Tragedy Journal #10

Events:

• Play opens with the chorus setting the scene as well as giving an overview of what is to come in the play.
• chorus introduces Antigone as well as Ismene and Haemon. Explains that Ismene is beautiful and Haemon acted like he was interested in her, but really he was not because he ended up asking Antigone to marry him. His proposal was a surprise to everyone except Antigone. Then Chorus informs the audience that they will not actually get married.
• Next Creon is addressed. Chorus mentions that Oedipus has since died, as well as his son and now Creon is the leader and he does not really like it.
• Etocles and Polynices kill each other and Creon says that Polynices will not have a burial.
• Antigone sneaks out to see Haemon, they get into a fight
• she comes home and gets caught by Nurse

Reflection:

Anouilh starts the play by having the Chorus inform the audience of what has happened previously as well as what is to come. The Chorus does this in a very nonchalant fashion and even gives away entire plot  pieces such as the eventual death of Antigone, not leaving much to surprise the audience with, but leaving them prepared for the cathartic experience to come. The structure at the beginning leads to audience into a sort of muddled state of understanding the story. The way that the chorus describes certain characters leads the audience to have preconceived notions  for the characters that have not yet appeared. For example, with comparing Ismene and Antigone, and saying that people do not know why Antigone was picked there is a sort of siding with Antigone because of her lack of care from the rest of the characters. I feel that the play is set up to be seen through Antigone's eyes and feel compassion and empathy for her. I feel that after explaining the death of her brother and how she wanted him to be buried but the king did not, the motivation for sneaking out and betraying tge kig seems justified.