Transcript Document
Antigone by Sophocles
The Story Behind the Story
The Myth of Oedipus
• Laius (King of Thebes) and Jocasta (Queen)
conceive a child.
• Laius consults the Oracle at Delphi for a
prediction of the future
• The Oracle predicts that a son born to Laius
and Jocasta will kill his father and marry his
mother.
If you were the parent of this soon-to-be-born child, what
would you do?
OMIGOSH!
• When the son is born, Laius and Jocasta
attempt to avert their fates:
o
They drive a rivet into the child’s ankles
o
They give the child to a servant and instruct him
to abandon the baby on Mt. Cithaeron.
What do you think of these parents’ attempt to avert
fate?
A Guilty Conscience intervenes
• The servant cannot abandon the child to die, so he
gives the child to a shepherd who carries it to
Corinth.
• The child is raised by the King and Queen of
Corinth, who name the baby Oedipus (means
“swollen foot”).
• When Oedipus is a young man, he begins to think
“I need a life…”
• He consults the Oracle.
• Oracle predicts Oedipus will kill his father and
marry his mother.
Fate averted again (or not)
• Oedipus leaves Corinth to avoid his awful
fate.
• On the journey, he meets a man who rudely
forces him from the road.
• In retaliation, Oedipus pulls the man from his
chariot and kills him.
What do you think of Oedipus’ action here?
Oedipus travels to Thebes…
• Thebes is under seige by the Sphinx.
• Oedipus saves the day.
• Oedipus receives the throne of Thebes (the Queen is the
bonus).
• All goes well for 20 years, until the truth of Oedipus's past is
revealed.
• The bulk of Oedipus the King tells how this truth "comes to
light.”
• Oedipus reacts by blinding himself, and Jocasta kills herself.
•
What do you think of their reactions?
Where Antigone comes in…
• Antigone is the daughter of Oedipus and
Jocasta
• She has three siblings:
o
o
o
Ismene, sister
Polyneices, brother
Eteocles, brother
• Antigone, Ismene live with their uncle,
Creon, King of Thebes
As Princess of Thebes, what kind of life does Antigone
enjoy? Think about everything!
Prior to the story of Antigone (before the
play opens)
• In a fight for control of the throne of Thebes,
Eteocles and Polyneices kill each other on
the field of battle.
• Because Polyneices raised an army against
Thebes, Creon brands him a traitor.
• He accords Eteocles full burial honors; but
not Polyneices…
The characters of the drama
• Antigone (daughter of Oedipus)
• Ismene (her sister)
• Creon (their uncle, the brother of Jocasta)
• Eurydice (your-id-i-see) wife of Creon
• Haimon (son of Creon & Eurydice)
• Teiresias (Tie-ree-see-as) a blind prophet
Essential Questions in Antigone
• When, if at all, is it our responsibility to protest or
break an unjust law?
• What price should someone be willing to pay if
s/he breaks an unjust law?
• What is good leadership? Can a good leader show
uncertainty and maintain leadership?
• How much power do we have over our fates?