E: I looked up the name "Kreon" in my background knowledge (Source: Greek mythology). Kreon is the new King of Thebes and he is also the uncle of Antigone. He makes a strict law: one brother (Eteokles) gets a proper burial, but the other brother (Polyneikes) must be left to rot in the wilderness. This is important because in ancient Greece, not burying a body was a huge desecration to the gods and the family. This explains why Antigone is so angry and feels she must break the law.

Q: Why is Kreon so angry when the Chorus suggests that the gods might be helped to bury the Polyneikes? He calls them "stupid" and "demented." If he was really not believe in the gods, or is he just too proud to do the right thing like Antigone? I don't understand why he refuses to listen to the old men. I want to ask the class if Kreon's anger is because he is afraid of losing his power.

O: I notice a strong contrast here. The guards are a team, they need to help each other and think about the difficult things, but as soon as they find out someone buried the body, they turn on each other. They start fighting and accusing each other. It has a significantly contrast with Antigone. Antigone stands alone for what she thinks right, but the guards are terrified and quick to blame others. This shows that fear makes people selfish and divides them

O: I notice that Oates creates a clear contrast between theater and book. A printed word records something that has already happened before, but for the theater, when the actors perform on the stage, it seems like happening now. This means that the same play can become a different experience in each performance.