Synopsis
Antigone is a tragedy written by Sophocles and written in or before 441 BC. This is a tragedy about Antigone. After the death of Oedipus, Antigone’s brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices are having a war against each other for the throne of Thebes.
When Antigone returned to Thebes, she was informed that they indeed killed each other and Creon is now ruling. Creon has ordered that Eteocles to be buried and Polyneices left unburied and unmourned, and anyone who tries to bury Polyneices will be punished. Antigone goes against the law and decides to bury her brother. Creon found out and decides to execute her. It is revealed that Antigone was engaged to Creon’s son, Haemon. Haemon did not try to go against his father’s wishes and obeyed him. But Creon second guesses his decision, this is because Tiresias paid a visit and told Creon to not kill Antigone and not leave Polyneices unburied.
Creon decided to release Antigone and decides to bury Polyneices. A messenger told Creon that Haemon has took his own life due to the anger and despair he had towards his father. Antigone hanged herself before Haemon took his own life. Then, due to the death of Haemon his mother, Eurydice decided to take her own life.
Antigone is a tragedy written by Sophocles and written in or before 441 BC. This is a tragedy about Antigone. After the death of Oedipus, Antigone’s brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices are having a war against each other for the throne of Thebes.
When Antigone returned to Thebes, she was informed that they indeed killed each other and Creon is now ruling. Creon has ordered that Eteocles to be buried and Polyneices left unburied and unmourned, and anyone who tries to bury Polyneices will be punished. Antigone goes against the law and decides to bury her brother. Creon found out and decides to execute her. It is revealed that Antigone was engaged to Creon’s son, Haemon. Haemon did not try to go against his father’s wishes and obeyed him. But Creon second guesses his decision, this is because Tiresias paid a visit and told Creon to not kill Antigone and not leave Polyneices unburied.
Creon decided to release Antigone and decides to bury Polyneices. A messenger told Creon that Haemon has took his own life due to the anger and despair he had towards his father. Antigone hanged herself before Haemon took his own life. Then, due to the death of Haemon his mother, Eurydice decided to take her own life.
Characters
- Antigone
- Creonte
- Ismene
- Haemon
- Tiresias
- Eurydice of Thebes
- Sentry
- Polynices
Key Scenes
Creon and Son scene
Ismene and Antigone (opening)
Key Questions
Is Creon a good man?
What does Antigone represent? State or Tradition?
Was Ismene right to not abide by her sisters wishes?
Antigone is a figure "between two deaths” - discuss
Playwrights Biography
Sophocles, (born c. 496 BCE, Colonus, near Athens [Greece]—died 406, Athens), with Aeschylus and Euripides, one of classical Athens’ three great tragic playwrights. The best known of his 123 dramas is Oedipus the King.
Sophocles was the younger contemporary of Aeschylus and the older contemporary of Euripides. He was born at Colonus, a village outside the walls of Athens, where his father, Sophillus, was a wealthy manufacturer of armour. Sophocles himself received a good education. Because of his beauty of physique, his athletic prowess, and his skill in music, he was chosen in 480, when he was 16, to lead the paean (choral chant to a god) celebrating the decisive Greek sea victory over the Persians at the Battle of Salamis. The relatively meagre information about Sophocles’ civic life suggests that he was a popular favourite who participated actively in his community and exercised outstanding artistic talents. In 442 he served as one of the treasurers responsible for receiving and managing tribute money from Athens’ subject-allies in the Delian League. In 440 he was elected one of the 10 stratēgoi (high executive officials who commanded the armed forces) as a junior colleague of Pericles. Sophocles later served as stratēgos perhaps twice again. In 413, then aged about 83, Sophocles was a proboulos, one of 10 advisory commissioners who were granted special powers and were entrusted with organizing Athens’ financial and domestic recovery after its terrible defeat at Syracuse in Sicily. Sophocles’ last recorded act was to lead a chorus in public mourning for his deceased rival, Euripides, before the festival of 406. He died that same year.
Why did the playwright write this play?
Antigone is an important play, written by Sophocles. The theoretical essence of the play is the conflict between individual conscience and the power of the state. The tragedy was written somewhere around 442 BC. Chronologically, it is the third of the three Theban plays, but was the first to be written. The play continues Aeschylus' play Seven Against Thebes, and it extends the Theban legend that predated it
Creon and Son scene
Ismene and Antigone (opening)
Key Questions
Is Creon a good man?
What does Antigone represent? State or Tradition?
Was Ismene right to not abide by her sisters wishes?
Antigone is a figure "between two deaths” - discuss
Playwrights Biography
Sophocles, (born c. 496 BCE, Colonus, near Athens [Greece]—died 406, Athens), with Aeschylus and Euripides, one of classical Athens’ three great tragic playwrights. The best known of his 123 dramas is Oedipus the King.
Sophocles was the younger contemporary of Aeschylus and the older contemporary of Euripides. He was born at Colonus, a village outside the walls of Athens, where his father, Sophillus, was a wealthy manufacturer of armour. Sophocles himself received a good education. Because of his beauty of physique, his athletic prowess, and his skill in music, he was chosen in 480, when he was 16, to lead the paean (choral chant to a god) celebrating the decisive Greek sea victory over the Persians at the Battle of Salamis. The relatively meagre information about Sophocles’ civic life suggests that he was a popular favourite who participated actively in his community and exercised outstanding artistic talents. In 442 he served as one of the treasurers responsible for receiving and managing tribute money from Athens’ subject-allies in the Delian League. In 440 he was elected one of the 10 stratēgoi (high executive officials who commanded the armed forces) as a junior colleague of Pericles. Sophocles later served as stratēgos perhaps twice again. In 413, then aged about 83, Sophocles was a proboulos, one of 10 advisory commissioners who were granted special powers and were entrusted with organizing Athens’ financial and domestic recovery after its terrible defeat at Syracuse in Sicily. Sophocles’ last recorded act was to lead a chorus in public mourning for his deceased rival, Euripides, before the festival of 406. He died that same year.
Why did the playwright write this play?
Antigone is an important play, written by Sophocles. The theoretical essence of the play is the conflict between individual conscience and the power of the state. The tragedy was written somewhere around 442 BC. Chronologically, it is the third of the three Theban plays, but was the first to be written. The play continues Aeschylus' play Seven Against Thebes, and it extends the Theban legend that predated it