Antigone: creation of mood and atmosphere

Antigone: Creation of Mood and Atmosphere

Use of Chorus and Stasima

  • The Chorus, a group of Theban elders, plays a vital role in setting the mood and atmosphere.

  • Through the stasima, choruses sung between episodes, the Chorus articulates the mood and moral of the unfolding drama.

  • They often express fear, despair, and apprehension about the events, directly influencing the overall mood.

Apprehension and Foreboding

  • The atmosphere of apprehension and foreboding is established right from the play’s start and is maintained throughout.

  • Antigone’s determination to bury her brother, despite knowing the consequences, sets a tense mood.

  • Creon’s strict edict and his unwillingness to change his decisions intensify this atmosphere of unease and anxiety.

Tragic and sorrowful Tone

  • The tone becomes increasingly tragic and sorrowful as the play progresses, underpinning the unfolding events and the destiny of the main characters.

  • The scenes depicting Antigone’s arrest, her lament before her death, Haemon’s and Eurydice’s suicides, all contribute to a thick atmosphere of despair and tragedy.

The Role of Irony

  • Dramatic irony contributes significantly to the mood; the audience, aware of characters’ tragic ends, watches their futile struggles and misguided decisions, feeling a sense of impending doom.

  • Creon’s initial confidence and hubris contrast sharply with his ultimate devastation – this ironic reversal deepens the tragic mood.

Light and Shade

  • Contrast is effectively used to highlight intense emotions and dramatic moments; moments of relative calm often precede intense dramatic scenes, heightening their emotional impact.

  • For example, the Chorus’s lyrical praise of man in the first stasimon sharply contrasts with the brutal reality of Antigone’s forthcoming death, creating a haunting and poignant mood.

Conclusion

The creation of mood and atmosphere is crucial in Antigone, not just as a background element, but a deeply interconnected layer integral to the unfolding tragedy, character dynamics, and thematic exploration. Studying how Sophocles manipulates mood and atmosphere allows for a deeper comprehension of the play’s tragic power and emotional resonance.