Major Works Data Sheet

AP Literature

Name__________________________ Date:____________ The numbers in parentheses represent the point values for each requirement.
Biographical information about the author:

Title: Antigone Author: Sophocles Date of Publication: circa 440 B.C. Genre: Tragic Drama
Historical information about the period of publication: Classical period. !ree" a&thors dre material from a cycle of 4 epic poems# the The)an Cycle# hich as *ery familiar to a&diences Sophocles &sed this common story )&t made +edip&s a contemporary character to represent many of the ideals of Athenian leadership. Antigone as performed sometime aro&nd the year 44( B.C.,.# -&st )efore Athens fo&ght a campaign against the re*olt of Samos. Sophocles as selected to )e one of nine generals in that campaign. These historical e*ents are rele*ant )eca&se some of the play.s central iss&es are the appropriate &se of po er )y the state# the possi)ility of -&stifia)le re)ellion# and the d&ties of citi$ens to o)ey the la s of their go*ernment. A long/held tradition s&ggests that the pop&larity of Antigone lead directly to Sophocles.s election as a general.

Considered one of the 3 greatest play rights of classical !ree" theater# Sophocles as a respected citi$en ho held political and military offices in %th cent&ry BC Athens. 'rote more than (00 plays. Best "no n for his 3 The)an plays. Credited ith changing !ree" drama )y adding a 3rd actor# red&cing the role of the chor&s and paying greater attention to character de*elopment

Characteristics of the genre:

Tragedy Tragic 0ero Tragic 1la 20&)ris3 4rolog&e# 4arados# ,pisode# Stasimon# ,5od&s

Plot summary: Antigone's Twisted

amily Tree:A )ra*e and pro&d yo&ng oman named Antigone is the prod&ct of a really messed &p family.0er father# +edip&s# as the 6ing of The)es. 0e &n"no ingly m&rdered his father and married his o n mother# 7&een 8ocasta. 'ith his ife9mother# +edip&s had t o da&ghter9sisters and t o )rother9sons.'hen 8ocasta fo&nd o&t the tr&th of their incest&o&s relationship# she "illed herself. +edip&s as pretty &pset too. 0e pl&c"ed o&t his eye)alls. Then# he spent his remaining years andering thro&gh !reece# )eing led )y his loyal da&ghter Antigone.After +edip&s died# his t o sons 2,teocles and 4olynices3 )attled for control of the "ingdom. ,teocles fo&ght to defend The)es. 4olynices and his men attac"ed the city. Both )rothers died. Creon 2 Antigone:s &ncle3 )ecame the official r&ler of The)es. 2There:s a lot of &p ard mo)ility in this city/state. That:s hat happens hen yo&r )osses "ill each other.3Di!ine "aws #s$ %an&made "aws:Creon )&ried ,teocles:s )ody ith honor. B&t )eca&se the other )rother as percei*ed as a traitor# 4olynices:s )ody as left to rot# a tasty snac" for *&lt&res and *ermin. 0o e*er# lea*ing h&man remains &n)&ried and e5posed to the elements as an affront to the !ree" !ods. So# at the play:s )eginning# Antigone decides to defy Creon:s la s. She gi*es her )rother a proper f&neral.0er sister ;smene arns that Creon ill p&nish any ho defy the la of the city. Antigone )elie*es that the la of the gods s&persedes a "ing:s decree. Creon doesn:t see things that ay. 0e is *ery angry and sentences Antigone to death.;smene as"s to )e e5ec&ted along ith her sister. B&t Antigone doesn:t ant her )y her side. She insists that she alone )&ried the )rother# so she alone ill recei*e p&nishment 2and possi)le re ard from the gods3. Creon 'eeds To "oosen (p:As if things eren:t complicated eno&gh# Antigone has a )oyfriend: 0aemon# the son of Creon. 0e tries to con*ince his father that mercy and patience are called for. B&t the more they de)ate# the more Creon:s anger gro s. 0aemon lea*es# threatening to do something rash.At this point# the people of The)es# represented )y the Chor&s# are &ncertain as to ho is right or rong. ;t seems Creon is starting to feel a little )it orried )eca&se instead of e5ec&ting Antigone# he orders her to )e sealed inside a ca*e. 2That ay# if she dies# her death ill )e in the hands of the gods3.B&t after she is sent to her doom# a )lind old ise man enters. 0e is Tiresias# a seer of the f&t&re# and he )rings an important message: <Creon# yo& made a )ig st&pid mista"e=< 2;t so&nds fancier in !ree".3S&specting the old man of treason# Creon )ecomes inf&riated and ref&ses Tiresias: isdom. The old man )ecomes *ery cran"y and predicts )ad things for Creon:s near f&t&re.Creon Changes His %ind )Too "ate*:1inally scared# Creon rethin"s his decisions. 0e dashes off to release Antigone. B&t he:s too late. Antigone has already hanged herself. 0aemon grie*es )eside her )ody. 0e attac"s his father ith a s ord# misses completely# and then sta)s himself# dying.>rs. Creon 2,&rydice3 hears of her son:s death and "ills herself. 2; hope yo& eren:t e5pecting a comedy.3By the time Creon ret&rns to The)es# the Chro&s tells Creon the )ad ne s. They e5plain that <There is no escape from the doom e m&st end&re.< Creon reali$es that his st&))ornness has led to his family:s r&in. The Chor&s ends the play )y offering a final message:<The mighty ords of the pro&d are paid in f&ll ith mighty )lo s of fate.< . (www.plays.about.com)

%a+or ,or-s Data .heet

Page /
2dentify an e3ample passage that demonstrates the style$ 43plain the e3ample if necessary$ )Please include a page number*: )/$1*

Describe the author0s style: )/$1*

4oetic and tragic

?Tomorro is tomorro . 1&t&re cares ha*e f&t&re c&res# And e m&st mind today.@ A Antigone# as ell as many other characters# spea"s *ery poetically ith ords that flo and fit ell together.

Significant Quotes )1*

(Choose at least five and include page num ers! Quotes should demonstrate the range of the entire "ork!# 5uote .ignificance

?; ill s&ffer nothing as great as death itho&t glory.@ 2Antigone# lines ((B/ ((33

(. Displays Antigone.s heroism as ell as her desire to )e a martyr.

?'hoe*er thin"s that he alone possesses intelligence# the gift of eloC&ence# he and no one else# and character too..s&ch men# ; tell yo&# spread them open D yo& ill find them empty.@ 20aemon# EF(/EF43

B. Ad*ice to Creon and also a arning to not thin" himself on a le*el a)o*e e*ery)ody else.

?; ha*e longer to please the dead than please the li*ing here: in the "ingdom do n )elo ;.ll lie fore*er.@ 2Antigone# GG/F03 ?Ta"e me a ay# C&ic"ly# o&t of sight. ; don.t e*en e5ist D ;.m no one. Nothing.@ 2Creon# B(44%/(44H3

3. Antigone )elie*es that her afterlife holds more significance than her life ith the li*ing# and that )eca&se she is on earth for a limited time it.s less important. 4. Creon.s pre*io&s disrespect for the dead and insignificant tho&ghts of death are t&rned aro&nd completely as he &nderstands ho petty he is compared to death. %. The Chor&s shares a !ree" lesson on h&m)ling# ?the taller yo& stand the harder yo& fall@ and h&)ris# and predicts the fate of Creon.

?The mighty ords of the pro&d are paid in f&ll ith mighty )lo s of fate# and at long last those )lo s ill teach &s isdom.@ 2Chor&s# (4HG/(4E03

%a+or ,or-s Data .heet .ignificant Characters )1* 'ame

Page 6

7ole in the story Daughter )and 8 sister* of 9edipus: buries her brother Polynices; defying law of <ing Daughter )and 8 sister *of 9edipus; sister to Antigone <ing of Thebes

.ignificance

Ad+ecti!es

Antigone

2smene

Creon

Chorus

Citi=ens of Thebes

Tieresias

Blind prophet: warns Creon of the conse>uences of his pride Creon0s wife .on )and 8 brother* to 9edipus: died in battle defending Thebes after refusing to relin>uish the throne to his brother .on )and 8 brother* to 9edipus: died in battle; fighting against Thebes& considered a traitor and denied burial by <ing

4urydice 4teocles

Polyneices

%a+or ,or-s Data .heet .etting and significance )Please list and describe three
e3amples: include page numbers* Inity of time and place 4lace: The)es Time: +ne day 4arados: 4rolog&e:

Page ? .ignificance of the opening scene )/*

.ignificance of the ending@closing scene )6*

,5od&s:

Significant "iterary De!ices )such as symbol; foreshadowing; imagery; irony; etc$* that contri ute to the themes of the wor)"ist and e3plain 1: include page numbers* )1*

/Antigone.s edding *eil/ Sym)oli$es the edding day that ill ne*er occ&r )eca&se of Antigone.s decision to follo the la s of the gods and not man.s la . /Antigone.s prison tom)/ Jepresents Creon.s pridef&l nat&re and his ref&sal to )e challenged )y a oman.s actions. /Tiresias. fighting )irds/ Sym)oli$es the fighting and im)alance creon has created hen he didn.t )&ry 4olyneices. /4olyneices as aa )ird/ Sophocles compares 4olyneices to a )ird in calling him an eagle rea"ing ha*oc. Also hen he dies the )irds eat a ay at him.

Themes )"ist fi!e uni!ersal topics that the wor- con!eys$* )1*

Blindness !s$ .ight 'atural "aw Citi=enship !s$ amily "oyalty ate !s$ ee ,ill