1. Antigone Notes
Miss Johnson

2. Burial Eteocles and Polynices battled and killed each other
Eteocles is buried with honor
Polynices is unburied
“Creon … forbids anyone to bury him, even mourn him. He’s to be left unwept, unburied” (654)
Whoever buries him will be stoned
Antigone intends to bury him
“I have longer to please the dead than please the living here” (655)
Ismene does not wish to help
“You’d bury him when a law forbids the city?” (654)
“Remember we are women, we’re not born to contend with men” (655)

3. Loyalty to the State Creon advocates loyalty to the state Gods/Fate
“whoever places a friend above the good of his own country, his is nothing” (658)
“What? What man alive would dare –” (660)
It isn’t a man but a woman – Antigone
Gods/Fate
“could this possibly be the work of the gods?” (660)
Creon threatens the messenger

4. Tyranny versus Anarchy versus Democracy
Gender Roles
Calls Antigone a slave; calls out Haemon for following a woman; claims he wants them to act like women
Tyranny versus Anarchy versus Democracy
Both Haemon and Antigone point out Creon’s tyranny
Antigone speaks as if she is going to be married to death
Oedipus often blamed for Antigone’s death
His misfortune follows her
Creon’s treats Tiresias inconsistently
First, treats him with respect; trusts his words
Then, disrespects him; claims he’s never spoken a true word and all his prophecies are for his own gain

5. Results of Creon’s Pride
He begins to question his actions:
LEADER: Tiresias’ has “never lied to Thebes”
CREON: I know it myself – I’m shaken, torn. It’s a dreadful thing to yield … but resist now? Lay my pride bare to the blows of ruin? That’s dreadful too.”
Creon goes to bury Polynices and release Antigone
Hears Haemon at Antigone’s cave; Antigone has hung herself
Haemon at first attacks Creon then kills himself
Thus, Tiresias’ prophecy comes true
Eurydice also kills herself