Unit 9, Lesson 2: Antigone by Sophocles

Antigone by Sophocles

Unit 9, Lesson 2

Multiple Choice

Sophocles is perhaps best known for his “Theban” plays—a collection of three plays about _____.

• Odysseus, King of Ithaca, and his travels

• Oedipus, King of Thebes, and his family

• he Greco-Persian Wars

• Hercules, son of the god Zeus and the woman Alcmene

Multiple Choice

The Theban plays show the themes from plots of ___.

• characters overcoming their fates prophesied by oracles

• rulers who tried to escape their fates prophesied by oracles

• journeys where heroes conquered the gods to gain riches

• women overcoming their lower status with the help of the gods

Multiple Select

THREE other themes in Antigone deal with ______.

• the importance of persistence and courage for success

• the conflict between personal belief and government

• the conflict of devotion to family or self-preservation

• how wrongdoing brings about severe consequences

• the reality that oracles are not to be trusted

Multiple Choice

Critics compare _____ to Antigone because this modern novel is about an Afghan woman who pleads for her brother’s body from the American armed forces.

• The Watch by Joydeep Roy-Bhattacharya

• The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

• I, Who Did Not Die by Zahed Haftlang

• The Forever War by Dexter Filkins

Multiple Choice

Read the excerpt. Then, choose the best answer. Use a dictionary or other resources as necessary.

ARGUMENT

Antigone, daughter of Oedipus, the late king of Thebes, in defiance of Creon who rules in his stead, resolves to bury her brother Polyneices, slain in his attack on Thebes. She is caught in the act by Creon’s watchmen and brought before the king. She justifies her action, asserting that she was bound to obey the eternal laws of right and wrong in spite of any human ordinance. Creon, unrelenting, condemns her to be immured in a rock-hewn chamber. His son Haemon, to whom Antigone is betrothed, pleads in vain for her life and threatens to die with her. Warned by the seer Teiresias, Creon repents and hurries to release Antigone from her rocky prison. But he is too late: he finds lying side by side Antigone who had hanged herself and Haemon who also has perished by his own hand. Returning to the palace he sees the dead body of his queen who on learning of her son’s death has stabbed herself in the heart.

Which is the best definition of immured as used in the context of the Argument?

• killed by suffocation

• banished to another country

• imprisoned until death

• isolated from all others

Multiple Choice

Read the excerpt. Then, choose the best answer. Use a dictionary or other resources as necessary.

ARGUMENT

Antigone, daughter of Oedipus, the late king of Thebes, in defiance of Creon who rules in his stead, resolves to bury her brother Polyneices, slain in his attack on Thebes. She is caught in the act by Creon’s watchmen and brought before the king. She justifies her action, asserting that she was bound to obey the eternal laws of right and wrong in spite of any human ordinance. Creon, unrelenting, condemns her to be immured in a rock-hewn chamber. His son Haemon, to whom Antigone is betrothed, pleads in vain for her life and threatens to die with her. Warned by the seer Teiresias, Creon repents and hurries to release Antigone from her rocky prison. But he is too late: he finds lying side by side Antigone who had hanged herself and Haemon who also has perished by his own hand. Returning to the palace he sees the dead body of his queen who on learning of her son’s death has stabbed herself in the heart.

Which is the best definition of betrothed in the context of the Argument?

• married to

• engaged to be married

• made promises to

• tied up and bound to

Multiple Choice

Read the excerpt. Then, choose the best answer. Use a dictionary or other resources as necessary.

ARGUMENT

Antigone, daughter of Oedipus, the late king of Thebes, in defiance of Creon who rules in his stead, resolves to bury her brother Polyneices, slain in his attack on Thebes. She is caught in the act by Creon’s watchmen and brought before the king. She justifies her action, asserting that she was bound to obey the eternal laws of right and wrong in spite of any human ordinance. Creon, unrelenting, condemns her to be immured in a rock-hewn chamber. His son Haemon, to whom Antigone is betrothed, pleads in vain for her life and threatens to die with her. Warned by the seer Teiresias, Creon repents and hurries to release Antigone from her rocky prison. But he is too late: he finds lying side by side Antigone who had hanged herself and Haemon who also has perished by his own hand. Returning to the palace he sees the dead body of his queen who on learning of her son’s death has stabbed herself in the heart.

Who is Haemon?

• Creon’s uncle

• Antigone’s brother who has just died

• Creon's daughter

• Antigone’s fiancée and son of Creon

Multiple Choice

Read the excerpt. Then, choose the best answer. Use a dictionary or other resources as necessary.

ARGUMENT

Antigone, daughter of Oedipus, the late king of Thebes, in defiance of Creon who rules in his stead, resolves to bury her brother Polyneices, slain in his attack on Thebes. She is caught in the act by Creon’s watchmen and brought before the king. She justifies her action, asserting that she was bound to obey the eternal laws of right and wrong in spite of any human ordinance. Creon, unrelenting, condemns her to be immured in a rock-hewn chamber. His son Haemon, to whom Antigone is betrothed, pleads in vain for her life and threatens to die with her. Warned by the seer Teiresias, Creon repents and hurries to release Antigone from her rocky prison. But he is too late: he finds lying side by side Antigone who had hanged herself and Haemon who also has perished by his own hand. Returning to the palace he sees the dead body of his queen who on learning of her son’s death has stabbed herself in the heart.

Why has the queen killed herself?

• because she loves someone else

• because the king killed their son

• because the king is angry with her

• because her son killed himself over Antigone’s death

Multiple Choice

Read the conversation between Ismene (Antigone’s sister) and Antigone. Then, choose the best answer.

ISMENE: Bethink thee, sister, of our father’s fate,

Abhorred, dishonored, self-convinced of sin,

Blinded, himself his executioner.

Think of his mother-wife (ill sorted names)

5 Done by a noose herself had twined to death

And last, our hapless brethren in one day,

Both in a mutual destiny involved,

Self-slaughtered, both the slayer and the slain.

Bethink thee, sister, we are left alone;

10 Shall we not perish wretchedest of all,

If in defiance of the law we cross

A monarch’s will?—weak women, think of that,

Not framed by nature to contend with men.

Remember this too that the stronger rules;

15 We must obey his orders, these or worse.

Therefore I plead compulsion and entreat

The dead to pardon. I perforce obey

The powers that be. ‘Tis foolishness, I ween,

To overstep in aught the golden mean.

20 ANTIGONE: I urge no more; nay, wert thou willing still,

I would not welcome such a fellowship.

Go thine own way; myself will bury him.

How sweet to die in such employ, to rest,—

Sister and brother linked in love’s embrace—

25 A sinless sinner, banned awhile on earth,

But by the dead commended; and with them

I shall abide for ever. As for thee,

Scorn, if thou wilt, the eternal laws of Heaven.

What does Ismene mean when she says Antigone should follow the golden mean?

be an average persondon’t be too passionate or illogicalreview the Greek myths on death and burialobey all of the King’s laws

10) Read the conversation between Ismene (Antigone’s sister) and Antigone. Then, choose the best answer.

ISMENE: Bethink thee, sister, of our father’s fate,

Abhorred, dishonored, self-convinced of sin,

Blinded, himself his executioner.

Think of his mother-wife (ill sorted names)

5 Done by a noose herself had twined to death

And last, our hapless brethren in one day,

Both in a mutual destiny involved,

Self-slaughtered, both the slayer and the slain.

Bethink thee, sister, we are left alone;

10 Shall we not perish wretchedest of all,

If in defiance of the law we cross

A monarch’s will?—weak women, think of that,

Not framed by nature to contend with men.

Remember this too that the stronger rules;

15 We must obey his orders, these or worse.

Therefore I plead compulsion and entreat

The dead to pardon. I perforce obey

The powers that be. ‘Tis foolishness, I ween,

To overstep in aught the golden mean.

20 ANTIGONE: I urge no more; nay, wert thou willing still,

I would not welcome such a fellowship.

Go thine own way; myself will bury him.

How sweet to die in such employ, to rest,—

Sister and brother linked in love’s embrace—

25 A sinless sinner, banned awhile on earth,

But by the dead commended; and with them

I shall abide for ever. As for thee,

Scorn, if thou wilt, the eternal laws of Heaven.

Which is the best definition of Scorn as used in the context of the passage?

• believe to be undeserving

• hate

• ridicule

• give no regard to

Multiple Choice

Read the conversation between Ismene (Antigone’s sister) and Antigone. Then, choose the best answer.

ISMENE: Bethink thee, sister, of our father’s fate,

Abhorred, dishonored, self-convinced of sin,

Blinded, himself his executioner.

Think of his mother-wife (ill sorted names)

5 Done by a noose herself had twined to death

And last, our hapless brethren in one day,

Both in a mutual destiny involved,

Self-slaughtered, both the slayer and the slain.

Bethink thee, sister, we are left alone;

10 Shall we not perish wretchedest of all,

If in defiance of the law we cross

A monarch’s will?—weak women, think of that,

Not framed by nature to contend with men.

Remember this too that the stronger rules;

15 We must obey his orders, these or worse.

Therefore I plead compulsion and entreat

The dead to pardon. I perforce obey

The powers that be. ‘Tis foolishness, I ween,

To overstep in aught the golden mean.

20 ANTIGONE: I urge no more; nay, wert thou willing still,

I would not welcome such a fellowship.

Go thine own way; myself will bury him.

How sweet to die in such employ, to rest,—

Sister and brother linked in love’s embrace—

25 A sinless sinner, banned awhile on earth,

But by the dead commended; and with them

I shall abide for ever. As for thee,

Scorn, if thou wilt, the eternal laws of Heaven.

Ismene recalls the fate of their parents, that they both ___.

• were banished out of the country

• killed themselves

• were killed by their sons

• were killed by enemies of the state

Multiple Select

Read the conversation between Ismene (Antigone’s sister) and Antigone. Then, check all that apply.

ISMENE: Bethink thee, sister, of our father’s fate,

Abhorred, dishonored, self-convinced of sin,

Blinded, himself his executioner.

Think of his mother-wife (ill sorted names)

5 Done by a noose herself had twined to death

And last, our hapless brethren in one day,

Both in a mutual destiny involved,

Self-slaughtered, both the slayer and the slain.

Bethink thee, sister, we are left alone;

10 Shall we not perish wretchedest of all,

If in defiance of the law we cross

A monarch’s will?—weak women, think of that,

Not framed by nature to contend with men.

Remember this too that the stronger rules;

15 We must obey his orders, these or worse.

Therefore I plead compulsion and entreat

The dead to pardon. I perforce obey

The powers that be. ‘Tis foolishness, I ween,

To overstep in aught the golden mean.

20 ANTIGONE: I urge no more; nay, wert thou willing still,

I would not welcome such a fellowship.

Go thine own way; myself will bury him.

How sweet to die in such employ, to rest,—

Sister and brother linked in love’s embrace—

25 A sinless sinner, banned awhile on earth,

But by the dead commended; and with them

I shall abide for ever. As for thee,

Scorn, if thou wilt, the eternal laws of Heaven.

What is Antigone speaking about with regard to the eternal laws of Heaven?

• A corpse had to be buried so that a person’s spirit would not go to Hades.

• Family members had to take care of their family in life and death.

• The king’s orders had to be obeyed or death would be the punishment.

• All of these

• None of these

Multiple Select

Read the conversation between Ismene (Antigone’s sister) and Antigone. Then, check all that apply.

ISMENE: Bethink thee, sister, of our father’s fate,

Abhorred, dishonored, self-convinced of sin,

Blinded, himself his executioner.

Think of his mother-wife (ill sorted names)

5 Done by a noose herself had twined to death

And last, our hapless brethren in one day,

Both in a mutual destiny involved,

Self-slaughtered, both the slayer and the slain.

Bethink thee, sister, we are left alone;

10 Shall we not perish wretchedest of all,

If in defiance of the law we cross

A monarch’s will?—weak women, think of that,

Not framed by nature to contend with men.

Remember this too that the stronger rules;

15 We must obey his orders, these or worse.

Therefore I plead compulsion and entreat

The dead to pardon. I perforce obey

The powers that be. ‘Tis foolishness, I ween,

To overstep in aught the golden mean.

20 ANTIGONE: I urge no more; nay, wert thou willing still,

I would not welcome such a fellowship.

Go thine own way; myself will bury him.

How sweet to die in such employ, to rest,—

Sister and brother linked in love’s embrace—

25 A sinless sinner, banned awhile on earth,

But by the dead commended; and with them

I shall abide for ever. As for thee,

Scorn, if thou wilt, the eternal laws of Heaven.

In lines 6–8, Ismene states that their brothers have both died. What concerns might she have about her sister’s plans?

• Her sister is next in line for the throne.

• Ismene will be left alone without family.

• The king will have Ismene killed, as well.

• Antigone will have the king killed.

• All of these