Ask the Expert Tutor: Antigone
As part of our ‘Ask the Expert Tutor’ series, we will be discussing Sophocles’s play, Antigone. This text is frequently studied at IBDP.
For IB English students, Ancient Greek tragedies can be intimidating. This can often be put down to the lack of familiarity among IB learners with these kinds of texts. In fact, due to a plethora of comprehensive translations available to IB English students, there should be few barriers for understanding the texts as they are written. However, it is beneficial to those studying at IB level to have some understanding of the history of the form.
Tragedies were performed as religious rituals for the purpose of honouring the gods. All of the surviving Ancient Greek tragedies, of which Antigone is one, were performed at the City Dionysia. This was an annual festival in praise of the god Dionysus, the god of, among other things, theatre. The plays functioned as a means to explain how humans related to the physical world, the divine world, and sought to explore violence and its origins.
Antigone is one of Sophocles’s three Theban plays. The other plays in this trilogy are Oedipus Rex, and Oedipus at Colonus. While it is not strictly necessary for IB students to read both Oedipus Rex and Oedipus at Colonus prior to studying Antigone, understanding the relationship between these texts is useful.
In Oedipus Rex, the audience is introduced to the eponymous Theban king. As a child, Oedipus was rejected by his family and left to die of exposure. Yet, he prevailed and, as an adult, rescued the city of Thebes from the tyranny of the Sphinx. Tragedy occurs when, through the course of the play, Oedipus discovers that, years prior, he murdered his father and went on to marry his own mother. Following this revelation, Oedpius blinds himself and leaves Thebes. Oedipus at Colonus concerns the character's final days before his death, accompanied to the titular village by his daughter Antigone.
Antigone is, therefore, the conclusion of this trilogy—although the play was actually written first, and then followed by Oedipus Rex, and Oedipus at Colonus—and depicts the aftermath of Oedipus’s departure, with Thebes having descended into civil war.
One wholly unique aspect of Ancient Greek tragedy is the Chorus. The Chorus is a small group of actors that comment on the action of the play. The Chorus speaks directly to the audience and their function is to emphasise, among other things, the themes, and character development within the play.
For IB students familiar with the work of English-language playwrights, the Chorus is a novel concept. Although the Chorus is not a central character within the play, as such, their dialogue should be studied carefully. Furthermore, by acknowledging the role of the Chorus, those studying Antigone at IB level are suggesting an understanding of the form of Greek tragedy that indicates deeper learning.
The IB, regardless of the subject, is a rigorous and challenging curriculum. For even the most conscientious learner, the IB can prove difficult. For this reason, the guidance of an expert tutor is indispensable. At BartyED, we offer personalised, student-focus support for IB candidates in all subjects. Our experienced tutors work closely with students to help them meet their academic goals. If you think that you or your child could benefit from the help of a BartyED IB tutor, reach out to us today via email at enquiries@bartyed.com, or by phone on +852 2882 1017.