“And now you can prove what you are: / A true sister, or a traitor to your family.” Prologue, 27-28 FAMILY

“And now you can prove what you are: / A true sister, or a traitor to your family.” Directions: For each quotation identify the speaker and the context (what is happening). SPEAKER/CONTEXT: Antigone is speaking to Ismene. Antigone is trying to convince Ismene to join her in burying their brother, Polyneices.

“And now you can prove what you are: / A true sister, or a traitor to your family.” Prologue, 27-28 FAMILY

“And now you can prove what you are: / A true sister, or a traitor to your family.” Directions: Then, in 3-4 sentences, explain how the quotation relates to one of the major themes of the play. The theme here is family, as introduced by Antigone, the protagonist of the play. By posing an “either/or” solution to Ismene, Antigone divides their options into only two. Antigone doesn’t leave Ismene with any alternatives. The hard “tr” sound connects both ideas: true or traitor.

NATURAL LAW VS CIVIC LAW “The law is strong, we must give in to the law / In this thing, and in worse.” Prologue, 49-50 NATURAL LAW VS CIVIC LAW

“The law is strong, we must give in to the law / In this thing, and in worse.” Directions: For each quotation identify the speaker and the context (what is happening). SPEAKER/CONTEXT: Ismene responds to Antigone’s pleas with what she feels is logical: they need to obey the law.

NATURAL LAW VS CIVIC LAW “The law is strong, we must give in to the law / In this thing, and in worse.” Prologue, 49-50 NATURAL LAW VS CIVIC LAW

“The law is strong, we must give in to the law / In this thing, and in worse.” Directions: Then, in 3-4 sentences, explain how the quotation relates to one of the major themes of the play. The theme of natural law vs civic law is exemplified through the two sisters: Antigone and Ismene respectively. As far as Ismene can tell, the law has strength and they do not. While Antigone views the world as true or traitor, Ismene sees it as a strong law vs weak women.

“It is the dead, / Not the living, who make the longest demands....” Prologue, 61-62 BURIAL RITES

“It is the dead, / Not the living, who make the longest demands....” Directions: For each quotation identify the speaker and the context (what is happening). SPEAKER/CONTEXT: Antigone is responding to Ismene’s decision not to act. Antigone notes that the dead stay dead forever, therefore what they want or need will last longer than the demands of the living.

“It is the dead, / Not the living, who make the longest demands....” Prologue, 61-62 BURIAL RITES

“It is the dead, / Not the living, who make the longest demands....” Directions: Then, in 3-4 sentences, explain how the quotation relates to one of the major themes of the play. The theme is centered around burial rites in this case. Again, Antigone sees the world in black and white, dividing her choices into two. This time it is the dead, who deserve to be buried with respect, versus the living, who aren’t worth listening to. There is some alliteration here again: dead/demands and living/longest.

“I am not afraid of the danger; if it means death, / It will not be the worst of deaths—death without honor.” Prologue, 87-88 DETERMINATION

“I am not afraid of the danger; if it means death, / It will not be the worst of deaths—death without honor.” Directions: For each quotation identify the speaker and the context (what is happening). SPEAKER/CONTEXT: Antigone is responding to Ismene’s decision not to act. Wait. Okay, in this case Antigone is trying to explain how serious this is to her. She doesn’t even fear death.

“I am not afraid of the danger; if it means death, / It will not be the worst of deaths—death without honor.” Prologue, 87-88 DETERMINATION

“I am not afraid of the danger; if it means death, / It will not be the worst of deaths—death without honor.” Directions: Then, in 3-4 sentences, explain how the quotation relates to one of the major themes of the play. Ooooh, burnnnnn. Take that, Ismene. Antigone’s thinly veiled threat to Ismene can be translated into: “When you die, it will be because you are coward without honor.” Her comment further emphasizes the importance of standing up for your beliefs. In other words, determination. Hi there, alliteration. Glad to have you back.

“…I have nothing but contempt for the kind of / Governor who is afraid, for whatever reason, to follow / the course that he knows is best for the State; and as for / the man who sets private friendship above the public / welfare, --I have not use for him, either.” Scene 1, 23-27

“…I have nothing but contempt for the kind of / Governor who is afraid, for whatever reason, to follow / the course that he knows is best for the State; and as for / the man who sets private friendship above the public / welfare, --I have not use for him, either.” Contempt: disdain, dislike, disapproval

“…I have nothing but contempt for the kind of / Governor who is afraid, for whatever reason, to follow / the course that he knows is best for the State; He dislikes leaders who are afraid to do what is best for the people of the state (or country or city).

“…and as for / the man who sets private friendship above the public / welfare, --I have not use for him, either.” What type of person does he also dislike? He dislikes the man who would see his personal life (friendships, etc.) as being more important than what is good for the citizens of the country or city.

“…I have nothing but contempt…” SPEAKER/CONTEXT: Creon speaking to the Chorus who represent the townspeople. This is a speech reassuring them that everything is going well and setting straight his views on those who disagree. THEME: PRIDE. Creon’s pride is his tragic flaw. Remember, a tragic flaw isn’t necessarily the person’s fault. In his position, Creon has to think about what is best for everybody.

“The gods favor this corpse. Why. How had he served them “The gods favor this corpse? Why? How had he served them? / Tried to loot their temples, burn their images. / Yes, and the whole State, and its laws with it!” Scene 1, 122-124

“The gods favor this corpse. Why. How had he served them “The gods favor this corpse? Why? How had he served them? / Tried to loot their temples…” SPEAKER/CONTEXT: Creon again. He is responding to the Choragos who suggests that the bad news the Sentry has brought is a result of the gods. THEME: Intervention of the Gods. Creon not only ignores the suggestion from the Choragos, but talks back, questioning their motives. He answers his own rhetorical questions with a list of Polyneices’s wrongdoings, thus pitting his own desires and beliefs against those of the Gods.

“I should have praise and honor for what I have done “I should have praise and honor for what I have done. / All these men here would praise me/ Were their lips not frozen shut with fear of you.” Scene 2, 113-115

Scene 2, 113-115 SPEAKER/CONTEXT: Antigone She has been found guilty and she is talking to Creon saying that people are supporting him, because they are afraid of him. THEME: Civic law vs natural law, because they are afraid to break the law and be punished by Creon. Creon is using fear to control them.

“No more, Ismene. / You are alive, but I belong to Death.” Scene 2, 165-166

Scene 2, 165-166 SPEAKER/CONTEXT: Antigone Ismene has been sentenced to death, and Antigone feels that she should not be sentenced because she has done nothing and doesn’t deserve an honorable death. THEME: Fate vs Destiny, Antigone suggests that her fate should be to die, and Ismene’s isn’t.

“No pride on earth is free of the curse of heaven.” Ode II, 20

Ode II, 20 SPEAKER/CONTEXT: Chorus. It’s providing commentary regarding the outcome of Creon. THEME:It’s foreshadowing Creon’s downfall. Intervention of the gods

“No marriage means more to me than your continuing wisdom.” Scene 3, 11

Scene 3, 11 SPEAKER/CONTEXT:Haimon. He’s saying that his father is more important than Antigone and whatever he says is more important than his marriage. THEME:Family. He cares about his immediate relatives instead of his potential relatives

“If I permit my own family to rebel, / How shall I earn the world’s obedience?” Scene 3, 32-33

Scene 3, 32-33 SPEAKER/CONTEXT: Creon. He was disappointed that Haimon is no longer on his side. He is listening to Haimon insist that he frees Antigone. THEME: Pride/Family. Creon feels betrayed because Haimon doesn’t believe in what he thinks. He still thinks that his appearance in front of the citizens is more important than anything else. Creon’s pride is still very strong and it is about to hurt his family more than it already is.

“The man that maintains that only he has the power / To reason correctly, the gift to speak, the soul-- / A man like that, when you know him, turns out empty. / It is not reason never to yield to reason!” Scene 3, 79-82

Scene 3, 79-82 SPEAKER/CONTEXT: Haimon is speaking to Creon. He wants Creon to pay attention to other people’s opinions. They’re arguing over Antigone’s freedom/imprisonment. THEME: Family & Natural Law vs Civic Law. PRIDE. Haimon is pointing out how much Creon’s pride is getting in the way of reason. Creon prides himself on his dedication to Civic Law, but Haimon tells him this is making him empty inside      

“Thebes, and you my fathers’ gods […] You will remember / what things I suffer, and at what men’s hands, / Because I would not transgress the laws of heaven.” Scene 4, 78-83

Scene 4, 78-83 SPEAKER/CONTEXT: Antigone. She is speaking to the townspeople/chorus—fighting with them about whether or not what she is doing is honorable. THEME: She feels that what she is doing is the right thing to do. Natural vs Civic Laws/Intervention from the Gods. She says she would not disobey the laws of Heaven (what the Gods want).

“”…a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong, / And repairs the evil. The only crime is pride. / Give in to the dead man, then: do not fight with a corpse.” Scene 5, 35-37

Scene 5, 35-37 SPEAKER/CONTEXT: Teiresias (the Oracle—can predict the future and speaks for the gods). He’s trying to convince Creon to reconsider his actions before he gets punished for them. THEME: PRIDE. FATE/DESTINY. Foreshadowing Creon’s downfall (of doom). Corpse = DEAD BODY.

“It is hard to deny the heart “It is hard to deny the heart! But I / Will do it: I will not fight with destiny.” Scene 5, 109-110

Scene 5, 109-110 SPEAKER/CONTEXT: Creon decides to listen to the prophet after Choragos talks to him and then he goes to free Antigone because he realizes that he shouldn’t have locked her up. THEME: PRIDE AND DESTINY. Finally, Creon has decided to put aside his pride and do that right thing. However, destiny will determine what happens to him.

“The laws of the gods are mighty, and a man must serve them / To the last day of his life!” Scene 5, 118-119

Scene 5, 118-119 SPEAKER/CONTEXT: Creon. He’s talking with Choragos about what he needs to do. He needs to free Antigone as quickly as possible. THEME: FATE/DESTINY; INTERVENTION FROM THE GODS. It is significant because we are seeing now that Creon, who was so adamantly opposed to listening to the gods now recognizes that they must be obeyed.

“Whatever my hands have touched has come to nothing “Whatever my hands have touched has come to nothing. / Fate has brought all my pride to a thought of dust.” Exodus, 145-146

Exodus, 145-146 SPEAKER/CONTEXT: Creon speaking. At this moment he has found out that Antigone, Haimon, and his wife are all DEAD  THEME: FATE/PRIDE/DESTINY. LESSON LEARNED: SOMETIMES YOUR ACTIONS CAN BE TOO LITTLE TOO LATE. 

“There is no happiness where there is no wisdom; / No wisdom but in submission to the gods. / Big words are always punished, / And proud men in old age learn to be wise.” Exodus, 147-150

Exodus, 147-150 SPEAKER/CONTEXT: Choragos. (Creon killed himself. Trust me.) He has to tell the audience/students the moral of the story. THEME: Natural vs Civic Law/Pride. Focus is on the possible outcome of what can happen to someone who is too prideful.  