SOPHOCLES ANTIGONE Language Arts 3 4 H Essential

SOPHOCLES’ ANTIGONE Language Arts 3 -4 H

Essential questions: 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 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 1 st or 2 nd place in the same competition for 55 competitions over a span of 62 years Regarded as the greatest ancient Greek

Background: Sophocles Wrote about 123 plays, of which only 7 have survived Themes include religious apathy, dangers of hubris

Aristotelian Tragedy 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 Exposition Exciting or inciting force Rising action Climax Falling action Moment of final suspense Catastrophe

Putting the “fun” back in dysfunctional

Background: Oedipus 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 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. . . All Antigone wants to do is to bury Polynices, but Creon won’t let her CONFLICT: DIVINE LAW VS. LAW OF MAN

Cultural notes 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=2 QLc. GTk 9 s. U&list=PLS 2 f 6 ih. H 9 PYb 3 zt 32 ASNa. Yj. FXhj. ULc. E m 7&index=8

To consider: The role of the citizen Civil disobedience Family obligation Divine law vs. state law

Terms to define Chorus & Choragus Hubris Prologue Parodos Strophe Antistrophe Ode Paean Exodos