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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.
Short Answer Questions
1. What does Antigone ask of Nurse when Nurse enters the room?
2. What is Antigone's plan in Part 2?
3. What is the initial result when Eteocles refuses to honor the agreement with Polynices?
4. Polynices is Ismene's ______________.
5. In Part 3, Ismene urges Antigone not to what?
Short Essay Questions
1. What methods does Creon use to try to convince Antigone that she is on the wrong path in Part 5?
2. What purpose does Antigone's suicide serve?
3. What is Antigone's explanation to the Nurse for her late night in Part 2? How does the Nurse react? Why is Antigone lying about where she has been?
4. What is ironic about Ismene's plea to Antigone to give up her plan to bury Polynices?
5. In examining Antigone, one is drawn to the conclusion that Anouilh is influenced greatly by the genre of Greek tragedy. There are several key differences, however. One of those differences is the role of the gods in the lives of common men and women. In what manner does Anouilh firmly plant his storyline in the modern day by supplanting man's influence for the influence the gods?
6. Explain the convoluted path to the throne from Oedipus to Creon. Detail the characters and the way they became king.
7. In Part 4, the Chorus highlights the stillness at the heart of tragedy. What is the significance of stillness in the play?
8. How does Antigone react to what the Nurse says about Antigone's mother in Part 2?
9. What is the role of the Messenger, and why is he sitting away from the rest of the group?
10. What is the function of the Guardsmen? Consider their dialogue, their interaction with the "major" players, the Chorus' comments on them, and so on.
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
Up until the end, Antigone appears unsure of Haemon's true feelings for her. She wavers between thinking he desires Ismene to believing he loves her and her alone. Recalling passages from the play, what do you think Haemon's character represents? Do you think he represents true love? Perhaps he represents stability or honor or faithfulness. Explain what you think Haemon represents and why.
Essay Topic 2
Typical of the Greek tragedies such as the one upon which this play is based, fate is a pervasive theme in "Antigone." Describe circumstances in the play where a character seems to surrender to fate. Do you believe this character feels he/she has any control over his/her ultimate destiny? Why or why not? Does the character seem to feel inexorably drawn toward his/her fate, or does he/she seem to fight and exert his/her will? Why?
Essay Topic 3
Jonas seems to play a dual role. He is both accuser and confessor. He is torn between his terror of and loyalty to Creon and his sympathy for Antigone. What actions show his loyalty toward Creon? What actions show his sympathy for Antigone? What makes him ultimately choose to side with Creon? Why?
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This section contains 1,157 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) |
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