es

&ntigone, he shall suffer great tragedy in the days to come. Tiresias, being an old

man, is offended by Creons hasty and ill!phrased remarks, and he storms out of the

palace in anger.

Lines )?


27/38


28/38

woe.2 It paints a *acchic (or :ionysian scene which re-eals :ionysus surrounded by

a choir comprising his followers, who sing and dance in ecstasy.

The #odus/ Lines ))AA!)@@

#urydice and the 5essenger

+ummary& 5essenger enters. He addresses the Chorus, telling them he would neither praise

nor critici9e any person, since the fortunes of each human being change swiftly. He

remarks that nobody can come to any conclusion from mere obser-ation. The

messenger di-ulges that at one time he had en-ied Creon as a king and a powerful

man, the ruler of Thebes. *ut now, the messenger asserts that Creon has 1nothing.2

He describes Creon as 1a li-ing corpse.2 He asserts that although Creon is still

materially rich, he (Creon has no happiness left in life.

The Chorus wishes to know what 1new affliction2 has struck 'ing Creon. The

messenger replies that Haemon has died, by his own hand, as he was filled with rage

at his father for causing the death of &ntigone. The Chorus obser-es that Tiresias

prophecy is beginning to come true. It now announces the entrance of 1Creonsunhappy wife, #urydice.2 The Chorus is unsure of whether #urydice has heard the

news of her sons death.

#urydice enters and addresses the Chorus of Thebes, telling them that she had 3ust

come to the gates of the temple of $allas when she heard news of Haemons suicide.

+he still cannot belie-e it to be true and asks the messenger to relate the incident once

more to her. +he maintains that she is 1no no-ice in ad-ersity.2

The messenger swears to tell #urydice all that he has seen. He does not intend to tell

lies that would soften the impact that the tale will ha-e on #urydice. He intends to tell

her the whole truth, filled as it is with harsh facts. He reports how he followed Creon

to the spot where the body of $olynices lay open. There, Creon and his men sought

forgi-eness from the gods of the nderworld, $ersephone and $luto. The body of

$olynices was washed clean and then cremated. %ollowing this, Creon and his

followers went to the -ault where &ntigone was to be buried ali-e. On reaching it,

they heard a loud and bitter cry. The messenger recalls that Creon, on hearing

Haemons cry, ordered his men to enter the tomb. Creons men then entered the -ault

and found &ntigone hanging in a noose of her own making. Haemon was disco-ered

on his knees clinging to &ntigone. The messenger reports that Creon had entered the

tomb and had begged his son to lea-e &ntigones body and to step away. *ut Haemon

only scowled at his father and made an attempt to pierce Creon with his sword. 4hen

Creon fled from the tomb, Haemon killed himself with his sword, and in a dying

embrace, he held onto &ntigones body. &fter hearing all this, #urydice 8uietly walksoff.

Botes

The action has now mo-ed to catastrophe. One learns about &ntigones and

Haemons deaths only by means of reportage, as the 0reek playwrights of +ophocles

time did not belie-e in depicting scenes of -iolence on the stage.

Once again, +ophocles attempts to create suspense by making the messenger ramble

on for some time before he comes to the cru of the matter. %rom &ntigones tragedy,

the play now begins to become the tragedy of Creons family. Of course, Creon is no

hero or man of nobility. Howe-er, his suffering is great enough in the end to make

him appear as a tragic personage. The messenger himself is o-ercome with grief as he

reports the scene to #urydice.


29/38

In a single sentence, the messenger damns Creon, laying the entire blame for the

deaths on him/ 1They are dead, and they that li-eE &re guilty of the death.2

#urydice appears to ha-e taken the messengers tale in stride, for she does not weep

openly. *ut appearance is not reality, and she is to take her own life soon, due to her

despair o-er Haemons death.

The scene of &ntigones death, although not performed for the audience, is highlydramatic in description, and yet not unepected. In an earlier scene, Haemon had

already 8uarreled with his father regarding &ntigones punishment. Haemons death

is the result of Creons obstinacy/ Creon was unwilling to bow down to his sons

demands, and he must now pay the price for being so stubborn. &ntigone decides to

take her own life. +he preferred death by suicide to being walled up in a ca-e. Hers is

a bra-e and noble death, and no cowardly suicide.

Lines )@ ! )A

Creon/ the %inal sceneE#odus

+ummary

The Chorus wonders at Mueen #urydices silent departure. The messenger is filledwith hesitation. The Chorus belie-es that #urydices inability to grie-e openly at

Haemons death is a sign that she is actually deeply distressed. It is preferred that she

grie-e openly, for suppression of the emotions is bad for the mourner/ 1There is a

danger, e-en in too much silence.2

The Chorus now notes the return of Creon, who is carrying the body of Haemon. The

Chorus openly blames Creon for Haemons death.

Creon enters carrying his hea-y burden. He blames himself for being too stubborn and

repents ha-ing passed the decree regarding $olynices burial. He curses himself for

being so foolish and rash in his actions. The Chorus laments that Creon has learned to

follow the right path too late. Creon belie-es that some god has set him on the road to

despair. He cries out as if he has been mortally wounded.

& second messenger enters and tells Creon that he (Creon is master of sorrows. He

re-eals to Creon that #urydice has stabbed herself. Creon is inconsolable. The

messenger draws open a curtain, behind which lies the body of #urydice. He recounts

how #urydice had 3ust mourned at the bed of her dead son, 5egareus (who died

defending Thebes, and then at Haemons bed, before killing herself with a 1keen

knife.2 *efore dying, she had cursed Creon and blamed him for the death of her sons.

Creon is filled with terror at this news. He asks whether anyone would put him out of

his misery by gi-ing him a mortal blow. He falls into deep distress and begs his

followers to take him away. He sees himself as responsible for #urydices death and

claims that he has nothing left in the world. He laments that he does not wish to li-eanother day. The Chorus ad-ises Creon that time will determine whether or not he

will sur-i-e this catastrophe. The Chorus tells Creon that prayer is useless, as

e-erything is predestined. Creon cannot bear to remain with the bodies of his wife and

child. He feels that the hand of %ate has fallen hea-ily upon him. He is taken away by

his followers as the Chorus sings the #odus, or final song.

The Chorus asserts that those who act wisely will li-e happily, as long as they also

follow Hea-ens laws. $roud men who boast about themsel-es will soon be punished

for their pride. They will be forced to suffer immense sorrows. 5en will learn to act

wisely, eplains the Chorus, only when they are old and eperienced.

Botes

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