How many lines does Creon have in Antigone?
The size of the part, every scene it speaks in, its longest speeches, and how long it takes to learn.
The Offbook team
Oct 8, 2026
Creon has about 338 lines in Antigone: 2,560 words in 93 speeches, 26.3% of the play, and the largest part.
Creon has the largest part in Antigone, about a quarter of the words, all of it in verse. He opens with a long address to the elders setting out his law, then faces Antigone, his son Haemon, and the prophet Teiresias in sharp back-and-forth argument. His final stretch, grieving for his son and his wife, takes him from full command to complete collapse.
- Lines
- 338
- Words
- 2,560
- Share of play
- 26.3%
- Speech time
- 18 min
100% of the words are verse. 93 speeches means about 93 cues to learn.
The longest speeches
| Speech | Words |
|---|---|
| “Elders, the gods have righted once again” | 370 |
| “Well spoken: so right-minded sons should feel,” | 306 |
| “O cease, you vex me with your babblement;” | 247 |
| “Well, let her know the stubbornest of wills” | 169 |
| “Old man, ye all let fly at me your shafts” | 123 |
| “If wail and lamentation aught availed” | 68 |
| “She shall be taken to some desert place” | 66 |
| “I go hot-foot. Bestir ye one and all,” | 55 |
How many lines a day to learn
New lines a day to be off book in time, learning five days a week. Review what you already know on the other days.
| Time until off book | New lines a day |
|---|---|
| 2 weeks | 34 |
| 3 weeks | 23 |
| 4 weeks | 17 |
| 6 weeks | 12 |
More from Antigone
Questions actors ask
How many lines does Creon have in Antigone?
About 338 lines: 338 lines of verse. That is 2,560 words in 93 speeches, 26.3% of the play and the largest part.
How long is Creon’s longest speech?
370 words, in The play, beginning “Elders, the gods have righted once again” At 140 words a minute it runs about 2.6 minutes.
How long does it take to learn Creon?
To be off book in three weeks, learning five days a week, plan on about 23 new lines a day, plus time to review what you already know. Start with your longest speeches and the scenes with the most cues.
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