Transcript Antigone ppt

SOPHOCLES’ ANTIGONE
Language Arts 3-4 H
Essential questions:
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Do we have a moral responsibility to break and
revolt against unjust laws?
What price should we be willing to pay in order to
go against an unfair edict?
Can a leader be indecisive and still maintain
control?
What is more important: being right, or being
happy?
Background: Sophocles
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496-406 B.C.
Wealthy Athenian family
Well-educated and well-connected
Politically astute (remember that democracy is a
relatively new concept at this time!)
Beat established playwright Aeschylus in a drama
competition in 468 B.C. and won either 1st or 2nd
place in the same competition for 55 competitions
over a span of 62 years
Regarded as the greatest ancient Greek playwright
Background: Sophocles
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Wrote about 123 plays, of which only 7 have
survived
Themes include religious apathy, dangers of hubris
Aristotelian Tragedy
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Aristotle’s definition of tragedy as recorded in the
Poetics:
 Tragic
hero has noble stature & greatness (socially and
morally), BUT
 Tragic hero is not perfect
 Tragic hero’s downfall at least partially his own fault
(generally hubris)
 Punishment exceeds crime
 Fall is not wholly a loss—there is awareness for the
hero
 Catharsis: purging of pity and fear
Dramatic structure of a tragedy
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Exposition
Exciting or inciting force
Rising action
Climax
Falling action
Moment of final suspense
Catastrophe
Putting the “fun” back in dysfunctional
Background: Oedipus
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King Laius of Thebes & Queen Jocasta
Oracle says son will murder father & marry mother
Oedipus sent away to be killed . . . but instead gets
adopted as the crown prince of Corinth
Oedipus learns of his fate from the Oracle and flees
Corinth to escape it
Kills Laius at a crossroads en route to Thebes
Answers the Sphinx’s riddle, saves Thebans from Sphinx
& gets the kingdom . . . and his mom. They have 4
kids.
Discovers the truth and gouges out eyes (would you?),
Jocasta kills herself, and sons get the kingdom. BUT . . .
Background: Oedipus
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Eteocles and Polynices are supposed to take turns
ruling the kingdom, but Eteocles won’t give up the
throne at the end of a year
War ensues; brothers kill each other
Creon, Jocasta’s brother, takes the throne and
declares Polynices a traitor
. . . AND NOW . . .
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All Antigone wants to do is to bury Polynices, but
Creon won’t let her
CONFLICT: DIVINE LAW VS. LAW OF MAN
Cultural notes
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Burial rites fell to women, who washed, dressed &
adorned the body
Only close relatives participated in burial rites
Taken very seriously in Greek culture
But traitors and temple robbers don’t deserve burial in
Athens . . . .right?
PROBLEM: Only a properly buried soul can proceed to
the Underworld.
VIDEO CLIP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QLcGTk9sU&list=PLS2f6ihH9PYb3zt32ASNaYjFXhjULcEm7&ind
ex=8
To consider:
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The role of the citizen
Civil disobedience
Family obligation
Divine law vs. state law
Terms to define
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Chorus & Choragus
Hubris
Prologue
Parodos
Strophe
Antistrophe
Ode
Paean
Exodos