To what law does Antigone appeal for her justification?
Antigone appeals to the law of the gods that commands humans to bury their loved ones properly. She followed this law to prevent the wrath of the gods from coming down on her. Creon, however, is only a man, and his law means nothing against the gods.
What does Antigone mean in using this law as the defence for her actions?
Antigone used the law set by the gods as a defence for her actions, which means that according to this law, the burial of her brother was justified, and she had committed no sin. She welcomed death with open arms as she knew she would not be punished by the gods.
Who is Haemon? What is his relationship with Creon? To Antigone?
Haemon is the son of Creon, and he was also betrothed to Antigone.
What punishment does Creon give to Antigone after learning it was she who committed the deed?
When Creon learns that Antigone has buried her brother against his orders, he decrees her death. He first imprisons her and then buries her alive in a cave.
Who is Tiresias? What happens when he comes to talk to Creon?
He is a blind soothsayer who came from Thebes. When he talks to Creon, he prophesies that if Creon does not revert his decision regarding Polynice’s burial and Antigone’s death sentence, then he will have to suffer the wrath of the gods.
Is Creon receptive to Tiresias’ advice? Why or why not?
Creon tells Tiresias that his prophecy is false and accuses him of seeking personal advantage. He gets angry and refuses to listen as the prophecy is not in alignment with his own beliefs.
Which two characters are responsible for the catastrophe?
Both Antigone and Creon are responsible for the catastrophe in the end. They were both full of pride and stubbornness, which led them to fiercely fight for their beliefs resulting in tragedy.
How does the play end?
In the end, Antigone commits suicide by hanging herself. Her fiancée, Haemon upon learning about her death falls into despair and commits suicide as well. When Eurydice learns that her son has died, she curses Creon for the death of her son and kills herself. Creon, now alone, accepts the responsibility of all the deaths and prays for death to claim him as well (Sophocles & Woodruff, 2001).
References
Sophocles, & Woodruff, P. (2001). Antigone. Hackett Publishing.
