Antigone: Stasis or No Stasis

The answer: Stasis.

The town of Thebes is in shambles from the mass civil war that went on between Oedipus’s elder son Eteocles and his younger son Polynices followed by other foreign heirs, resulting in the death of all heirs and a new king, Creon, to rise to the throne. Eteocles recieved a proper burial, but Polynices was not so lucky.

Inciting Incident.

Antigone feels her brother Polynices deserves to be burial despite the blatant opposition of such action by King Creon. Regardless of all advice given against it, Antigone buries her brother. This breaks a decree of Creon’s, placing him in a crucial decision-making position.

Complications.

  • Creon denies burial of Polynices
  • Antigone found burying brother Polynices
  • Creon attempts to cover up for Antigone, but she’s not for it
  • Creon and Antigone disagree on the importance of her brothers lives, and how she should not make the mistake in meddling in them
  • Ismene tries to help Antigone out as well
  • Antigone is figured out and arrested against Haemon’s desires
  • Antigone reluctant to have Guard write her final words, but accepts
  • CLIMAX: Antigone hangs herself, leading to Haemon and Eurydice’s suicides, leaving Creon alone

Themes

Here is a starting point for themes. Feel free to add to any of this or change it up. It’s clearly not a complete description of the themes, but it’s something to work with.

Comparison to themes of the author's other works:

Fate- Oedipus and his family cannot escape their fate, no matter how they try to avoid it.

Comparison of themes by other authors of the time period:

Gods are supreme- Both Antigone and Medea illustrate that mortals cannot defy laws or promises set down by the gods and avoid punishment

Family- Even though Kreon initially considers family connections secondary to upholding his laws, he, like Jason in Medea, is devastated when his stance precipitates the death of his wife and child

Sanctity of marriage- In both Antigone and Medea, much of the violence stems not only from a breach of justice but also from the defiling of a marriage. In Medea’s case, it is one that is already well established, but in Antigone’s, it is one that was intended.

Comparison of themes of plays with similar actions:

King Lear- Similar to the way in which Kreon punishes Antigone for disobeying his orders, Lear rejects his daughter, Cordelia, for not telling him what he wants to hear.

complications?

some complications: Ismene refuses to help Antigone, Creon publicly forbids Polyneices’ burial, the Chorus agrees to respect Creon’s wishes, the guard informs Creon that his command has been disobeyed, Creon sends him in search of the perpetrator, the guard captures Antigone, Creon orders her execution.  Haemon argues with Creon, Creon ignores him and buries Antigone alive, Tyresias warns Creon.

Here I think is the moment of crisis from which there is no turning back.  If Creon listens to Tyresias, he might still be able to prevent anyone from dying and undo the offense he has committed against the gods.  Instead, Creon ignores and insults the prophet, leading to Tyresias’ dooming prophesy.  Despite Creon’s reluctant change of heart, he cannot act quickly enough to prevent the ensuing suicides of Antigone, Haemon, and the queen, leading to Creon’s ultimate downfall.

Thoughts on Thought

"We are only women, not meant in nature to fight against men." (163)

"Extravagant action is not sensible." (163)

"It is better not to hunt the impossible at all." (165)

"Zeus, who hates the most the boasts of a great tongue." (166)

"It is impossible to know any man€¦until he shows his skill in rule and law." (167)

"Anyone thinking another man more a friend than his country, I rate him nowhere." (167) – Creon

"There is none so foolish as to love his own death." (169)

"Often greed has with its hopes brought men to ruin." (169)

"Do you see the gods as honoring criminals? This is not so." (172)-Creon

"The worst currency that ever grew among mankind is money." (172)

"Ill-gotten gains ruin more than they save." (173)

"It's a bad thing if one judges, and judges wrongly." (173)

"Many are the wonders, none is more wonderful than what is man" (174)

"A cunning fellow is man." (174)

"No city has he with whom dwells dishonor prompted by recklessness." (175) –Creon

"[Gods] are not of today and yesterday; they live forever." (178)

"When people plot mischief in the dark, it is the mind which first is convicted of deceit." (179)

"The good man does not seek an equal share only, with the bad." (181)

"Even the stout of heart shrink when they see the approach of death close to their lives." (184)

"For those whose house has been shaken by God€¦it steals on generation after generation." (184)

"Nothing very great comes to the life of mortal man without ruin to accompany it." (185)

"He who is in his household a good man will be found a just man, too, in the city." (186)

"There is nothing worse than disobedience to authority." (186) –Creon

"A man who thinks he alone is right€¦such men, when opened up are seen quite empty." (188)

"There is no city possessed by one man only." (189)

"There is no reverence in trampling on God's honor." (190)

 

 

 

 

initial spectacle/song lists

Song, SoundChorus Chanting and singingKreon powerful voiceLong monologues from the GuardAlso from Haimon and KreonHaimon and Kreon argue (2 loud and powerful voices in same scene, heighten levels)Antigone sings in scene 5, chorus chantsVocal emotions from king and queen after death of son?Kreon singing in final sceneSpectacleChorus does choreographed dancesAntigone and Ismene are pulled away with guards (?)Kreon's entrances with "his men"Eurydike's entranceKings arrival with body of HaimonReveal of the body or EurydikeFirst chorus entranceMasks (descriptive of character social standing)This is just an initial list.  we still need to do some research so we could further determine more about the period/social rankings of all the characters.Chorus: Consider the moments when the chorus enters or exits. Seeing 12-15 people moving & chanting in unison is remarkable. The chorus calls attention to importance of moments in the text just by being on or offstage. They call attention to the central images of the play. The amplified sound of many voices plays a significant role in character differentiation. We can accept their message as an authority and begin to uncover the “social milieu of the play.” Examples:

Antigone Quotes- Thought

·         "We must keep in mind that first, we're born as women, we're not brought into being to war with men; and second, that we are ruled by those whose strength is greater, and we must yield to this"

·         "It makes no sense to do things that are futile"

·         "For me it's noble to do this thing, then die€¦ I will commit a holy crime, for I must please those down below for a longer time than those up here, since there I'll lie forever"

·         "To defy the citizens is beyond what I can do"

·         "Zeus utterly hates the noise of an arrogant bragging tongue"

·         "Any man who feels that someone close to him is more important than his own fatherland – him I count as belonging nowhere"

·         "Knowing that this ship keeps us safe, and only when it sails upright can we choose friends for ourselves"

·         "No one's such a fool as to be in love with dying"

·         "Often, hope for profit has destroyed men utterly"

·         "No one loves a messenger who brings with him bad news"

·         "For nothing current grows among us worse for men than silver: money ravages the cities, it forces men to leave their homes, it teaches mortals to turn to shameful deeds, it shows men how to commit all crimes, and know all kinds of irreverence"

·         "Dirty profits make for suffering"

·         "At many things – wonders, terrors – we feel awe, but at nothing more than at man"

·         "Honoring the laws of the earth and the justice of the gods, to which men swear, he stands high in his city. But outside any city is he who dares to consort with what is wrong"

·         "Mortals should not swear anything's impossible! – since later thoughts can prove one's judgment quite mistaken"

·         "To flee bad things yourself feels good, but it is painful to lead one of your own to something bad"

·         "Nor did I think your proclamation so strong that you, a mortal, could overrule the laws of the gods, that are unwritten and unfailing."

·         "For does not someone who, like me, lives on among so many evils, profit by dying?"

·         "And now if you think my actions happen to be foolish, that's close enough to being charged as foolish by a fool"

·         "Rigid walls are those most apt to fall, and that the hardest iron, forged in fire for greatest strength, you'll see is often broken, shattered"

·         "Grand ideas are not allowed in someone who's the slave of others"

·         "The mind of those who plan in the dark what is not right will often find itself caught as a thief"

·         "One-man rule brings with it many blessings – especially that it cand do and say whatever it wants"

·         "The good should not get equal honor with the evil"

·         "I don't like a loved one who only loves with words"

·         "Good sense that is innate in people deserts them in the midst of troubles"

·         "Among those whose house the gods shake, no ruin is absent as it creeps over a multitude of generations€¦"

·         "Zeus, what transgression of men could overcome your power? Neither sleep that catches everyone in its nets nor the weariless passing of the months named for gods can overcome it€¦"

·         "It is wide-wandering hope that brings benefit to many men, but it deceives many others with desires light as air"

·         "This is why men pray to bring up dutiful offspring and to keep them at home: so they'll pay back a hated foe with trouble, and giving honor, love the friends of their father as he does. Of him who breeds useless children, what else can you say but that he only begest more burdens for himself, and more mockery among his enemies?"

·         "An evil wife in bed with you at home is something that soon enough grows cold wrapped in your arms"

·         "He who is a good man in his own house will also be seen to be just in public life"

·         "Whoever is put into power by the city must be obeyed in everything – in small things, and what's just, and the opposite. There is no greater evil that lack of rule"

·         "We must safeguard the orders of the rulers, and we must never be defeated by a woman – better to be overthrown, if we must be, by a man; then we will not be said to have been beaten by the women"

·         "Whoever thinks that only he himself owns all good sense, that he and no one else has such a tongue and mind – when men like that are opened up, it's seen that they are empty"

·         "The trees that bend with the current save themselves and even their twigs, but those that stand straight are annihilated, root and branch"

·         "There is no city that belongs to only one man"

·         "It's best by far if a man is completely filled with knowledge by his nature€¦ It's also good to learn from what's well said"

·         "Do not look at my age, but at what I do"

·         "You show no reverence trampling on the honors the gods deserve!"

·         "She'll learn at last what pointless waste of effort it is to worship what is down below with Hades"

·         "For a woman who has died it is a great thing even to be spoken of as having the same fate as those who are like gods, both when alive and then afterward, when dead"

·         "To show reverence is indeed some reverence. But power, in him who holds power, is absolutely not to be opposed"

·         "The power of fate – whatever that is – fills us with terror and awe. Neither wealth nor weapons nor high walls nor dark sea-battered ships can escape it"

·         "Making bad choices is something shared by all men, but when a man goes wrong, he's not still ill-advised and not ill-situated if he tries to rectify the evil he has fallen into and stops insisting that he will not move. Stubbornness will earn the charge of botching things!"

·         "No man has the power to stain the gods"

·         "Wrong thinking is the worst"

·         "It's terrible to give way. But to resist – and strike my soul with ruin – is terrible"

·         "The gods' swift-footed bringers-of-harm cut down the evil-minded"

·         "One cannot fight against necessity"

·         "Fortune puts right and fortune topples down, always, the fortunate and unfortunate"

·         "When a man's enjoyment betrays him, I don't think of him as living but as a dead man who can still draw breath"

·         "Always, the truth is the right thing"

·         "Too much silence can €¦ point to what weighs heavy"

·         "The burden of being mortal – the sad, exhausting burden"

·         "Don't pray for anything – for from whatever good or ill is destined for mortals, there's no deliverance"

·         "Good sense is the first principle of happiness. We must not act disrespectfully toward the gods. Grand words of arrogant men, paid back with great blows, in old age teach good sense"

Here's an update to what I posted previously. Again, add anything that you think fits in and we can cut out the extraneous stuff later.

Aristotle Character- Patrick Jones

While reflecting on some of the characters it was interesting to see where they fit within the overall play itself and their purpose/interactions with other characters.

I began looking at Antigone (Her name in Greek means ‘one who is of the opposite opinion’ (anti = against, gnomi = opinion)) herself- she definitely is larger than life in Aristotle’s terms, a very Joan of Arc-esque figure fighting against kings and men in power. Especially in Ancient Greek times she is extraordinary because of her courage and readiness to die for her brother. She simply wont accept the fact that she is not allowed to bury her brother and is extremely passionate about familial love and kindness. She could be considered the antagonist to Creon in the grand scheme of the play.

The amount of devotion she has to her family is shocking and certainly served as an example to the Greeks of true honor and dignity. In a sense she could be considered stubborn in that she doesn’t listen to Ismene and has a very strong sense of purpose that cannot and will not be swayed by outside forces. Antigone doesn’t let others control her. I would also say that she is blindly loyal to others and when Oedipus dies she must be loyal to her brother. Her loyalty is her tragic flaw. She also serves as a foil to Ismene, quite different characters in both external and internal looks and purpose.

Haemon (meaning “Bloody”)- I would say that Haemon is a character that is like us/like the audience. He tries to be a voice of reason to Creon and shows his love for his fiancee. He tries to tell Creon that it is unfair to put Antigone to death and serves as a rational character. he is someone the audience pulls for as he is trying to save the character who serves as a beacon of familial love. His devotion to her might transcend the level of “like us” to a different plain in that he threatens to fight Creon for Antigone’s life and ends up killing himself.  He is put between a rock and a hard place in that he LOVES Antigone but at the same time it is WRONG for him to go against his family. His life ends up being one big conundrum in which he ultimately takes his life.

Messenger: The Messenger in many of these tragedies and plays in general serves as a stock character. Generally there is not much personality in the character but still the ability to feel and choose sides in their dialogue. They serve to tell the audience and the characters what has happened (generally off stage) and the predicament they are currently in. The messenger in this is no different. In a way I would also say that the Messenger is like us though because he/she does show sympathy for the characters who have died (namely Haemon, his mother and Antigone) and is very taken aback by what has happened. There are certainly parallels between the audience members and the messenger in Antigone.