(Anouilh) Antigone Journal 5

Theme I - Gender Roles
So far, the authors of the plays we have read have oftentimes used gender roles to portray how women should have acted during the times the plays were written. Like in Oedipus the King, Jocasta is portrayed as being someone who thoughtfully looks at the situation at hand and is calm even through times of hardship (although there still is a breaking point for women). Also, in Medea, the main woman of the play is also portrayed differently than men. Medea is often rash and acts out of jealousy. She ends up killing her two sons and is a role model of what women should not behave like. In both versions of Antigone, Antigone is shown as a woman who stands up for her rights and is assertive, committed to what she truly believes in.

Theme II - Corruption
In every play we have read, corruption plays a great part in the plot. Like Oedipus, Creon and, to an extent, Jason, power has brought upon the lust for more power and complete control along with the knowledge of always being right. This does not end well in all cases, for it causes grief for those indirectly affected by this corruption. This abuse of power often leads to negative consequences, often being death.

(Anouilh) Antigone Journal 4

Happiness is a word which Anouilh often repeats during Creon and Antigone's argument. One time, Antigone says,"Happiness..." with Creon replying, "Not much of a word is it?" (Pg 41). This shows how Creon and Antigone differ greatly in their thinking. Although Creon and Antigone believe that happiness is the essence of life and the reason people go on living, they have a different view of what this happiness is. Antigone believes happiness is gained by the right to have a choice in your life. Creon, on the other hand, believed that happiness was gained through submission and obediance. He wants Antigone to be happy through obeying him and marrying Haemon.
Anouilh also uses ambiguous terms throughout the book to let us interpret the characters and their motivations. He makes these terms, such as happiness, seem rather unclear to show how the character of Creon makes broad statements in order to try and make other characters, such as Antigone, obey his orders. Creon wishes only for Antigone to be quiet and stay alive and "be happy". Antigone responds to this unfavorably, believing that dying for her cause is better than obeying Creon and not burying her brother.

(Anouilh) Antigone Journal 3

The scene which my group will be acting out is the one when Medea kills her two sons and then flies away in her chariot. I will be acting out the lines of the chorus and the boys. The chorus talk of how they believe that Medea was wrong to have murdered her own children. They are motivated to talk out by her actions, leading them to condemn what she has just done. The chorus says, "Woman of stone, heart of iron [...] ready to kill the seed of your hands with the hand that tilled." (pg. 72 line 1279). They show how they believe Medea has become coldhearted and almost not-human because of her actions and they disagree with the approach she is taking in getting back at Jason for what he has done to her.

(Anouilh) Antigone Journal 2

Foil
-"I always think things over, and you don't. You are Impulsive...whereas I think things out." (Anouilh 11)
-Anouilh creates a foil between Ismene and Antigone to highlight how rash and impulsive Antigone's actions are throughout the play. It also shows how different the two sisters are and may build up to something bigger later in the play.

Repetition
-"Stronger than all fever, stronger than any nightmare, strongher than the shadow of the cuboard that used to snarl at me and turn into a dragon on the bedroom wall." (Anouilh 14)
-Anouilh repeats the word "stronger" to emphasize how Antigone wishes for the Nurse to become stronger emotionally and help Antigone out in achieving her goal of burying her brother against the law.

Simile
-"I'm sallow, and I'm scrawny. Ismene is pink and golden. She's like a fruit." (Anouilh 17)
-This simile is used to again compare and contrast the personalities of Ismene and Antigone. They are almost complete opposites and this difference may again lead up to something bigger in the end.

Metaphor
-"The machine is in perfect order; it has been oiled ever since time began, and it runs without friction." (Anouilh 23)
-Anouilh compares tragedy to a machine to show how perfect tragedy is. It runs "without friction", which shows how it is always happening in everyday life and has been doing so since time began.

(Anouilh) Antigone Journal 1

During the 1940's, WWII was in full gear. France, where Jean Anouilh was living, was already occupied by Germany and the Nazis were beginning to take all of Europe. There was an increase in the number of dictators such as Stalin, Hitler and Musolini around the world controlling everyone's lives. These events probably greatly influenced Anouilh's version of Antigone. He will most likely emphasize the role of Creon as being a terrible ruler who rules Thebes with an iron fist - much like Hitler or Musolini did. Also, he will probably leave out certain aspects of tragedy and more likely focus on death and destruction rather than emotional suffering.

Antigone Journal 3

Antigone
-Keira Knightley
-"I did it, I don't deny a thing." (492)
"You're right - if I mock you, I get no pleasure from it, only pain." (620-621)
-Blonde, fairly tall, looks like she's in her twenties, pretty good lookin.
-She can be rash and forceful when she wants to be and looks young. She can also play on people's emotions and is why she would play a good Antigone.

Creon
-George W. Bush
-"And you, aren't you ashamed to differ so from them? So disloyal!" (571)
"What? The city is the king's - that's the law!" (825)
-In his 50's or 60's with grey or greying hair and is rather short.
-He also acts very rash and jumps to conclusions very quickly. He likes power and also likes asserting his power over others.

Haemon
-Zach Braff
-"Now, you see? Who's talking like a child?" (822)
"What a splendid king you'd make of a desert island - you and you alone." (826)
-In his 30's, dark brown hair, pretty fit-looking, somewhat tall.
-He oftentimes questions authority, as seen in "Scrubs". He also can be serious when he wants to be but also uses sarcasm a lot.

Ismene
-Alyssa Milano
-"I'd do them no dishonor...but defy the city? I have no strength for that." (93-94)
"I'm forced, I have no choice - I must ovey the ones who stand in power." (80-81)
-She looks a bit younger than Antigone, but not by much. She has brown hair and is pretty good looking with a nice body.
-She can be submissive and seems to act like a "good girl" who follows orders from others. She also can be portrayed as very faithful and loyal.

Leader of the Chorus
-Mike Rowe
-"We are too old. Lay that burden on younger shoulders." (242-243)
"Like father like daughter, passionate, wild...she hasn't learned to bend before adversity." (525-527)
-He is in his 40's and is fairly tall and is in good shape. He also has short, black hair.
-He is very good at directing things and speaking to many people at the same time.

The Sentry
-Will Ferrell
-"It's pure joy to escape the worst yourself, it hurts a man to bring down his friends." (486-487)
"But no casting lots this time; this is my luck, my prize, no one else's." (438-439)
-He is in his 40's and has a moderate build. He has short, brown hair and is tall.
-He can also be portrayed as being very selfish as well as afraid of punishment.

Antigone Journal 2

Knowledge Level
-Who is also implicated in the crime along with Antigone?
-What is to happen to Antigone, as Creon suggests?

Comprehension Level
-Was Haemon right to stand up for Antigone?
-Why did Antigone bury her brother?

Application Level
-What do you think will become of Ismene?
-Why does Creon reject Haemon's suggestions?

Analysis
-Why does Antigone wish to die for her actions?
-Why does Ismene not want for Antigone to die and her to live?

Synthesis
-How do gender roles play a part in the reading?
-What role to the gods play in the story?

Evaluation
-Is Creon right to sentence Antigone to death?
-How does Creon compare to the character of Oedipus? Does he act in a similar way?

Antigone Journal 1

Personification
"The doom reserved for enemies marches on the ones we love the most" (pg. 59, line 12)
-Sophocles personifies this "doom" to show how things often backfire on people. Instead of affecting your enemies, instead, you truly affect those who are closest to you.

Symbol
"My countrymen, the ship of state is safe. The gods who rocked her, after a long, merciless pounding in the storm, have righted her once more." (pg. 67, line 179-182)
-The ship symbolizes how the city has been significantly thrown around by the gods, who represent the waves, rocking the city back and forth. Creon also says this to tell his countrymen that the worst has past and that the gods are again calm and happy.

Simile
"And he had driven against our borders, [...] like an eagle screaming, winging havoc over the land" (pg. 65, line 125-128)
-The chorus explains how the enemies of Thebes had wreaked havoc on the city, like an eagle. They choose to compare these enemies to an eagle because eagles are birds of prey and are seen as a symbol of courage and strength.

Medea Journal 3

Both Sophocles and Euridipes present elements of tragedies in their plays. One example of how they do this is through their usage of well known and prosperous characters. Both Medea and Oedipus were well known throughout Greece and were rather wealthy individuals. Both stories also show man's want for power, be it emotional power in Medea or physical power in Oedipus. Also, these two protagonists bring about their own falls through their flaws and show man's struggle against the world. Also, both plays eventually make the audience feel pity for certain characters within the play, causing this suffering from the soul. Also, the pity and fear which is evoked in Medea quickly dissapears when she ends up murdering her two children. In Oedipus, the same effect takes place because of his ignorance which is apparent though his actions thoughout the play.

Medea Journal 2

Jason and Medea's interactions with the gods are quite different. Jason, on one hand, wishes for the gods to help him out through life, but is rather distant, while still having controll over his life. Medea, on the other hand, seems to be more connected to the gods and asks them for favors instead of praying to them.

Jason:
-"... It was Aphrodite and no one else in heaven or earth who saved me on my voyage"(527), shows how Jason expects the gods to help him and have complete control over his life.
-"Zues, do you hear how I'm at bay, Dismissed by this ogress, odious woman." (1405-1406), Jason looks up to the gods for help after being betrayed by her. He automatically assumes that Zeus will help him out because of how Medea has been acting.

Medea:
-"Zeus the Father knows exactly what you got from me and how you then behaved."(1352-1353), shows how she personally knows the gods and that Zeus, who is the primary ruler of the gods, knows how Jason has betrayed her.
-"This chariot, the Sun-my father's father- gave me"(1322-1323), shows how the gods have granted her favors and uses the word "father" to show how close Medea and the gods truly are.