Here are a few ideas I have thus far after an initial reading. 1) a possible stasis: Thebes struggles to recover from its losses after war and adjust to rule under a new king. 2) inciting incident: Antigone decides to bury Polyneices, which Kreon has forbidden.
Reactions?
Paco
Plot of Antigone
Stasis: Thebes is torn apart by brotherly war and recent familial dishonor must decide between honor and civility when Eteocles and Polyneices, the two heirs to the throne, kill each other. Their headstrong sister, Antigone, rebels against a new law and Creon, the new King, must either stand by his new law or murder his niece.
Inciting Incident: Although it happens offstage, the real action begins when Antigone attempts to bury her brother. This action is in direct opposition to the new decree and spurs on the rest of the action in the show.
Complications:
1. Creon bans an honorable burial for Polyneices
2. Ismene will not help Antigone bury her brother
a. "I'm not disrespecting them. But I can't act/against the state. That's not in my nature." (97-98)
3. The gods were against the war from the start
a. "seven equal warriors/paid Zeus their full bronze tribute,/the god who turns the battle tide,/all but that pair of wretched men,/born of one father and one mother, too-/who set their conquering spears against each other/and then both shared a common death." (168-173).
4. Creon is power-hungry
a. "And so I have the throne, all royal power" (171)
5. Creon does not want Polyneices to have an honorable burial
a. "€¦He'll be left unburied,/his body there for birds and dogs to eat,/a clear reminder of his shameful fate./that's my decision." (234-237)
6. The gods do not support Polyneices as a man and therefore do not honor his burial
a. "€¦Or do you see gods paying respect to evil men? No, no." (233-234)
7. Antigone does not fear Creon
a. "€¦Zeus did not announce those laws to me./and Justice living with the gods below/sent no such laws for men€¦" (508-510)
8. Antigone is emotional and perhaps not thinking clearly
a. "the spirit in this girl is passionate-/her father was the same. She has no sense/of compromise in times of trouble." (537-540)
9. Antigone wants to die with her brother. Creon must consider this
a. "Take me and kill me-what more do you want?" (565)
10. Antigone and Creon have conflicting ideas of honor
a. Creon: "These views of yours-so different from the rest/don't they bring you any sense of shame?"
b. Antigone: "No-there's nothing shameful in honouring my mother's children." (579-582)
11. Ismene tries to take Antigone's place
a. "I did it-/I admit it, and she'll back me up./So I bear the guilt as well." (614-616)
12. Antigone does not want to die with Ismene
a. "But you chose life-it was my choice to die." (635)
13. Creon will kill his son's love
a. Ismene: "You're going to kill your own son's bride?"
b. Creon: "Why not? There are other fields for him to plough." (650-651)
14. Creon's method of ruling called into question by Haemon. The city is on Antigone's side.
a. "Your gaze makes citizens afraid-they can't/say anything you would not like to hear./But in the darkness I can hear them talk-/the city is upset about the girl." (690-693)
b. Haemon: "The people here in Thebes all say the same-/they deny she is [doing wrong]."
c. Creon: "So the city now/will instruct me how I am to govern?" (835-838)
This is as far as I’ve gotten right now. I haven’t yet distinguished the climax, but I’m sure there are a lot more conflicts. what do you think of the stasis and the inciting incident?