Journal #10 Antigone

List of Events
Antigone sits by herself and thinks about how she is going to die, although she would rather live. She is also thinking about rising up against King Creon alone.
Ismene is chatting with a guy and smiling, because she isn't going to die
Haemon is the guy talking to Ismene, even though he is engaged to Antigone. Haemon went to a dance and Ismene is beautiful so he danced with her for awhile, and then after the dance he found Antigone alone and he proposed to her. She said yes and this was a death sentence for Haemon
Creon is sitting on the throne thinking. Earlier when his brother-in-law Oedipus was king he would spend his time in antique shops. Then Oedipus and his sons died so Creon became king and when he goes to sleep he wonders if it is worth the trouble.
Eurydice is Creon's wife, she doesn't do anything but knit, then she goes into her room and dies
The Messenger has a premonition that Haemon will die and eventually it comes true so he stays silent
The Guard have wives and children and are troubles by the same things that trouble everyone. They would arrest the King if they were ordered to.
When Oedipus died it was agreed that his two sons would alternate ruling the throne annually. The older brother refused to give up the throne, so a civil war ensued. 6 foreign princes defeated at 7 gates, the brothers killed each other. So Creon became king. Creon ordered a ceremony for the older brother Eteocles and ordered that the younger brother Polynices be left to rot. Anyone who tried to change that would be put to death.


Reflection
Anouilh's structure and diction is very calm and soothing, almost casual. When I read it in my head it sounds almost as if Anouilh is sitting by a fire just telling a story. This changes my interpretation of characters, motivations, and events in several ways. For the characters is makes them appear to be more human than other plays that we have read. Mostly because they seemed relaxed like I would be on any given day, I don't imagine them stressed and running around trying to solve problems which would be hard for me to connect to because day to day I am usually not stressed or running around. As for the motivations of the characters it makes their motivations again seem more human to me. By keeping them casual they no longer are characters in a play that I know will end poorly rather they are people that are facing real life problems. Real life meaning for that time period, I don't think we have to worry about the problems Antigone is facing anymore, but either way it makes their motivations more real. The events seem to be more real as well. Instead of being something the author made up to make the plot interesting, Anouilh's casualness leads me to believe that these events actually occurred in this story. Not like I think that they actually happened but it's more believable in this story than some of the events that occur in other stories when the author is not casual.