Antigone de Sophocles - Quiz

General Overview

• Antigone is a Greek tragedy, and also a play by Sophocles.
• The play centers on a conflict between moral obligation and the state's laws.

Characters

• Antigone: A young woman who buries her brother, Polynices, despite a decree forbidding it. She is a strong, principled character.
• Creon: The King of Thebes, who decrees that Polynices's body should not be buried. He represents the law.
• Haemon: Creon's son, engaged to Antigone and opposing his father's decree.
• Ismene: Antigone's sister, who initially expresses reluctance to support Antigone, highlighting divergent perspectives of duty and personal conviction.
• Tiresias: A blind prophet who warns Creon of the consequences of his actions.

Plot Synopsis

• Thebes is torn by a civil war. Polynices, having fought against Thebes, is condemned to be unburied according to Creon's decree.
• Antigone, guided by her personal moral compass, believes that burying her brother is a required duty to the gods and dead. She goes against the law and buries him.
• Creon responds by imposing harsh penalties.
• The conflict escalates as family members become involved, showcasing deep-seated societal and personal tensions.
• Antigone's actions and the consequences highlight the importance of individual conscience, the conflict between personal and political morality, and the potential damage of inflexibility in upholding the law.
• Tiresias warns Creon of the consequences of his actions, which Creon initially dismisses.

Key Themes

• Duty vs. Law: The play powerfully explores the conflict between an individual's personal moral obligations (e.g. familial, religious) and the laws of the state. Antigone embodies duty to higher power, while Creon represents the authority of the state.
• Individual Conscience: Antigone demonstrates the strength of her individual conscience, choosing to follow her beliefs even if it means defying the law.
• Consequences of Actions: The characters experience profound consequences due to their choices, highlighting the importance of careful consideration of actions and their repercussions.
• Family and Relationships: The play touches upon familial love and duty, illustrating conflicts within family dynamics triggered by opposing moral positions. The suffering and turmoil experienced by Haemon and Antigone's sister reflect the personal impact of the conflict.
• Power and Authority: Creon's position as King is put under scrutiny due to his inflexibility, ultimately leading to tragic repercussions. The play questions how absolute power can be exerted in response to adversity and the toll it can take on those invested in upholding the law.
• Fate and Prophecy: Tiresias acts as a crucial figure communicating divine intervention, emphasizing fate's role in the narrative and the potential for premonition.

Style and Literary Significance

• Sophocles's use of dramatic irony effectively heightens the tension and the tragic quality of Antigone's actions.
• The dialogue creates compelling characters and explores their motivations.
• The play's enduring appeal lies in its timeless exploration of fundamental moral dilemmas.
• The work acts as a potent statement on the human condition, posing complex questions about morality, duty, and the nature of societal governance.