Antigone Final assignments

Please complete the last assignment on your worksheet handout in your journal.

Then answer the following question: To what extent are any of these characters redeemed? Tiresias says that a wise man (or woman) will change their mind for the good of others. Does Creon become wise in the end? Did Antigone?

Antigone pt 6
Antigone pt 7
Antigone to th Chorus pt 8
Antigone Tiresias and Creon
Antigone the death of Haimon pt 10
Antigone Creon's finale

Characteristics of a Tragic Hero

—  A tragic hero meets his or her downfall through a combination of hubris, tragic flaw, fate, a miscalculation, and the will of the gods.

—  Hubris, in modern terms, is exaggerated self pride or self-confidence, often resulting in fatal retribution.  

—  Tragic flaw (“hamartia“) includes accidents and mistakes,  wrongdoing, error, or sin.

—  The tragic hero should be of noble birth—a ranking politician, military figure, prince, king, etc. This produces the feeling of fear; if it can happen to someone of noble birth, it can happen to us. 

—  The hero should not be morally better than an average person. This produces "fear" because the hero is imperfect like us, and we can identify with him. It also produces "pity" because if the hero were perfect or totally good, we would be outraged by his fate.  If he were completely evil, we would feel like he had gotten what he deserved.

Persuasive Essay/Speech Paragraph template Final draft and presentation are due beginning of class 1/26

All Essays or speeches should take this approach:

1. Introduction
2. Thesis - subject + your opinion
3. Body Paragraph (usually two chunks)
     a. Topic Sentence
     b. Concrete Detail - fact, statistic, example, comparison, cause and effect analogy
     c. Commentary (two sentences that connect your concrete detail to the topic sentence (elaboration)
     d. Repeat b and c for chunk 2
     e. Concluding sentence
4. Body Paragraph #2
5. Body Paragraph #3 +
6. Conclusion - a restatement of how your position is relevant

Your persuasive speech should consist of an introduction, two body paragraphs and a conclusion.
    
   

Due 1/20/15 Persuasive speech

Activity

As the play progresses, the characters and chorus make a variety of statements that reflect both individually and societal views of life. Some of these viewpoints have not changed significantly in the centuries since Sophocles’ time, and others have.

1. First, select one of the statements from the list and think about its meaning.

• What ideas come to mind when you read the statement?

• What societal view is being expressed?

• How is this view similar to or different from our modern societal view of a similar topic?

• Do you agree or disagree? Explain.

2. Next, using the questions above as a guide, write notes on your reaction to the statement and prepare a short speech expressing your thoughts.

3. Give a three-minute speech on the statement to your classmates.

4. After each speech, discuss reactions to the statement as a class.

STATEMENTS THAT REFLECT SOCIETAL BELIEFS

• “Do but consider how most miserably/We too shall perish, if despite of law/We traverse the behest or power of kings.” (Ismene, )

• “We must remember we are women born,/Unapt to cope with men; and, being ruled/By mightier than ourselves, we have to hear/These things—and worse.” (Ismene, )

• “Far longer is there need I satisfy/Those nether Powers, than powers on earth; for there/For ever must I lie. You , if you will,/Hold up to scorn what is approved of Heaven!” (Antigone,)

• “Him too, who sets a friend/Before his native land, I prize at nothing.” (Creon)

• “Because it was not Zeus who ordered it,/Nor Justice, dweller with the Nether Gods,/Gave such a law to men; nor did I deem/Your ordinance of so much binding force,/As that a mortal man could overbear/The unchangeable unwritten code of Heaven;” (Antigone, )

• “Truly if here/She wield such powers uncensured, she is man,/I woman!” (Creon, )

• “So is it right, my son, to be disposed—/In everything to back your father’s quarrel” (Creon,  )

• “Obedience is due/To the state’s officer in small and great,/Just and unjust commandments.” (Creon,)

• “Do not persist, then, to retain at heart/One sole idea, that the thing is right/Which your mouth utters, and nought else beside./For all men who believe themselves alone/Wise, or that they possess a soul or speech/Such as none other, turn them inside out,/They are found empty;” (Haemon,)

• “A city is no city/That is of one man only.” (Haemon,)

Antigone - Obedience? Due 1/15/15

Episode Two

Obedience

Objective: Identifying with characters

Activity - Journal Response

In Episode Two (lines 301 - 464), the sentry discovers Antigone in the act of burying Polynices. He brings her before Creon, who questions her actions harshly. After all, she is his niece, his subject, and soon to be the wife of his son, Haimon. Should she not obey his dictate, no matter who the unburied man may be? Antigone defends her actions, telling Creon that is the law of the gods states that no man should be left unburied, and that these laws of the gods supersede his own. Creon, infuriated by Antigone’s continued defiance, sentences her to death.

Surely both Antigone and Creon have valid points. Which of the two do you feel has a stronger justification for his or her actions?

In a journal entry, discuss your feelings regarding Creon’s decree, Antigone’s defiance, and Creon’s intended punishment of Antigone. Decide whose cause you are more sympathetic to, Creon’s or Antigone’s, and list three to five reasons for this.