Question

What is the main theme of the story of Mitgone?

• A. One must be truthful and honest
• B. There is a conflict between the laws of men and heavenly laws
• C. One must be true to one’s kins
• D. War is an evil
• A. She loved her brother
• B. She was to give an honorable burial to her brother
• C. She felt she was bound by her heavenly obligation
• D. To teach Creon a lesson
• A. Antigone might have agreed with her sister and refrained from giving a burial to Polynices.
• B. Antigone might have been allowed by Creon to give a decent burial to her brother.
• C. Antigone might have defied the order of Creon but forgiven by him.
• D. Antigone might have been executed for defying the order of the king.
• A. were liberated
• B. could have taken their own decisions
• C. considered themselves inferior and subordinate to men
• D. claimed equality with men
• A. of the curse of the Gods
• B. the brothers of Antigone were greedy
• C. there was a fight among sons of Oedipus for the inheritance of the kingdom
• D. there was a conflict between a son of Oedipus and Creon
• A. of prey
• B. which eats human flesh
• C. which eats dead bodies
• D. which eats only grain
• A. he did not love Polynices
• B. Polynices fought against Creon
• C. Polynices was disobedient to Creon
• D. Polynices did not show bravery
• A. was weak and did not have the courage to defy orders of the powerful king
• B. did not consider it right to defy the king
• C. did not think it fit to defy her uncle especially after the death of her father
• D. did not believe that Polynices deserved better treatment
• A. killed his father and married his mother
• B. killed his father
• C. married his mother
• D. committed an unknown sin
• A. No, it does not
• B. Yes, it does, because of the acts of Oedipus his children suffered
• C. Yes, it does, because his father was killed by Oedipus
• D. Yes, it does because he married his mother

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

The passage presents Antigone’s determination to give her brother a proper burial despite the decree of Creon, the ruler.
Creon’s law (the law of men) strictly forbids anyone from burying Polynices, punishing such action by death.
However, Antigone feels bound by divine duty (the heavenly law) which mandates respect for the dead and proper burial rites.
This creates a direct conflict between two sets of laws — the earthly authority of the king and the spiritual, moral authority of divine traditions.
Option (a) is incorrect because while honesty may be present in the character’s stance, it is not the central focus of the conflict.
Option (c) “being true to one’s kins” is partially true but it is more of a personal motivation, not the overarching theme of the story.
Option (d) “war is an evil” is a background element but not the main theme of Antigone’s moral struggle.
Therefore, the central theme is best described by option (b).
Example in context: In Greek tragedies, the clash between human law and divine will is a recurring motif, as seen here in Antigone’s defiance of Creon.

Answer 2

Antigone’s motivation for defying Creon’s decree stems from her belief in the supremacy of divine law over human law.
She views the burial of her brother not just as a familial duty but as a sacred obligation ordained by the gods.
Her speeches in the passage highlight her readiness to face death rather than betray these spiritual and moral principles.
Option (a) “She loved her brother” is true but it oversimplifies the deeper, moral reasoning behind her defiance.
Option (b) “to give an honorable burial” is accurate in action but does not fully capture the underlying reason — that this burial was a religious obligation.
Option (d) “to teach Creon a lesson” is unsupported by the passage; her aim is to uphold divine law, not personal revenge.
Thus, option (c) correctly identifies her core motivation as adherence to heavenly obligation.
Example: In the passage, Antigone says, “Defy the holiest of laws of heaven” — a direct indication that her duty to divine law is above any earthly command.

Answer 3

The passage shows Antigone as a determined character, committed to obeying the divine laws rather than the king’s decree.
Creon had made it clear that the penalty for defying his order was death.
Given Antigone’s open defiance, refusal to back down, and declaration that she would gladly die for her cause, the most logical end would be her execution.
Option (a) is inconsistent with her strong moral stance — she would never agree with her sister to abandon the burial.
Option (b) contradicts Creon’s strictness; he is portrayed as unyielding in his enforcement of the law.
Option (c) suggests mercy, which is unlikely given Creon’s resolve and the political need to uphold his authority.
Thus, option (d) is the most logical outcome, aligning with the tragic nature of Greek drama.

Answer 4

The passage quotes Ismene saying, “We are women, it is not for us to fight against men,” which reflects the mindset of women in that era.
This shows that women saw themselves as unable to challenge men’s authority and accepted a subordinate role in society.
Option (a) “were liberated” is the opposite of the truth; liberation implies equality and independence which were absent here.
Option (b) “could have taken their own decisions” is contradicted by Ismene’s reluctance to act without male approval.
Option (d) “claimed equality with men” is incorrect because the tone of the women’s dialogue suggests acceptance of inequality, not a demand for equal rights.
Thus, option (c) is the best answer.

Answer 5

The passage clearly states that after the death of Oedipus, civil war broke out between his two sons, each leading opposing factions.
They fought for control over the kingdom, resulting in a battle in which both were killed.
Option (a) “curse of the Gods” is a background element in Oedipus’ life but is not the direct cause of the civil war.
Option (b) “the brothers were greedy” is an oversimplification; the text frames the dispute in terms of political power, not mere greed.
Option (d) “conflict between a son of Oedipus and Creon” is incorrect — Creon came to power only after both brothers died.
Therefore, option (c) is the correct and textually supported reason for the war.

Answer 6

The term "carrion" refers to the decaying flesh of dead animals.
A carrion bird is therefore a bird that feeds on such decaying flesh, typically scavengers like vultures.
In the passage, Polynices’ body is described as “a feast of flesh for keen-eyed carrion birds,” meaning birds that consume corpses left unburied.
Option (a) “of prey” refers to birds like eagles and hawks that hunt live animals, not those that feed on dead bodies.
Option (b) “which eats human flesh” is too specific and misleading — carrion birds eat dead flesh from both animals and humans.
Option (d) “which eats only grain” is entirely incorrect because carrion birds are not herbivores.
Thus, option (c) correctly identifies the meaning.

Answer 7

The passage states that Polynices fought against Creon by leading an opposing faction in the civil war for Thebes.
Creon, after gaining power, decided to make an example of Polynices by refusing him an honourable burial.
This was a political act to punish him for his opposition and to deter others from rebelling.
Option (a) “he did not love Polynices” is not supported — the decision was political, not emotional.
Option (c) “Polynices was disobedient to Creon” is partly true but less precise than stating that he fought against Creon in war.
Option (d) “Polynices did not show bravery” is incorrect because bravery is not the issue; he fought in battle, so lack of courage is not implied.
Therefore, option (b) is the most accurate answer.

Answer 8

Ismene’s dialogue in the passage reflects fear and resignation: she says, “We are women, it is not for us to fight against men.”
This shows she felt powerless against the authority of Creon and unwilling to risk her life by defying him.
Option (a) fits this perfectly, as it conveys both her lack of courage and acceptance of male dominance.
Option (b) “did not consider it right” is inaccurate because her decision was not about moral approval of the king’s law but fear of punishment.
Option (c) “did not think it fit to defy her uncle” is too general and does not reflect the emphasis on gender and power in her reasoning.
Option (d) “did not believe Polynices deserved better” is unsupported — she never questions Polynices’ worthiness for burial.
Thus, option (a) best captures her motivation as shown in the passage.

Answer 9

The passage explains that Oedipus was cursed by the gods because he unknowingly killed his father and then married his mother.
This act was considered a grave violation of natural and divine law in Greek mythology, leading to the curse that plagued him and his family.
Option (b) is incomplete — while killing his father was part of the reason, the curse was triggered by the combination of patricide and incest.
Option (c) “married his mother” is also incomplete because it ignores the killing of his father, which was equally significant in the myth.
Option (d) “committed an unknown sin” is vague and not supported by the clear details given in the text.
Therefore, option (a) correctly states both acts that led to the divine curse.
Example: In Greek tragedies, the combination of patricide and incest is often portrayed as the ultimate act of hubris against divine order, as seen in the myth of Oedipus.

Answer 10

Vicarious liability is the principle that one person may suffer consequences for the actions of another, often due to a relationship such as parent-child or employer-employee.
In the passage, Oedipus’s curse — resulting from his own actions — extended to his children, causing them to suffer the consequences despite their innocence.
Option (a) is incorrect because the story clearly demonstrates consequences passed from Oedipus to his children, aligning with vicarious liability.
Option (c) focuses only on the killing of his father, which is part of the cause but does not directly explain the concept of vicarious liability.
Option (d) mentions marrying his mother, which again is part of the original sin but not directly about how his children suffered for his deeds.
Thus, option (b) is the correct answer as it directly connects Oedipus’s actions to the suffering of his children, demonstrating the principle in question.
Example: Similar to legal contexts where an employer may be liable for an employee’s actions, here the children bear the curse for their father’s deeds.