ANTIGONE by Sophocles

A BRIEF INTRODUCTION

SOPHOCLES497/6 BC-406/5 BC

AN ANCIENT GREEK TRAGEDIAN

THE MOST FAMOUS PLAYWRIGHT AT AT THE TIME

HIS MOST FAMOUS WORKS ARE THE THEBAN PLAYS

123 PLAYS; 7 SURVIVE

EMPHASIS ON HUMAN CONFLICT RATHER THAN WITH GODS

THE THEBAN PLAYSCONSISTS OF THREE

PLAYS

1: OEDIPUS THE KING (OEDIPUS REX)

2: OEDIPUS AT COLONUS

3: ANTIGONE

CONCERN THE FATE OF THEBES DURING AND AFTER OEDIPUS’ REIGN

Although Antigone is the 3rd play, it was actually written first!

ANCIENT GREECE

THEBES

4 PARTS TO A GREEK TRAGEDY

1. PROLOGUE: describes the situation and sets the scene

2. PARODOS: an ode sung by chorus as it enters

3. DRAMATIC SCENES/EPISODES: followed by an ode

4. EXODUS: climax and conclusion

OEDIPUS THE KING (OEDIPUS REX)

A BABY WAS BORN TO THE KING AND QUEEN OF THEBES

THE ORACLE PROPHESIZED THAT THIS BABY WOULD KILL ITS FATHER AND MARRY ITS MOTHER

IN ORDER TO AVOID THIS, THE KING AND QUEEN BOUND THIS BABY’S FEET AND SENT IT INTO THE WOODS

THE BABY WAS PICKED UP, STILL ALIVE, BY A SHEPHERD OF THE KING AND QUEEN OF CORINTH

THE KING AND QUEEN OF CORINTH RAISED THE BABY AS THEIR OWN AND NAMED HIM OEDIPUS (MEANING “SWOLLEN FOOT”)

OEDIPUS HEARD OF THE ORIGINAL PROPHECY; IN ORDER TO SAVE HIS PARENTS, HE FLED CORINTH

OEDIPUS THE KING, CONT. (OEDIPUS REX)

ON HIS JOURNEY, HE ENCOUNTERED A GRUMPY MAN AT A FOUR-WAY INTERSECTION. AFTER A RIGHT-OF-WAY ARGUMENT, OEDIPUS KILLED THE MAN

HE EVENTUALLY CAME UPON THE CITY OF THEBES. IT WAS BEING PLAGUED BY THE SPHINX

OEDIPUS ANSWERED THE SPHINX’S RIDDLE AND SAVED THEBES FROM THEIR PLAGUE

SINCE THE KING WAS RECENTLY KILLED IN A RIGHT-OF-WAY FEUD (OOPS!), OEDIPUS WAS NAMED KING OF THEBES

HE, OF COURSE, MARRIED THE EXISTING QUEEN

What goes on four legs in the morning, on two legs at noon, and on three legs in the evening?

OEDIPUS THE KING, CONT. (OEDIPUS THE KING)

WHILE RULING THEBES, ANOTHER PLAGUE HIT THE CITY

IT WAS RUMORED TO HAVE HAPPENED BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL KING’S DEATH WAS NEVER AVENGED

OEDIPUS, LOYAL TO HIS CITY, SOUGHT OUT TO GET REVENGE ON THE OLD KING’S KILLER

IN HIS PURSUIT, HE DISCOVERED THAT HE WAS, INDEED, THE KING’S KILLER

IT WAS ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE KING WAS HIS FATHER—AND YES, HE WAS MARRIED TO (AND HAD 4 KIDS WITH) HIS MOTHER

HORRIFIED—JOCASTA (THE QUEEN) KILLED HERSELF AND OEDIPUS JABBED HIS EYES OUT WITH PINS FROM HER ROBE

JOCASTA’S BROTHER, CREON, THEN BECAME KING OF THEBES AND EXILED OEDIPUS AT HIS REQUEST

OEDIPUS AT COLONUS

OEDIPUS AND HIS DAUGHTERS, ANTIGONE AND ISMENE, WANDER GREECE IN EXILE FOR YEARS

THEY FINALLY STOP JUST OUTSIDE OF ATHENS AND ASK FOR REFUGE FROM THE KING

THE KING AGREES AND IS SOON INFORMED THAT OEDIPUS’ PRESENCE IS A BLESSING AND WHEN HE DIES, IT WILL BRING GOOD FORTUNE TO HIS LAND

CREON, IN HEARING THE SAME NEWS, WANTS OEDIPUS BACK IN THEBES

OEDIPUS EVENTUALLY DIES OF OLD AGE AND HIS BODY IS KEPT FROM CREON. UPSET, CREON RETURNS TO THEBES WITH ANTIGONE AND ISMENE

OEDIPUS AT COLONUS, CONT.

MEANWHILE, IN THEBES, POLYNEICES AND ETEOCLES (SONS OF OEDIPUS) BECOME OLD ENOUGH TO RULE THEBES

AFTER A LONG STRUGGLE FOR POWER, ETEOCLES OVERTHROWS HIS OLDER BROTHER, POLYNEICES, AND GAINS THE FAVOR OF THE PEOPLE OF THEBES

UPSET, POLYNEICES LEAVES THEBES AND HEADS TO ARGOS IN ORDER TO COLLECT AN ARMY IN ORDER TO REGAIN POWER

POLYNEICES EVENTUALLY RETURNS AND WAGES WAR ON HIS HOME LAND OF THEBES

THE TWO BROTHERS SIMULTANEOUSLY KILL EACH OTHER IN BATTLE

CREON IS ONCE AGAIN KING OF THEBES

AND NOW…

ANTIGONE!