GTX midterm characters

Socrates

inquires with others into the nature of justice

Oedipus

Main character, blinds himself @ end of play, prides himself on his effort to always be truthful and sees that as a strength, fatal flaw is this pride in himself which causes him to reject the council of others

Creon

Also appears in Antigone, councillor and foil to Oedipus, values honest friendships

Jocasta

Values truth and piety, especially when it comes to the prophecy, sees the difference between healthy knowledge and the things Oedipus isn’t supposed to know (“O Oedipus, god help you…keep you from the knowledge of who you are!” 122)

Teirsias

Represents truth in wisdom and sight as the seer, is not listened to by Oedipus

Chorus

Represents the elders of Thebes and tried to guide the characters towards morality, stands for stability in the city

Antigone

Daughter of Oedipus and Ismene’s sister, seems like the more sentimental sister because she is fighting so hard for her brother to be given a proper burial, but is also very stubborn and loyal, wants to bury her brother because you ultimately spend more time with the dead than the living, portrayed in more masculine terms, dies in the end as punishment for burying Polyneices

Ismene

Daughter of Oedipus and Antigone’s sister, thinks that Antigone is being reckless by going against Creon’s orders and that they should be more loyal to the living than the dead. She is afraid of disobeying the law, but not cowardly. Conflict between honor and duty, does try to die with her sister towards the end, but Antigone refuses to let her

Creon (2)

King of Thebes, father of Haemon, does not want to appear weak, and lets his pride blind him to the incorrect decisions he is making, even when multiple people tell him he’s making a bad decision, has his whole family die because of his actions and has to live with the guilt for the rest of his life making him the tragic hero

Haemon

Son of Creon, betrothed to Antigone, sees what his father is doing is wrong and tries to convince him not to punish Antigone, kills himself when Antigone dies

Chorus (2)

Tells Creon he was ignorant and prideful in placing himself and his authority over the gods, shows how Creon has learned wisdom too late

Odysseus

king of Ithaca, clever/resourceful, trying to get home, but also get the glory that comes with all of his side quests

Penelope

Odysseus’ wife, faithful, compared to a man in her cunning, loyalty and wit

Telemachus

Odysseus’ son, grows into maturity and confidence throughout the story, helps Odysseus take back Ithaca

Athena

intervenes to protect and/or guide Odysseus and Telemachus on their journeys. Values cleverness and justice

Poseidon

antagonist, makes Odysseus’ journey a lot more difficult because Odysseus blinded his son

Zeus

there to maintain balance among the gods, helps or hinders Odysseus to maintain this balance

Calypso

holds Odysseus captive, lets him go when forced to by the gods

Circe

put in Odysseus’ path to be his opposite equal in a way, distracts him from his journey home

Polyphemus

the cyclops who traps Odysseus and his men and gets blinded, xenia (bad host), provokes wrath of Poseidon and shows Odysseus’ “fatal flaw”

Eumaeus

loyal swineherd who helps Odysseus reclaim his throne, represents loyalty and kindness

Antinous

arrogant and cruel leader of the suitors. Dies 1st.

Tiresias

blind prophet in the Underworld who warns Odysseus about the journey ahead of him and tells him not to anger the gods

Alcinous

king of the Phaeacians, example of a good host, helps Odysseus to return home by providing him with a ship, Odysseus tells him of his journey in books 9

Menelaus

King of Sparta, married to Helen, Telemauchus visits him in Book 4 b/c he fought with Odysseus in Trojan War and knows that Odysseus in alive and trapped on Calypso’s island

Aeolus

King who gives Odysseus the bag of winds, except the one that will blow him home, refuses to help a second time after the crew gets jealous and opens the bag which sends them back