Antigone

Scene 1December 11/14

Dramatic Vocabulary Terms

Aside: Words spoken by an actor directly to the audience, but not "heard" by the other characters on stage during a play.

Monologue: A speech by a single character without another character's response. The character however, is speaking to someone else or even a group of people.

Soliloquy: A speech meant to be heard by the audience but not by other characters on the stage. In a soliloquy only the audience can hear the private thoughts of the characters.

Speech: A speech made by one character to a group of characters

Practice

Re-write each sentence showing the emotion instead of telling:

1. Joey was exhausted.2. James is surprised.3. Isaac was eager to use the bathroom.4. Miranda was terrified during the movie.

Antigone

Scene 1 - Background

The original audience for Antigone might have read between the lines in Creon's first speech to the Chorus. They might have seen some political commentary.

Athens was a democracy, but there were memories of its previous rulers, who worked hard to preserve their family identities-and their family welfare. Even in the democracy, aristocratic families were known to promote their own interests.

Thus, it would have been important for the audience to hear Creon distancing himself from Polyneices, a rebellious family member, and decrying nepotism.

Creon’s Speech

Reading: Page 755

Time: 3 Minutes

Lines: 8-19

On Your Own:

1. According to Creon, who has guided their “Ship of State” safely to harbor from the “recent storms”?

Skill Focus - Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing:

Re-stating quotes, lines of text in your own words

Not directly copying

Creon’s Speech

Gentlemen: I have the honor to inform you that our Ship of State, which recent storms have threatened to destroy, has come safely to harbor at last, guided by the merciful wisdom of Heaven.

I have summoned you here this morning because I know that I can depend upon you: your devotion to King Laios was absolute; you never hesitated in your duty to our late ruler Oedipus; and when Oedipus died, your loyalty was transferred to his children.

Unfortunately, as you know, his two sons, the princes Eteocles and Polyneices, have killed each other in battle, and I, as the next in blood, have succeeded to the full power of the throne.

My Paraphrase

• Gentlemen: I have the honor to inform you that our Ship of State, which recent storms have threatened to destroy, has come safely to harbor at last, guided by the merciful wisdom of Heaven.

• Gentlemen: I am humbled to tell you that our government has survived catastrophe by the grace of the gods.

My Paraphrase

I have summoned you here this morning because I know that I can depend upon you: your devotion to King Laios was absolute; you never hesitated in your duty to our late ruler Oedipus; and when Oedipus died, your loyalty was transferred to his children.

I have called for you this morning because I trust you: you were loyal to both King Laios and Oedipus; you continued to remain loyal to his heirs.

My Paraphrase

Unfortunately, as you know, his two sons, the princes Eteocles and Polyneices, have killed each other in battle, and I, as the next in blood, have succeeded to the full power of the throne.

It’s disappointing that we must remember the deaths of Princes Eteocles and Polyneices by their own hand. Thus, the throne has fallen to me as the next of kin.

Creon’s Speech – Act 1

Reading: Page 755Time: 5 Minutes

Lines: 20-27Answer the Following:1. What can we assume that Creon puts above

friendship?

Paraphrase

Working with Your Group:

Paraphrase Lines 20-27

Place Your Paraphrase on the Whiteboard

Creon’s Speech

I am aware, of course, that no Ruler can expect complete loyalty from his subjects until he has been tested in office. Nevertheless, I say to you at the very outset that I have nothing but contempt for the kind of Governor who is afraid, for whatever reason, to follow the course that he knows is best for the State; and as for the man who sets private friendship above the public welfare, ––I have no use for him, either.

Creon’s Speech – Act 1

Reading: Page 755 - 756Time: 3 MinutesLines: 27 -33

Answer the following:1. Why does Creon constantly use a metaphor to describe the government/country as a ship?

Paraphrase

Working with Your Group:

Paraphrase Lines 27-33

Place Your Paraphrase on the Whiteboard

Creon’s Speech

I call God to witness that if I saw my country headed for ruin, I should not be afraid to speak out plainly; and I need hardly remind you that I would never have any dealings with an enemy of the people.

No one values friendship more highly than I; but we must remember that friends made at the risk of wrecking our Ship are not real friends at all.

Creon’s Speech – Act 1

Reading: Page 756

Time: 3 MinutesLines: 34-46

1. What reasons does Creon give for not allowing Polyneices to be buried?

On Your Own..

Paraphrase

Lines 34-46

Time: 5 Minutes

Creon’s Speech

These are my principles, at any rate, and that is why I have made the following decision concerning the sons of Oedipus:

Eteocles, who died as a man should die, fighting for his country, is to be buried with full military honors, with all the ceremony that is usual when the greatest heroes die; but his brother Polyneices, who broke his exile to come back with fire and sword against his native city and the shrines of his fathers’ gods, whose one idea was to spill the blood of his blood and sell his own people into slavery––

Polyneices, I say, is to have no burial: no man is to touch him or say the least prayer for him; he shall lie on the plain, unburied; and the birds and the scavenging dogs can do with him whatever they like.

Classwork/Homework

Reading: Page 756 -759, Ode 1Answer the Following and Provide Line Numbers:

1. Who shall have Creon’s “respect while he is living and ….reverence when he is dead?”2. What has happened to Polyneices’ body?3. Summarize the Sentry’s report through line 1024. What does Creon order the Sentry to do?

Group Discussion

Based on what we’ve read in both the Prologue and Scene 1; Make a prediction for Scene 2.

Place Predictions for Each Member on the Whiteboard.