Final Plot Analysis for 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.

 

Covering the action of the play (not the meaning) describe the significant part of the plot.

Two dueling brother, heirs to the throne of Thebes, kill each other in battle. The king of Thebes, Creon, decrees that it shall be a crime to give proper burial to Polyneices, but Antigone rebels against the law and gives burial rites to her brother. Through a series of complications and increasing amounts of pressure from both external and internal forces, Creon sentences Antigone to death. When his son's life is called into question, he quickly reverses his sentence, only to find that Antigone, his son Haemon, and his wife Eurydice have committed suicide on account of his actions. Creon admits his guilt in the matter, and is left with the prospect of ruling his city with no one to look to for support.

Inciting incident – what gets the whole story moving – it disrupts the stasis of the world of the play

Antigone buries and performs burial rituals and rites on the body of her brother Polyneices.

Beginning Exposition – what do we need to know to understand the story.

Most of the characters in the play come from the same royal family. Polynecies and Eteocles are brothers, Antigone and Ismene their sisters, and Creon their uncle. Also, Antigone and Creon's son Haemon are betrothed.

Eteocles and Polynecies, heirs to the throne, have agreed to share control after their father's death. However, when Eteocles eventually refuses to co-rule with Polynecies, a war erupts. This is what leads to the battle directly before the opening of the play.

Complications – disruptions that prevent the easy accomplishment of the goal of the central character (that characters “sufferings”); the pressures on the story.]

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. Shehas 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)

1.        "You'll not escape thei pain."  (1090)

2.        Teiresias foretells the death of Haemon's sons if Antigone is to die.

3.        Creon reaffirms his decision to sentence Antigone to death, despite the reasoning and arguments of his son Haemon.

 

Crisis – the moment leading to the climax

Creon reaffirms his decision to sentence Antigone to death, despite the reasoning and arguments of his son Haemon.

Teiresias prophesies that Haemon will die before the day is over because of Creon's actions.

Climax – the highest point of action where the maximum is at stake; a moment of discover and recognition

Creon reverses his death sentence on Antigone and rushes off to free her in order to prevent his son's death.

Reversal – the downward fall of the action.
The Messenger recounts to Chorus how Antigone and Haemon have committed suicide

Creon brings Haemon's body back to the palace and mourns, admitting total fault for the death of his son.

The Messenger reveals that Eurydice has committed suicide

Resolution – the final creation of a new stasis

Creon admits he was wrong and is completely guilty for the three deaths. He is left with only one surviving family member and no one to look to for support, praying only for death to come swiftly.

What is the play about based on our analysis?

Based on our analysis of the plot of Antigone, the play is about a King's downfall due to his pride and lack of wisdom and refusal to accept counsel.

"There's no release for mortal human beings,/not from events which destiny has set." (1336-1337)

"The most important part of true success/is wisdom-not to act impiously towards the gods." (1348-1350)

Language (A Group Effort)

Language and Diction

As far as language and diction, we found that our different translations implied different levels of elevation for the language. The level of formality was different for each of our texts. Overall, it is very discernable, it isn't super elevated, it can be understood easily and doesn't require a dictionary or anything for the vocabulary.

Vocabulary

As far as the vocabulary it is relatively mid-level, there isn't any kind of jargon or technical language either as far as the vocabulary.

Words unique to the Time Period

We couldn't find many words unique to the time period. We did stumble upon, the ai ai and oi moi, which are conventions of Greek tragedy and they are used to convey pain, suffering, and grief in different characters throughout the play.

Dominating Words

Some of the dominating words are: honor, gods, law and order, punishment, loyalty. This certainly tells a lot about the purpose of the play and what it meant to the audience that was observing it. These words in and of themselves certainly serve as a clear indicator of the major motifs and themes throughout the play.

Some Themes We Discovered

Simply knowing how many times these words arise throughout the play, we as audience members can make a good guesstimate about what the play will cover.

One of the major themes is also the separation between loyalty/devotion to higher power/family and obedience to earthly authority.

The word Marriage

The word marriage came up quite a bit too, this isn't as dominating as the other words above but it certainly was a topic that was covered quite a bit throughout the text. Marriage was a dominating concept in Greek culture and throughout several different plays (especially the Oedipus plays). Who married who, incestual love, etc.

Imagery (passages)

Sophocles referenced Dionysus quite a bit throughout the text. The text used the analogy/imagery of Dionysus to serve as a cultural analogy to Antigone's frenzied emotional state, which was constantly very heightened, passionate and overall very intense.

There is also the passage that says "the goddess Aphrodite has her throne next to the mighty laws." Aphrodite is also one of the divine beings that is associated with passion and emotion. This illustrates the pervasive nature of emotion as it relates to reason and order.

Teiresias uses imagery regarding pollution, "you should not have done this (forbidding Polyneices to be buried) and your violation has also polluted the gods above." He also mentions how the offerings he made to the gods can't be used in his prophecy because they are messy, slimy, and there is no fat on the bones. This emphasizes the notion that Creon's decree has gone against the religious ideas of the time.

Character – Jason

Ismene

Under the Aristotelian method of analysis, Ismene would be considered a character that is "like us." This is because she lacks the fiery, passionate spirit of characters such as Antigone and Creon. In the play's opening scene, for instance, she expresses her fear and concern for Antigone, but is largely passive and eventually bends to her sister's will, despite her personal feelings. On the other hand, when she appears for the second time (as Creon's captive) she displays a bit more backbone in her proclamations of loyalty to Antigone. However, despite this slight transformation, she is once again rebuffed by her sister's domineering personality and ceases her attempts to die with Antigone.

Ismene can also be considered a foil to Antigone. It is obvious that the two are meant to be looked at in comparison, as they are sisters. Hence, upon inspection, it is revealed that the two are almost complete polar opposites. As stated before, Antigone is passionate and fiery whereas Ismene is more calm and passive. In addition, Ismene shows much more concern for the physical and material environment of kings and worldly rules. Antigone, however, is primarily concerned with a higher calling dictated by the gods, and is prepared to defy Creon's authority in following this calling. Overall, the two characters represent a characteristically Greek character conflict: that between reason/logic and emotion/passion.

Teiresias

Teiresias, under Aristotle's character types, is a stock character. In the play, he is the archetypal blind prophet/harbinger of doom. The blind prophet, as many stock characters do, embodies a crucial contradiction: one who can see the future and yet cannot see the physical world around him. Also, Teiresias serves as the messenger of doom, also a stock character, one who is often possessed of supernatural powers and/or a connection to the divine; this aspect of Teiresias’ character also suggests that he could be viewed as a unique/unusual character (due to his gift of prophecy).

Teiresias also provides an interesting take on the classification of a raisonneur. He serves as the voice of the gods and conveys their displeasure with Creon's actions. Whether or not this is the voice of the author cannot be known, but Teiresias is essentially the voice of an outside observer (the Olympian gods). It is unlikely that he is the actual raisonneur of the play, but it is important to note that he IS the voice of beings that exist outside of the play's world.

Chorus

The chorus (which, for these purposes, can be considered a single character), like many other characters in the play, is very much like us. The members of this group, who represent the elders of the city of Thebes, respond to the inquiries and statements of the characters with characteristically "normal" responses. Also, like Ismene, the chorus essentially takes no effectual action in the entire plot. They comment on the actions of other characters, however, and speak their opinions, but, as stated, they are largely a passive entity.

It is very likely that the chorus serves as the raisonneur of the play. When they are interacting with characters such as Creon and the Messenger, they ask questions and express opinions. To go along with this, when the chorus is engaging in one of the typical choral odes between "scenes" they expound upon philosophical ideas and larger concepts within the plot (covered in Thought/Idea). These roles characterize this particular chorus as expressive, but still quite passive. This makes it seem very likely for the chorus to serve as the raisonneur.

Basic Information of the Ancient Greek Theatre – Masato

Costume: All the actors were men. When they were playing female roles, they wore the prosternida (prosterneda), an imitation of a woman's breast, and the progastrida (progastreda), an imitation of a woman's belly.Sound: The chorus performed a choreographed dance, and either sung or chanted its lines.Sound: The chorus was a group of 12 to 15 men.Sound: The chorus also had a rhythmical function; by using pauses, they controlled the pace of the play and gave time for the audience to reflect.Spectacle: The plays were performed out-door, usually by a mountain which has been shaved into a bowl shape for amplification.Spectacle: The chorus will perform on the Orchestra, a circular pit in front of the Skene.Spectacle: The Skene is a building that is set in the back of the stage, which functioned as a background as well as a backstage. They were decorated differently depending on the context of the play.Costume: Actors wore wooden, cork or linen masks for vocal projection and character distinction.Spectacle: In order to communicate with a large audience, the actors had to use huge gestures when acting.Costume: The actor would make himself look taller by wearing tall wooden sandals Cothurnis.Sound: The chorus' chants and singing were accompanied by flutes, lyres, horns, drums and bells.Spectacle: Staging was done by using Pinakes, scenery painted on boards and placed against the Skene.Sound: Drums were used to represent the sound of thunder.Spectacle: All killings had to occur off-stage and be reported by a third person. The bodies were delivered to the stage on a small wheeled car called the Eccyclema.Spectacle: The Deus-Ex-Machina is a crane-like device used for lowering or lifting actors to represent the intervention of gods.Sources Cited:http://www.greektheatre.gr/http://www.richeast.org/htwm/Greeks/theatre/Theatre.html

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: