1. WarmUp Read pages 1064-65 in the textbook
Take notes as you need—you will be responsible for this information
Turn in HW (Agree/Disagree statements) to the music stand

2. Introduction to Antigone

3. Greek Drama
Greek drama was performed at annual festivals in honor of Dionysos – the god of wine and fertility
Greek tragedies like Antigone often revolved around well-known myths and heroic legends

4. Greek plays were performed in outdoor amphitheaters
Actors wore masks that reflected the personalities of their characters

5. The Author: Sophocles
Sophocles was one of the most famous and respected and of all Greek playwrights
wrote Antigone as a part of a trilogy of plays that centered around the legend of Oedipus

6. Structure Terms Prologue: (story) Parados: (song) Episodes: (story)
Odes: (song)
Paean: (song)
Exodus: (story)

7. The Organization of Antigone
Prologue (story)
Parados (song)
Episode One (story)
Ode One (song)
Strophe
Antistrophe
Episode Two (story)
Ode Two (song)
Episode Three (story)
Ode Three (song)
Strophe
Antistrophe
Episode Four (story)
Ode Four (song)
Episode Five (story)
Paean (song)
Exodus (story)

8. Prologue Parados
Going to be set around central moral issue and set up basic conflict
Sets forth the subject and provides the mythological background necessary for understanding the events of the play.
Our prologue stars our protagonist Antigone and her sister Ismene
1st Ode sung by the chorus
Named for the corridors at the front of the stage of a Greek theater

9. Episodes When the main events take place
Divided from the next episode by odes.

10. Ode a choral section of the play.
The language of these sections is elevated, more “poetic”; often supplementary information or the mood of the play’s internal audience is revealed
A choral ode that often reflects on the dialogue and events of the preceding episode.

11. Paean Exodus
Hymn in praise of god – in this case Dionysus, in whose honor the Greeks performed the plays
The final, or exit, scene

13. Literary Terms to Look For
Foil – a character who serves as a contrast to another character
Allusion – Reference to a statement, person, place, event or thing that is known from something else

14. More Literary Terms
Verbal Irony – when a speaker says one thing, but means the opposite
Dramatic Irony – when the reader or the audience knows something important that a character does not know.

15. Antigone: Premise & Characters
Setting: the city of Thebes, the morning after a war, way back in B.C.
Conflict of story:
Individual rights VS. State
Moral or Divine Law VS. Human Law

16. Antigone: Premise & Characters
Antigone – protagonist, daughter of Oedipus
Creon – King of Thebes and Antigone’s uncle
Ismene – Antigone’s sister
Haemon – Creon’s son and Antigone’s fiancé
Etocles and Polynices (Antigone’s brothers)

17. Antigone: Premise & Characters
Chorus Choragos
“the elders of the city Thebes” whose age and opinion would have been respected
Part of cast who chant parados, odes and paean.
Leader of the chorus
Often times interacts with characters one on one

18. Oedipus the king
Before Antigone…

19. The Story of Oedipus
The famous psychological term “Oedipus Complex” was coined because of this story

20. How did it all start?
Tiresias reveals the truth, but Oedipus doesn’t believe him
Apollo’s oracle  Bad blood  whoever killed King Laios (Jocasta’s first husband)
No one knows why, so Oedipus summons Tiresias (the blind prophet)  Oedipus killed his father and sleeps with his mother
Oedipus accuses Creon (Jocasta’s brother) of a set up, but Creon protests his loyalty (he owns part of Thebes, but does not choose to rule it)
Oedipus tells Jocasta of Tiresias’ words and she does not believe because she was told that one day her son would her husband and sleep with her and hey, that hasn’t come true! (right?)
King Oedipus and Queen Jocasta told of “bad blood” in their city.

21. The attack… The Oracle at Delphi
Oedipus is disturbed and asks for a description of Laios and what happened to him; everything said upsets him more
The one survivor is called for…
Meanwhile…Oedipus tells Jocasta his life story: before he came to Thebes, a man had questioned his legitimacy and Oedipus went to an oracle to learn about his past; he is told that he will kill his father and sleep with his mother so he runs away. On his trip, he is attacked and kills all but one man.
A Corinthian arrives and tells Oedipus that his father is dead and he must go home to rule. Oedipus says no because he doesn’t want to sleep with his mother….Now for the wammy…the Corinthian explains that those aren’t his real parents! He had been found as a baby and given to them.
Now, the survivor enters and the Corinthian recognizes him as the man who gave him Oedipus…
The pieces fall into place…Oedipus is Jocasta’s son.
The Oracle at Delphi

22. As a result, Jocasta hangs herself and Oedipus claws his own eyes out
As a result, Jocasta hangs herself and Oedipus claws his own eyes out. He is exiled and his kids are in the care of Creon.
Etocles and Polynices are supposed to co-rule, but Etocles doesn’t give up after his term. He and Polynices fight and are both killed. Creon is named king…

23. Major Characters in Antigone
Creon
Ismene
Haemon
Etocles
Polynices

24. What to consider while reading…
Was Antigone justified in her actions? What is more important – following the government’s laws, or those of one’s heart?
Who is the tragic hero of this play? A tragic hero is a person who, either through choice or circumstance, is caught in a series of events that lead to disaster. Unfortunately, it is his/her own error in judgment (tragic flaw) that leads to his/her demise.

25. Discuss with a neighbor:
When Oedipus was born a prediction was made that he would ____________________________
Who are Oedipus’ real parents?
Oedipus is told that there is __________ causing the sickness in the city. Why is this?
How did the prophecy come true?