Antigone pronounced Anntiguhknee

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Antigone(pronounced Ann-tig-uh-knee)

• The story before the story, or How modern day
  Arkansas is based on ancient Greek tragedy.

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Antigone

• The City of Thebes, where the play is set, was
  founded by the Greek hero Cadmus.
• Zeus spied Cadmus sister Europa one day,
  kidnapped her, and made her his bride.
• Cadmus furiously chased after them, but failed to
  ever find her again.
• Seeking guidance, Cadmus visited an oracle who
  predicted mens futures. He told Cadmus to build
  a new city, the seven-gated city of Thebes.
  Cadmus slew a dragon guarding the spot where the
  city was to be built, and there began Thebes.

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Oedipus (Ed-uh-pus)

• Years later, Cadmus great-grandson Laios became
  the new ruler of Thebes. While visiting a
  neighboring king, Pelops, he stole the kings
  son. Pelops cursed Laios, stating that if ever
  Laios had a son of his own, that son would kill
  him. Laios returned home to find his wife Iocasta
  pregnant.

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Oedipus

• Iocasta gave birth to their son, who they named
  Oedipus.
• Wanting to avoid the curse, Laios ordered a
  shepherd to take Oedipus and abandon him in the
  mountains so that the boy would freeze to death.
• The shepherd took pity on the boy. Instead of
  abandoning him in the mountains, he took him to
  Corinth, where Oedipus was adopted by the king
  and queen of that city.

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Oedipus

• Oedipus grew up believing that he was the son of
  the king and queen of Corinth.
• As a young prince, he set off on a journey and
  encountered a very wealthy man with an entourage
  along the road. The man rudely demanded that
  Oedipus clear the road for him, and Oedipus was
  insulted. He refused.
• The man ordered his guards to attack Oedipus.
  Oedipus, in defending himself, killed the guards
  and the rich man.
• That rich man turned out to be his biological
  father, Laios. The curse was fulfilled.

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Oedipus

• Unaware of what hed done, Oedipus continued on
  his trip to Thebes, which was being attacked by
  the Sphinx (a half-woman, half-giant bird who
  told travelers riddles and ate them if they
  couldnt solve them).
• Oedipus answered the riddle correctly, the Sphinx
  died, people went nuts. Eddie! Eddie! Eddie!

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Oedipus

• The ruler of Thebes, Creon, who was only holding
  the position temporarily after the death of
  Laios, offered Oedipus the kingdom and the hand
  of the foxy Iocasta in marriage. Oedipus jumped
  all over that.
• Oedipus ruled Thebes for many years and had four
  children with Iocasta the twin sons, Eteocles
  and Polynieces and two daughters, Antigone and
  Ismene.

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Oedipus

• Ignorance was bliss until the day Tieresias, the
  blind prophet, filled Oedipus in on the truth
• Dude, I dont know how to tell you this in a
  good way, but youre married to your mother!
  Yeah, the children you had with her theyre
  also your half-brothers and sisters.

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What the ?
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Iocastas reaction
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Back to Oedipus
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• Oedipus not handling it well

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• Random Theban kid who overheard the disturbing
  news

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Oedipus

• In disgust, Iocasta killed herself, and

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Oedipus

• Oedipus gouged his own eyes out.

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Oedipus
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Oedipus

• Oedipus left Thebes in disgrace, a helpless
  beggar. Antigone went with him to take care of
  him. Oedipus died a short time later.

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Eteocles Polynieces

• Meanwhile, Oedipus twin sons argued over who
  would be the next king.
• They eventually decided to alternate who was king
  each year, kind of like alternating QBs on each
  offensive series neither are good ideas.
• Eteocles refused to give up the throne after his
  year as king. Furious, Polyneices left, gathered
  an army, and returned to claim his right to be
  king.

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Eteocles vs. Polyneices

• Polyneices attacked the city of Thebes, and in
  the fighting the twin brothers killed each other.
• Creon became king again. His first act as king
  was to honor Eteocles and those that died
  defending Thebes by holding a state funeral.
• At the same time, he insulted Polyneices and
  those who attacked the city by refusing to bury
  them at all. He left their bodies where they lay
  for the scavenging birds to feed upon outside the
  city.

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Polynieces and the Greeks beliefs about burial
and the afterlife

• By refusing to bury Polyneices (and ordering that
  anyone who attempted to bury him would be
  prosecuted), Creon affected an eternal
  punishment.
• The Greeks believed that without burial, a
  persons soul could not cross over to the
  underworld its natural resting place. Instead,
  the body would wander the earth forever in limbo.

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Antigone

• The play begins at this point, with Antigone and
  Ismene discussing what should be done about their
  brother, Polyneices.

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One Messed Up Family Tree

• Laios Iocasta Creon Eurydice
• / (Creons sister) (Iocastas brother)
• Oedipus /
• Megareus (dies in battle)
• Oedipus Iocasta Haemon
• (Son/Husb. to Iocasta) (Mother/Wife of
  Oedipus) (engaged to his cousin, Antigone)
• /
• Eteocles (half-brother/son of Oedipus)
• Polyneices (half-brother/son of Oedipus)
• Ismene (half-sister/daughter of Oedipus)
• Antigone (half-sister/daughter of Oedipus)