by Sophocles

Antigone essay questions.

Why does Ismene object to Antigone's plan to bury Polyneices?

Possible Answer:

Ismene believes the men who rule Thebes must not be disobeyed because men are stronger and their will must be respected.

How does Antigone demonstrate pre-feminist ethics?

Antigone believes that a woman's duty is not to the men who rule a domain, but rather to her own instincts and her own sense of right and wrong. She believes that the gods do not dictate through a ruler, but rather through individual beliefs.

When does Creon become apologetic for his actions?

Creon never apologizes for his actions. Instead, he simply orders Antigone to be freed because he knows that Teiresias is never wrong - and therefore that his own life is at risk. However, he never truly believes that his order to imprison her was the wrong course of action.

What is the seeming reason for Haemon's suicide? Does he kill himself only out of desperate love for the dead Antigone?

Haemon's suicide seems to have two motivations - first out of anguish over Antigone's death, but also because he is so furious with his father for having betrayed his trust. Early in the play, Haemon tells his father that as long as he offers wisdom, Haemon will follow him. But now it is clear that his father led him astray, and for that Haemon believes that one of them must die.

Why isn't Creon killed by the plague that befalls him at the play's end?

Creon's punishment is to suffer without a family, and to suffer the guilt of knowing he destroyed the lives of innocents to preserve obsolete traditions and a misconceived legacy of misogynist rule.

What is Creon's tragic flaw?

Creon's tragic flaw is that he believes that men have the right to interpret divine will and impose absolute power in their name. As a result, a simple belief - men cannot be wrong in the face of women - is elevated to law and thus leads to multiple (unnecessary) deaths.

Is Antigone ever apologetic for burying Polyneices?

Though Antigone bemoans her fate and believes death is a cruel and unnecessary punishment for burying Polyneices, she is never apologetic for actually covering his body. She believes until the end that she did the right thing.

Why does Antigone not allow Ismene to join her in her death sentence?

Antigone does not want her sister laying claim to an act that was solely hers for two reasons: one, because she wants her sister to remain alive, and two, because she wants her sister to feel the shame of abandoning her principles for the sake of staying alive and being subservient to men.

What is the role of the Chorus?

The Chorus is meant to reflect the conscience of Thebes - they are the elders who expect Creon to guide them towards wisdom. As they lead him astray, they begin to sense this and reflect their feelings in their choral poems.

What is unusual about the Watchman's speech?

Unlike the other characters, the Watchman's speech is written in more natural rhythms and dialect.

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Antigone Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Antigone is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

How does the play begin?What impact does this technique or beginning have on the audience?

In her very first speech, Antigone only briefly alludes to her and her sister's circumstances, but a Greek audience would have quickly filled in the gaps created by this 'in media res' device (meaning that Sophocles begins the story 'in the middle...

demonstration of pre feminist ethics in sophocles antigone

Antigone's gender has profound effects on the meaning of her actions. Creon himself says that the need to defeat her is all the more pressing because she is a woman. The freedom of Greek women was extremely limited; the rules and strictures placed...

Whose rights should assume priority - Creon's to legislate and punish, or Antigone's to bury her brother? Is there any way to resolve the competing claims of Creon and Antigone?

I like Antigone. Some critics see Antigone as too self-righteous, even alienating, but others claim her as a seminal feminist, determined to do what is right even in defiance of patriarchal law. Indeed, Antigone captured the public imagination...

Study Guide for Antigone

Antigone study guide contains a biography of Sophocles, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

  • About Antigone
  • Antigone Summary
  • Character List
  • Lines 001-241 Summary and Analysis

Essays for Antigone

Antigone essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Antigone by Sophocles.

  • Influence of Antigone on A Doll's House
  • The Use of Light and Dark Images in Antigone
  • Batman and Creon: Denied the Glory?
  • Relativist Justice in Antigone
  • Hubris in Antigone and Oedipus

Lesson Plan for Antigone

  • About the Author
  • Common Core Standards
  • Introduction to Antigone
  • Relationship to Other Books
  • Notes to the Teacher
  • Related Links
  • Antigone Bibliography

E-Text of Antigone

Antigone e-text contains the full text of Antigone by Sophocles.

Wikipedia Entries for Antigone

  • Introduction
  • Historical context
  • Notable features
  • Significance and interpretation

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Scene 1 and 1st Ode

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1. That it is illegal to bury the body of Polyneikes, Antigone and Ismene’s brother ( Scene 1 )

2. She believes it is important to respect the law, especially since she and Antigone are women. ( Scene 1 )

3. “The law of the gods” ( Scene 1 ), which relates to the theme of God and Man’s Law

4. Keep Antigone’s plan a secret ( Scene 1 )

5. Polyneikes’s attack on the city of Thebes ( Scene 1 )

Short-Answer Response

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1. Oedipus is the father of Antigone. Prior to this play, he unknowingly killed the man who was his father and married a woman who was his mother, thereby becoming king of Thebes. He left Thebes after learning what he had done, leaving the crown to his two sons, who fought over the throne and ultimately killed each other. ( Scene 1 )

2. Antigone is the daughter of Oedipus. She believes it is important to bury her brother, even though it is against the law. Her sister, Ismene, disagrees with her and believes it is more important to follow the law. ( Scene 1 )

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  1. Antigone Critical Thinking Questions Flashcards

    Click the card to flip 👆. In the Prologue, Antigone is revealed to be a strong-willed and determined individual who holds her own opinions in high regard. In contrast, Ismene finds comfort in conforming to existing social systems. This causes conflict for the sisters, as Antigone tries to convince Ismene to "go against Creon And do what he ...

  2. Antigone Questions and Answers

    In Antigone, what is the significance of the simile used to describe the Argos army? Antigone Questions and Answers - Discover the eNotes.com community of teachers, mentors and students just like ...

  3. PDF Antigone Study Guide Questions And Answers

    Titles in this study guide include Oedipus, Philoctetes, Trachiniae, Electra, Oedipus the King, Antigone, and Ajax. As a playwright of fifth-century BCE, he is one of the most famous Greek Tragedians. Moreover, his surviving plays are proof of his perfection of the genre of Greek tragedy. This Bright Notes Study Guide explores the context and ...

  4. Antigone (The Oedipus Plays)

    Antigone's plan seems rash to Ismene—her accusation that Antigone has a "hot heart" speaks to her passion and stubbornness, yet Ismene sees her act as a "cold deed" that will land her in deep trouble if she is caught. Ismene worries for Antigone since so much tragedy has already befallen their family. Her "hot heart" is the same attribute ...

  5. PDF ANSWER KEY SHORT ANSWER STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS

    Creon threatens to execute Antigone, Haimon's fiancée, in front of him. 9. Describe Creon's death sentence for Antigone. Creon will have Antigone locked in a stone vault out in the wilderness. She will be given some provisions of food, and if she is able to escape, then it will be because her gods took pity on her. 10.

  6. Antigone Essay Questions

    Possible Answer: Antigone believes that a woman's duty is not to the men who rule a domain, but rather to her own instincts and her own sense of right and wrong. She believes that the gods do not dictate through a ruler, but rather through individual beliefs. 3. When does Creon become apologetic for his actions?

  7. Antigone Critical Thinking Questions (Progolos, Parados ...

    What information does Antigone give to Ismene at the beginning of the scene ?, 2. What has just happened in the sisters ' family ?, 3. What does Antigone plan to do ? ... Antigone Critical Thinking Questions (Progolos, Parados, Episode 1, and Stasimon) Flashcards; Learn; Test; Match; Q-Chat; Get a hint. 1. What information does Antigone give to ...

  8. Antigone Essay Questions

    Thanks for exploring this SuperSummary Study Guide of "Antigone" by Sophocles. A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

  9. Antigone Critical Essays

    Antigone is a complex play, one that defies ready interpretation. It is a study of human actions, with complex emotions. Each character represents a moral ideal, a moral argument, and the play ...

  10. Antigone: Suggested Essay Topics

    Consider how saying "no" figures as both an act and as an object of discussion. Consider the trope of death in Antigone. How does death figure in the play? You may want to discuss the relations between death and, for example, space, narrative, rhythm, gesture, the body, the mask, the act, etc. Consider the role of physical violence in the play.

  11. Antigone Critical Essays

    Essays and criticism on Jean Anouilh's Antigone - Critical Essays ... Questions & Answers ... than 30,000 additional guides and more than 350,000 Homework Help questions answered by ...

  12. Antigone Discussion Questions

    Antigone Discussion Questions. Clio has taught education courses at the college level and has a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction. Sophocles' play, 'Antigone', is an important literary classic ...

  13. The Oedipus Plays: Antigone, lines 1-416 Quiz: Quick Quiz

    Antigone, lines 701-1090 Antigone, lines 1091-1470 Oedipus the King, lines 1-337

  14. Antigone Essays and Criticism

    When the play in question is Sophocles's Antigone, criticism can be especially helpful concerning the preconceived notions a reader may have concerning the work. The play is an ancient tragedy and ...

  15. Antigone: Questions & Answers

    Antigone learns from a guard that she will be sealed up in a cave, left to die a slow, miserable death in its darkness. Not wanting to suffer, she hangs herself by the cord of her robe once the guards begin blocking the entrance to the cave. Haemon, desperate to be with his bride, sneaks into the cave, stabs himself, and lies down next to ...

  16. Antigone Reading Guide Parodos with Answer Key (Pt. 2)

    10 Critical-Thinking Comprehension Questions: These questions are carefully formulated to challenge students, provoke deep thinking, and encourage an appreciation for Sophocles' literary techniques and thematic depth. Comprehensive Answer Key: Designed for educators on the move, our answer key provides detailed responses to each question. This ...

  17. Antigone Reading Questions Answer Key

    Subscribe for $3 a Month. 1. That it is illegal to bury the body of Polyneikes, Antigone and Ismene's brother ( Scene 1) 2. She believes it is important to respect the law, especially since she and Antigone are women. ( Scene 1) 3. "The law of the gods" ( Scene 1 ), which relates to the theme of God and Man's Law. 4.

  18. Antigone by Sophocles: The Prologue Practice and Quiz

    Disrespecting them would lead to punishments. Unlike her sister, Antigone is not loyal to the government. Ismene is scared to break the law and be stoned to death for burying her brother. 4 of 20. Term. Read the excerpt below from the play Antigone by Sophocles and answer the question that follows. ANTIGONE:

  19. Antigone Quizzes

    Test your knowledge of Sophocles's Antigone by taking one of our user-contributed quizzes! Each quiz is multiple choice and includes questions on plot points, themes, and character traits. Test ...

  20. Antigone Study Questions And Answers Teaching Resources

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