Antigone Notes

Day 1:

- Antigone (A) and Ismene (I) frame dilemma
- A frames family history
- I informs aud. of battle w/Argive army
- A adds new issue
~Creon discriminates btwn brothers
▫Eteocles gets full honors
▫Polynices can’t be buried
▫punishment of breach is death

- A & I split on dilemma answer (foils? - a character whose situation mirrors the main character’s, but who makes a different decision)
~I feels she must obey Creon’s law
▫cites father history: mother’s suicide, bro’s killing each other – only they remain in fam.
▫as women, they should obey
~A driven to bury (won’t force I)
▫it's a crime God commands
▫rather have peace in afterlife

- I offers secrecy – told it’s not needed
- A is angered by I’s negativity reg. her success
~rather die for good cause

- Chorus summarizes
~Argos attacked (w/P) – Thebes won
~bro's killed e/o in combat
~yearn to celebrate

- Creon resumed power & explains choices
~reiterates decree
~must warn against traitors
~isn’t fair to treat bros the same due to actions
- Chorus is unsure

- Guard brings news of burial & claims no involvement
~Cr. thinks he’s in it 4 $
~Ch. wonders of Gods’ ties
▫Cr. fights idea
- Guard sent away

Day 2:

- Ch. reacts
~lists gifts of man
~notes moral variance
~both God & gov’t laws must be followed
~recognizes A caught
- guards uncovered body – A caught redoing
~A admits 2 it

A& Cr make their points:

- Antigone
- can’t overrule divine
- she’ll die anyway
- ppl agree w/her & bow to him
- manner of death doesn’t change burial law

- Creon
- power is threatened (m/f issue)
- includes I in charge
- she should be ashamed
- she’s disloyal to Eteocles
- I claims a part
~doesn't want 2 live w/o A
~wants 2 help A
~claims she had internal struggle
- A won’t give in
- A was to marry Haemon (Cr’s son)
~Cr won’t give in or take responsibility 4 ending it

- Ch. comments on Oed fam. curse
~no escape from God’s wrath
~questions H’s feelings

Day 3:

- H will support dad if policies are just
- C is proud, but justifies
~ppl are watching
~can’t let anyone (esp. fam.) get away (or trend starts)
~can’t give in to women

- H takes other side
~notes good sense
~ppl feel for A – seen as noble
~as ruler – be flexible & learn from others

- C – insulted/feels defied
~stuck on identity
▫his age vs. H’s
▫absolute authority (misses role of nation)
▫won’t bend to God’s authority
▫can’t get past A as woman

- C will make H watch her death
~H claims he won’t get the chance – runs
- C orders her buried in trench w/food

- Ch. sees love dividing fam.

- A plays drama as victim
~Ch. sees her hammartia, but connects w/dad’s sins
▫even if respected, must be punished

~ A can’t see her wrong
▫virtue repaid by God w/malice
▫hopes if C’s wrong – he suffers more
- Ch. notes she isn’t alone – sites historical proof

Day 4:

- Tiresias comes w/warnings
~reads evil in signs & polluted sacrifices
▫blames decree (attempt to persecute dead)
- C thinks T was bribed
- T echoes H w/mention of good sense
~reluctantly warns of future
▫1 child will die
▫furies will repay for “sins”

- Ch. knows his accuracy
- C now faces dilemma from his fear
~changing mind he’s est.
~staying strong could mean doom
- C asks Ch’s advice & gives in

- C goes to bury
- Ch. calls to Bacchus for aid
- Mess. brings news (Eurydice listens)
~C fixed body
~went for A
~A found hanged – H crying
~during scuffle – H stabs himself (Eu. Runs out)

- C takes responsibility

- Eurydice stabbed self – blamed all on C

- C asks for death, but takes no action
~can't die – must bury new bodies

- Ch. warns against violation of God’s law