Show:
Language
Characters
Plot
Themes and Messages
Structure
100
In line 495-496, Creon says, "You, lurking in my house like a viper, secretly drinking my blood!" What is/are the literary technique(s) used here?
Simile and gothic imagery.
100
What does the line "you foul creature; lower than a woman" tell about Creon's personality?
Misogynistic.
100
How many people does Creon confront? Who are they?
3.Antigone, Haemon, Teiresias.
100
"Whether she is my sister's child, or closer to me by blood than any member of my household who worships Zeus at the altar, she and her sister will not escape the most terrible death" What conflicting theme(s) does this line convey?
Loyalty to kinship versus loyalty to the states. Divine laws versus human laws
100
What is a kommos and what is the effect of using it?
A sung dialogue between the character and the chorus. To create emotional intensity.
200
What literary technique(s) is/are used in line 860 "My tomb, my bridal chamber, my grave and home" and what does it suggests about Antigone's punishment?
Paradox. The unnatural nature of her death and the brutality of the punishment.
200
What is the role of Ismene in presenting Antigone's characteristic?
Foil.
200
What "crime of holy reverence" does Antigone commit?
She buries her brother Polynieces in reverence to God's law, but this act actually violates Creon's human laws, as she is considered burying a traitor.
200
In line 1324-1326 "The mighty words of overproud men with mighty blows are punished, And, with old age, teach wisdom." What does this show about the ultimate message that this play wants to convey?
God hates pride. If you dont respect the gods, the gods will crush you down for your pride.
200
In line 21-28 "Eteocles, who died fighting for this city...dignified with burial or lamentation.", what sentence structure is used here and what is the effect of Creon using it?
Parallel structure/syntactic patterning (name+action+action+treatment of the body) -contrast the deeds of the traitor(Polynieces) with that of the hero(Eteocles) -justifies his different treatment and appeals to audience's prejudice (gain their recognition)
300
In line 24-25, Antigone says, "he is to be left unlamented, unburied, a delicious hoard for the watching birds to feast on!" What is/are the literary techniques used here and what is the feeling of Antigone towards this treatment of Polynieces?
Bitter irony. She is disgusted at this treatment.
300
What is/are the difference(s) between Ismene's and Antigone's personalities?
Ismene:timid/fearful/submissive/obedient/conservative/passive Antigone:resolute/determined/willing to take risk/impulsive/passionate/extreme
300
What evidence(s) does Teiresias use to prove that Thebes is polluted?
1.Strange cry from the birds, screeching with a terrible, incomprehensible frenzy. 2.The god of fire did not glow from the sacrifice and an oozing moisture dripped from the thigh-pieces onto the embers, and smoked and spat.
300
In line 767, Antigone exclaims, "I'll marry Acheron." What theme is established in this line? Give one more example to illustrate this theme.
Marriage and death intertwined. Line 860 "My tomb, my bridal chamber, my grave and home"
300
How do you call a dialogue made up of single line exchange? How does the use of it arouse the interest of the audience?
Stichomythia. -builds up the tension of the play by speeding up the tempo and the pace -intensity of lines creates a tense atmosphere -presents an intriguing conflict with polarised arguments.
400
What literary technique(s) is/are used in line 854-855 "Do you not realise that no-one would cease pouring out songs and lamentations before his death, if it could help?"? How does this tell us about Creon's characteristic?
Rhetorical question. The mocking tone of this question shows the callousness and indifference of Creon towards Antigone's brutal death, and that he is a cruel and uncaring ruler.
400
How is Antigone's portrayal in the fourth episode different from that of in other scenes?
She is more emotional/vulnerable/self-pitying in this episode than the previous ones. She is determined and resolute to bury his brother though it is violating human laws before, but now she shows hints of regret.
400
What does Haemon do when Antigone is dead?
He glares at Creon, spits at him, draws his cross-hilted sword, uses his weight to drive the sword through his side and dies embracing Antigone.
400
What theme(s) do the classical allusions used in fourth choral ode convey? And what message(s)?
The power of fate. No-one can escape from their destiny.
400
Name the Greek words of the following: 1. confrontations in the rising action 2. turning point of the play 3. realisation of fatal flaw of tragic hero
1. Agon 2. Peripeteia 3. Anagnorisis
500
Give two examples of proleptic irony in "Antigone". What is the effect of proleptic irony in this play?
1. Creon tells Haemon to "spit her out like an enemy" in line 615 but Haemon spits in Creon's face instead in line 1182. 2. In Creon's first speech he claims, "As for a man who considers someone he loves to be more important than his country, I say that he is nothing." but in line 1291 he says "I who am less than nothing. (any other reasonable quotes) -to show the theme of destiny -to give clues for tragedy, and that seeds of downfall are within the tragic hero themselves.
500
In what ways are the personalities of Creon and Antigone similar to each other? Who is the tragic hero? Why?
-Both are polarised extreme characters. -Loyal to their views. -Stubborn (unwilling to listen others' opinions) Creon. He has his fatal flaw-his stubbornness and inflexibility and he realises his act of Hubris in the end and learns that he should be responsible for his son's death.
500
How minor characters (i.e.sentry and messenger) contribute to the plot of the play?
They act as plot devices. carry important messages and information to other characters.
500
In line 619-620, Creon says, "for if I support relatives who are lawless, then truly I must do the same for others outside my family." What is Creon representing and what idea is he opposing? What is the theme established?
He represents the loyalty to the states. He opposes the idea of loyalty to kinship more important than loyalty to the states. Loyalty to the states versus loyalty to kinship.
500
How does the chorus help build a clear structure of the play?
-acts as structural division of the play -concludes and gives comment on the previous episode and foreshadows the following events