The Greek tragedy in Primary Education: Antigone and civic education

Abstract

This article analyzes the didactic potential of the Greek tragedy as a teaching resource in Primary Education in Spain, through the work “Antigone” by Sophocles, from an approach to improve social and civic competences. The originality of this study resides in the hypothesis that the inclusion of the Greek tragedy in the classroom at an early age, would allow the students to value the Greek cultural heritage in the present, as well as beginning to mature critical thinking, through the identification of social problems derived from war, repression, slavery, injustice, or inequalities. A comparative analysis is made between the curricular demands on civic issues, and the competences that can be achieved by including the Greek tragedy in the school environment.