Antigone, Scene 2:

Re-read lines 242-250 below from the conclusion of Scene 2. Then, answer the questions that follow.

Chorus: "Blessed is he who has never been struck down by the vengeance of the Gods! Once his house is struck, it is shaken forever! Each child that follows feels the curse of the original sin, like wave after wave beating on the sands of a broken shore.

Sorrow after sorrow is heaped upon the children of Oedipus, each generation feeling the rage of the Gods. Now this beautiful last child of that mighty line must meet ugly death.

What mortal dares defy mighty Zeus? He and his house are eternal, undying, and unforgetting. No one can escape the curse of Olympus.

Man's dreams may bring moments of joy, but the ancient voices speak to us for all time. Our moments of joy are but the heralds of coming sorrow."

Question: In this selection from the conclusion of Scene 2, the Chorus comments on the events that have just unfolded and how it brings to a close the tragedy of the family of Oedipus. In a response of at least one paragraph (3-4 sentences), respond to the following questions:

a) What is the Chorus saying about the will of the gods and their power over the lives of human beings?

b) Did Antigone or her siblings ever have any real choice in their lives or in what happened to them, according to the chorus?

Explain, using evidence from the play to support your response.