Identifying Themes Raised in Antigone

Theme: A central message communicated by an author in a piece of literature. A theme consists of two parts -- the topic or subject of discussion raised by the author and the author's point of view (or the message gleaned by the reader).

In a typical tragedy, themes are often raised by the difficult decisions confronting characters and the choices they are forced to make. Antigone is an especially fine example of this. Themes in this play are communicated by:

• The choices, values, justifications, and interactions of characters  
• The commentary and interaction presented by the Chorus (especially in the Odes)
• The symbolism and motifs used by the author to provide concrete representation of the abstract ideas being discussed
• The dramatic, situational, and verbal irony

Step 1: Organize your group of three
Step 2: Select an issue for discussion
Step 3: Identify themes raised by the literary device
Step 4: Start finding specific text to develop, clarify, and provide insight into these conclusions