Antigone research

Antigone

characters

Antigone

Ismene, her sister

Kreon ruler of thebes

Soldier

Haimon Kreon's son

Teiresias prophet

Servant (messenger)

Eurydice Kreon's consort

Chorus of old men

Synopsis

This Tragedy follows the story of Antigone just after the death of her two brothers Polynikes and Eteokles, who killed each other fighting over the crown in the battle of Thebes. After they died in battle their uncle Creon took over as leader and decided to honour Eteokles death, but forbid anyone to bury the body of Polynikes. He said that if anyone tried to do so they will be stoned to death. This angered Antigone and she asked her only surviving sibling Ismene to help her bury their brother, but she was to afraid of the punishment that King Creon would oppose upon her if she did. The chorus tries to warn Creon that he should rethink he decision but he does not listen. A guard enters and tell Creon that someone has buried Polynikes but does not know who it was. This angers him and tells the guard that he better find out who did it or else die. The guard quickly returns with Antigone saying that he caught her trying to rebury Polynikes after wind blew the dirt off his body. She admits to her crime and says that Creon is the one in the wrong, that she would rather die than not bury her brother. Ismene enters and Creon questions her part in the crime which she falsely admits to, wanting to die alongside her sister. Antigone however will not let her share blame and gets angry with her sister. "don't lay claim to what you never touched". Creon decides he is going to kill both of them and locks them up. The kings son Haemon, Antigone's fiancé, at first agrees with his dads decision but still argues for Antigone's release saying the public supports her release. The chorus agrees with Haemon and tells Creon to listen to his son. Instead he calls his son a traitor for defending Antigone and tells him his fiancé Antigone will be sealed in a cave and starved to death. A prophet called Teiresias tries to change his mind. Teiresias says his decision will cost him a son and this makes Creon rethink seeing as he has never been wrong before. Creon agrees to release Antigone and bury Polynikes but before he gets a chance a messenger comes and tell the chorus that Antigone has hanged herself and Haemon found her body and took his own life as well. This is heard by Queen Eurydice which triggers her to go on and kill herself as well, cursing Creon for taking her only son away from her. Creon is overwhelmed with guilt at the end that he cannot even walk and has to get his guards to help him off stage.

When we were given our scripts, we were put into the groups we are going to be performing in. 

Antigone - Me

Ismene - Daniella

Creon - Ben

After being put into our groups we did a read through of the script thinking about the subtext of the lines and therefore what emotion to connect with. We then started to put it on its feet and moving actively with our lines to get a feel for how the characters would move and behave. 

We watched one pair perform their scene and with feedback we made them play around with it in front of us. 

-adding heavy emotion

-underplaying everything like it was a normal conversation

-imagining they are in a public place and not wanting people to hear their conversation

-underplaying the scene but keeping all the emotions