Antigone audiobook cover - An Ancient Greek Tragedy on Civil Disobedience, Morality and Gender

Antigone

An Ancient Greek Tragedy on Civil Disobedience, Morality and Gender

Sophocles

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Categories:
Society & CultureHistoryReligion & SpiritualityPhilosophy

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Antigone
Core Themes & Context+
The Backstory+
Antigone vs. Ismene+
Creon vs. Antigone+
Creon vs. Haemon+
The Tragic Climax+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8
What is the fundamental difference between Creon and Antigone as described in the text?
  • A. Creon stands for religious tradition, while Antigone represents secular democracy.
  • B. Creon stands for state security and political order, while Antigone represents conscience and moral disobedience.
  • C. Creon stands for the rights of the individual, while Antigone represents the collective good of the city.
  • D. Creon stands for anarchy and chaos, while Antigone represents strict adherence to the law.
Question 2 of 8
According to the text, why does Ismene refuse to help Antigone bury their brother Polynices?
  • A. She believes Polynices was a traitor who deserves his punishment.
  • B. She is afraid of the physical labor required to dig the grave.
  • C. She believes that the laws of the city must be obeyed to prevent anarchy, even if they are unjust.
  • D. She wants to wait for the gods to provide a sign before taking action.
Question 3 of 8
According to Creon's initial philosophy as a ruler, what is the gravest error a leader can make?
  • A. Favoring friends and family over the well-being of the city.
  • B. Failing to consult the gods before going to war.
  • C. Allowing the chorus to dictate the laws of the state.
  • D. Showing mercy to defeated enemies.
Question 4 of 8
How does Antigone justify her defiance of Creon's decree when brought before him?
  • A. She claims she did not know about the decree because she was outside the city walls.
  • B. She argues that Creon's laws are invalid because they contradict the eternal moral laws of the gods.
  • C. She asserts that as a member of the royal family, she is exempt from the laws of Thebes.
  • D. She insists that the citizens of Thebes voted to allow her to bury her brother.
Question 5 of 8
What metaphor does Haemon use to try and persuade his father to change his mind about Antigone's execution?
  • A. A lifeboat that must be kept sailing right side up.
  • B. A blind prophet who cannot see the danger ahead.
  • C. Trees in a winter torrent that must bend to survive or be ripped out by the roots.
  • D. A bird returning to find its nest empty and desecrated.
Question 6 of 8
When Haemon argues with Creon, what fundamental disagreement about rulership is revealed?
  • A. Haemon believes rulers need the consent of their subjects, while Creon believes the city belongs solely to the king.
  • B. Haemon believes in rule by the gods, while Creon believes in a secular democracy.
  • C. Haemon believes the military should rule, while Creon insists on civilian leadership.
  • D. Haemon argues for a matriarchy, while Creon defends a patriarchy.
Question 7 of 8
What finally convinces Creon to change his mind and agree to free Antigone?
  • A. Haemon threatens to kill himself if Antigone is not released.
  • B. The chorus urges him to take the advice of the blind soothsayer Tiresias, who has never lied to Thebes.
  • C. He realizes that Antigone's death will cause a violent uprising among the citizens of Thebes.
  • D. The gods send a thunderstorm that destroys the royal palace.
Question 8 of 8
According to the text's introduction, what is the ultimate problem with tyrants like Creon that leads to the downfall of their societies?
  • A. They intentionally try to cause evil outcomes to enrich themselves.
  • B. They lack a democratic feedback mechanism, punishing dissenters and doubling down on bad calls instead of listening to critics.
  • C. They are easily manipulated by foreign mercenaries and enemy states.
  • D. They refuse to establish any laws, leading to inevitable anarchy.

Antigone — Full Chapter Overview

Antigone Summary & Overview

Antigone (c. 441 BC) is a tragedy by Sophocles, one of ancient Greece’s greatest playwrights. After a civil war, two brothers – the leaders of rival factions – are dead. One is remembered as a patriotic hero; the other, as a treacherous usurper. The king of Thebes, Creon, has forbidden anyone to bury the traitor – an order the man’s sister, Antigone, can’t square with her conscience. The stage is set for a conflict pitting the individual against the state, justice against law, idealism against realism, and a defiant woman against a male-dominated world.

Who Should Listen to Antigone?

  • Theater enthusiasts interested in the history of drama
  • Fans of classical literature and mythology
  • Anyone interested in exploring themes of morality, family, and power

About the Author: Sophocles

Sophocles was an Athenian playwright who lived in the fifth century BC. By the time of his death at the age of 90 around 406 BC, he was the most celebrated author in Athens – a city-state at the height of its power and cultural influence. Only seven of the 120 plays Sophocles wrote have survived. Those plays, however, left an indelible mark not only on his own medium of tragic theater, but on Western literature as a whole. 

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