Antigone During-Reading Questions

Prologue-Scene 1

1. Contrast the characters of Antigone and Ismene. Which sister do you think is making the right decision? Why?

2. Do you think Creon's decree concerning Polynices' body is justified? Why or why not?

3. What are your first impressions of Creon as a person? as a leader? What kind of uncle would he make?

4. Contrast the guard to the other characters you have met so far. How does his appearance change the mood of the play?

Scenes 2-4

5. How does Antigone justify her actions to Creon? Do you agree with her?

6. What is the reaction of the Chorus and its leader upon seeing Antigone arrested? What does Antigone believe they are really thinking? Do you think she is correct? Explain.

7. What does Ismene try to do after she is captured and brought before Creon? How does Antigone thwart her? How does this scene make you feel about each of the sisters?

8. During her argument with Creon how does Antigone seem to feel about her life? Do you think her feeling are justified? Explain.

9. Does Creon show any regret or hesitation in sentencing Antigone to death? Why do you think he behaves the way he does toward her?

10. How does Haemon attempt to reason with his father? Are Creon's reactions believable? Explain

11. What emotions do the Chorus and its leader show toward Antigone during their final dialogue with her? Do you think their emotions are sincere? Why or why not?

Scene 5-Exodos

12. What warnings does Tiresias give Creon concerning Creon's actions? Do you think Creon's reactions to the warnings are in keeping with his character? Explain.

13. After Tiresias leaves, what does Creon decide to do? What role do the Chorus and its leaderplay in this decision?

14. What do you predict will become of Creon after the play is over?

15. By the end of the play, how do you think Sophocles wanted his audience to feel toward Creon and Antigone? With whm do you sympathize? Explain.

1. I think that Antigone made the right decision because it was something morally right, and she didn't care if there was concequences. Ismene was very hesitant about it.

2. I don't think that Creon's decree was justified because I'm pretty sure he did it purposely to anger Antigone and Ismene, and to desecrate his body.

3. I think that Creon is very horrible as a person. He seems like an instigator, and make things to work out exactly the way he wants. But, that's exactly whuy he is an excellent leader. He has the bad qualities of a person that make hiim a great leader. But, I think he'd make a horrible uncle since he does things for personal gain.

4. The guard was unlike any of the other characters because he didn't take any sides. He was impartial to everything unless it suited him.

5. Antigone justifies her actions with Creon by proving that what she did was morally right and he wasn't being fair. I agree with Antigone because what she said was true.

6. I think that the Chorus and the leader actually smpthatized Antigone and agreed with everything she had said, and didn't want to see her get arrested. I think she is correct in thinking that they know her death is sealed.

7. Ismene tries to share the blame with Antigone, but Antigone reveals that Ismene was lying about taking part in the burial of their brother. This shows that the sisters were really close, but don't want each other to be punished.

8. During her arguement with Creon, I think Antigone felt that her life wasn't worth living if she couldn't properly bury her brother. What she said kind of showed me how she is, but I'm thinking it wasn't very justified. She basically gave up her life for her dead brother.

9. He didn't hesistate or show any regret towards her arrest, and I think its because of Oedipus. He was prejudiced against Antigone because she was Oedipus's daughter.

10. Haemon was telling his father that he would stick with his father no matter what, but he should at least be rational about his choices. Creon reacted kind of shocked about everyone agreeing that Antigone was no criminal, which is believable since he has so much pride.

11. I think that they were sincere about the comforting things they tell her because they give her samples of situations that happened to other people that were similar to hers.

12. Tiresias warned Creon that Antigone's sentence and not burying Polyneices would lead to misfortune, and Creon listened to this advice at once, which was sort of out of character for him.

13. Creon decided to release Antigone, and sent servents to properly bury Poluneices. The chorus was urging Creon to do these things.

14. I predict that Creon is going to commit suicide.

15. I think Sophocles wanted the audience to feel sorry for both Creon and Antigone, but I sympathized with Antigone more because she hadn't done anything wrong, just went against Creon, and was punished for it.

1. The characters Antigone and Ismene are two very different people. Antigone is a very strong person who stands up for what she believes in. Ismene on the other hand is very weak and shy. I think Anitgone is making the right decision because she's trying to her dead brother justice which is the right thing to do.

2. Creon's decree for Polynices' body is not justified because that's his nephew and he doesn't even care he just wants his dead body to lay there in the middle of the road.

3. My first impression of Creon is that he's a very self-centered man who puts himself before anyone else. I think he would make a horrible leader because as a leader you need to be the kind of person who is going to do whats best for the kingdom not for himself.

4. The guard was different because he remained neutral and didn't take sides which made the play interesting.

5. Antigone justifies her actions to Creon by going against him and doing what was right for her deceased brother and I agree with her 100%.

6. The chorus feels sympathy toward Antigone because they agreed with what she was doing and she knew that.

7. Ismene tries to take some of the blame to relieve Antigone but Antigone tells Creon that it was her and not Ismene. This shows that the sisters are really close and care about each other.

8. Antigone feels her life is not worth living because of her father's past and because she didn't get to properly bury her brother. I don't think her feelings are justified because I'm sure that if her brother were alive he would want her to live a good life.

9. Creon didn't hesitate because I feel that he was determined to do wrong towards Antigone in order to get back at Oedipus even though he's dead. So basically Antigone is going through consequences that Oedipus would've went through if he were alive.

10. Haemon said to his father that he would support him all the way. Creon just couldn't believe that everyone was taking Anitgone's side which is expected of him because he is so self-centered.

11. I think they were comforting and sincere because they knew that she was dying for an unjust reason and they felt sympathy for her.

12. Creon was warned by Tiresias that he would go through many misfortunes because of what he did to Antigone and surprisingly Creon listened.

13. Creon was going to free Antigone and bury polynecius and the chorus was supporting him.

14. I think Creon will probably go crazy and end up killing himself or go in exile.

15. I think sophocles wanted his audience to feel sypmathy towards Antigone which I did because she was going to be punished for standing up for what she believed was right.

1. Antigone is the type of women that doesn't like to be put down. She wants to do what she thinks its right. But Ismene is the one that does what is said to do. She just follows the rules. I think that Antigone is making the right desicion here because its her brother who they killed and she loves him.

2. Nope, i dont think that his decree concerting Polynices's body is justified. Just because he stood for what he thought was right doesn't means that he is a traitor. He's also his nephew and Polynice should have a decent burial.

3. My first inpressions of Creon as a person is that he doesn't like nobody and that he doesnt care about anything that happens to his family. Therefore he won't male a good uncle for Antigone and Ismene.

4. The guard was different from the other characters in the play because he was nuetral with everyone. Meaning he didn't take sides which gave the play a fair environment.

5. Antigone justify her actions to Creon by saying that her brother was a human being and that he deserved a desent burial.

6. The reaction of the chorus when Antigone is arrested is a suprise because they didn't believe Creon would really do that. She was right in thinking that the Chorus thought she was about to die.

7. Ismene try to take the same blame as Antigone because she doesn't want to see her sister suffer alone. But Antigone doesn't want that and tells Creon she is lying and that only her is guilty. For me this a thing that most sisters would do when they love each other.

8. When Antigone was arguing with Creon she felt that she didn't want to live no more because of everythting that had happen to her life. I don't think her feelings are justified because there are other ways she could solve her problems.

9. Nope, Creon didn't regret or hesitated in sentencing Antigone to death because he hated his family for bringing such a terrible tragery.

10. Haemon attempts to reason with his father by telling him that Antigone was the women she loved and the one that he was going to marry.But Creon's reactions are not beliveble because he doesn't want to hear what his son wants to say.

11. The Chorus and its leader show pity for her and i do think that their emotions are sincere.

12. The warning that Tiresias gives Creon is that he would suffer misfurtune and i don't think that his reaction to the warnings are with his character.

13. After Tiresias leaves Creon decides to agree with Antigone and do a proper burial to his brother.

14. I think that Creon would allow Haemon to marry Antigone and listen to people better.

15. I think that Sophocles wanted to make the audience be in suspence becauses they don't really know what will happen between them.