This lesson will cover pages 45-90. This is a big chunk of text, but a very enjoyable read. As I’m sure you’ve noticed, there is no separation into formal scenes and acts in this play, so the division I have created is artificial. Ideally, you would read the whole play in one sitting (Well, ideally you’d see the whole play in some fantastic production in Paris after which you’d have an incredible meal at a gourmet restaurant accompanied by a leisurely intellectual discussion—so sorry that can’t be the case). Among the important ‘scenes’ in this section are dialogues that pit Antigone and Créon against each other. Unlike the classic version by Sophocles, this Antigone does not feature a heartless Créon. It would be so much easier if we could just hate Créon, but like Ismène, it seems that Anouilh wants to make us “comprendre un peu.” This is the brilliance of Anouilh’s play. If you find yourself taking sides too quickly, too easily, you may not be thinking enough. The struggle to take a side, and then to live with that decision is what helps you understand the context of Anouilh’s Antigone.
After studying this lesson, you will be able to outline the basic plot and character development through page 90 of the play. You will be able to compare and contrast the roles of Antigone and Créon and how those roles relate to the definitions given in the play of tragedy and drama.