The Role Of Women In Antigone

Gender and its roles are exposed in the story of Antigone as the central themes. Roles and rules are set and followed by several people in this era, this is appreciated in this text. Ideas of contradiction to these rules were not explored. In Greek mythology, several women held positions of power, but none of these women were human, making the idea of a powerful woman godlike and unattainable, as if to keep woman in their place, which of course, was always under the rule of the superior gender, the male. To challenge a patriarchy with feminism was dangerous, for both sexes were equally protective of it, leaving the challenger desolate in the battle against it. To rely on women to help other women rebel against this social norm was not probable, in the contrary, women held each other accountable for complying to these rules and punished those who didn’t. Women were their gender’s prevalent critics and suppressors, not only because they feared the repercussions, but since they didn’t have the means to rebel against it.

Antigone, however, decides she would rather please the gods than man and buries her brother against King Creon’s orders. She is fully aware of the consequences should she get caught, yet she openly disobeys, even against her sister’s warnings. She gives Creon no additional respect either as a male in a patriarchal society or as a king and ultimate authority figure. In fact, she calls him a fool! Antigone boldly states to Creon himself, “If my present actions strike you as foolish, let’s just say I’ve been accused of folly by a fool,” (Sophocles p.657). The strong will and defiance she exhibits are very characteristic of modern feminism.

Throughout Sophocles’ Antigone and Shakespeare's Julius Caesar the use of women within the tragedies displays and enforces the omniscient patriarchal society characterized in the plays. In Antigone the main character is a headstrong and courageous teenager who is always at the forefront of the conflict, whereas In Julius Caesar, women play no significant role throughout the tragedy, though ultimately all women in both works are subjected to and ignored by the more “dominant” sex.

The conventionally accepted roles of both males and females in ancient Grecian society were well defined and manifested. Women were considered the weaker of the sexes and, thus, were expected to remain in the home and perform their domestic duties, while the men were to be rulers and bread-winners. The woman’s voice was not heard on any issues affecting the society as her opinions were thought unworthy of consideration. She was required merely to reproduce, to execute her domestic duties well and to submit incontestably to the authority of the men. In essence the Greeks valued their women almost as little as a common slave was valued.

Antigone's representation of feminism broke all the Greece and her strong characteristics defy the inappropriateness of her nature. Antigone has given strong characteristics in her story and because of this she does not stand around while Creon's unjust law insults Polynices. Her boldness, bravery and, unyielding morals are all extremely important to her role in the play. Towards the story by the end, Antigone was punished for her actions; therefore, she was either going to be stoned to death or be locked in a tomb. Between those two choices she got put in a tomb and trapped there with no supplies. The person to do this to her was Creon and his response to this was, “...Take her go, go! You know your orders: take her to the vault and leave her alone there. And if she lives or dies, that’s her affair, not ours: our hands are clean.” (ii, iv, 710) She was buried for doing what was right and what she was obligated to do. She not only prefers this but her bravery, obstinacy and other traits destroy the image of the weak girl who is powerless to everything. Therefore, this is the reason why Antigone represents the epic

Traditional gender roles have stamped a hard to remove label on how a woman is supposed to act within society, and this makes it difficult for them to be looked at differently for the good things they do versus the “good” things they do. In Antigone, Antigone “steps out of line” with the Theban laws. Antigone declares to Ismene that she thinks Creon’s law has much injustice, and she’s going to bury the body of Polyneices because she thinks that her brother should have a fine afterlife (Sophocles 118). This quote is saying that Antigone doesn’t really care too much about Creon’s civil law because she believes that moral laws have a higher level of importance than civil laws. Also, she believes that it’s what the gods would want her to do instead of having his body unburied in the desert. This quote is implying that Antigone is willing to have a bad girl image put on her, even though she will be looked at it in a negative way by her uncle for burying the body of Polynices. This quote relates to the bigger picture because it is a powerful moment for women because it breaks away from social norms because Antigone is going to do something that most people would be shocked by, especially because it’s a WOMAN who is doing something that a man would normally do. While some women choose to do what society believes is right, versus what is morally right. Ismene gently states to Antigone that they are only women, and that they are unfit to deal with the things that men deal with, and that they have to listen to the law because it is greater than Antigone and herself (Sophocles 119). This quote implies that Ismene believes Antigone should not mess with the Creon's law which states that Polyneices' body will not be buried because he is a traitor. The quote suggests that Ismene believes that Antigone should maintain a good girl image by acting like a typical female, so she won't get in trouble by Creon and be outcasted by society. Sometimes being the

Antigone by Sophocles is about a sister who fights for her brother’s right to be buried and loses everything for him. In Ancient Greece, there was a common disrespect for women. Many women were overlooked and thought of as useless, weak, and ignorant. Antigone’s fate would have changed due to the fact that there would be less gender bias towards him/her.

Although ancient Greece was a male-dominant society, Sophocles’ Antigone portrays women as being strong and capable of making wise decisions. Antigone, the tragic heroine, rejects the traditional role of women. As such, Sophocles punishes Ismene for embodying traditional attitude. Moreover, Creon is punished for misogyny. Sophocles, accordingly, uses characterization to promote feminist ideas.

She rebels against Creon’s rules and against the Greek patriarchy by continuing on with her plan. Creon’s indignation on antigone causes a disapproving son, who is Antigone’s fiance and ultimately the rest of society, eventually leading to Creon’s ultimate failure to lead as a king. Antigone overturns a fundamental rule, that women are not superior and should not speak out against man created laws. Since Creon has a misogynistic mindset, this leads to the Gods of Thebes to penalize him. “Nor did I think your edict had such force that you, a mere mortal, could override the gods” (II.4.503-504). Antigone spoke up against Creon for what was right to her, which was a rule followed by her people all the time and a law created by the Gods. However, Sophocles show the reader where fault lies and how women were viewed in Greek society, Antigone, however is a breakout character who goes against the human law and a threat to the status quo.

Readers of the three Greek plays, Oedipus the King, Antigone, and Medea, can easily gather an abundance of information about the different cultural details within the Greek society at that time. One of the major cultural values that can be picked up from these three plays, is the roles of women in this society. The roles of women can be observed through a comparison between them and their male counterparts.

Sophocles’ Antigone is the third of the three Theban plays written, but has been considered the first; the play was written in or before 441 B.C. In Antigone, Sophocles uses women as a strong and independent figure of the society. This play is the first to display women differently in a male dominated society. He also uses this play to describe women as able to make their own decisions and capable of living without the attention of males. The play Antigone shows the personalities of three women in society: Antigone, the strong, independent one, Ismene, the weak, traditional one, and Eurydice, Creon’s wife and an older traditional woman. Each character represents a woman’s way of living and what is expected and expected of women. Each of these women display many differences, some being the fine line between good and evil and life and death. Going into depth with each female character, the reader could tell that the differences in each character is not displayed in the others. For example, Ismene’s weakness and Antigone’s strong will. Although strength can be important in the play, there is the bravery and the passion

The role of women in society have been challenged intermittently throughout history, and continue to be confronted in modern day society. They are thought to be inferior to men, and believed to be incompetent of completing the same tasks as men. This belief, however, is challenged in various forms, one of which includes writing. A famous writing piece that challenges such views is Antigone by Sophocles. This play was a tragedy written to show the controversial role of women in society. Similarly, women in modern society are often compelled to act a certain way, but refuse to do so in attempts to avoid being assimilated, and to gain rights.

Creon continuously asserts his power, both in terms of social and gender status; he is the ruler of the city, in fact, its defender in what is seen an unlawful attack by Polyneices against his own fatherland (the gravest of sins in civic terms). Moreover, he is a man, faced with an insubordinate, stubborn, powerless female who is also a member of his own family and under his jurisdiction and protection. Antigone, on the other hand, continuously asserts the validity on her argument in religious and moral terms, being, at the same time, constantly aware of her limitations due to her gender and position in the city and her own family. Yet, although they both take pains to highlight the unbridgeable gap between them, contrasting civic/rational (Creon) and family/religious (Antigone) duty, they are remarkably similar in the way they approach and respond to one another. Both are characterised by unyielding stubbornness, a deep belief in the rightness of their own value system, and complete failure in identifying any validity whatsoever in each other’s argument. Both insist on upholding their respective values with obstinate determination to the end: Antigone dies unchanged, whereas Creon’s change of heart comes too late having first caused the destruction of his entire family.

History has shown us that gender has been an issue over the years. Many define a woman by her gender, rather than actions and words. However, there is always someone who sparkles in the dark. There was a woman who rebelled against an unmistakably patriarchal, male-commanded Greek society; a woman who challenged the requests of the King to take after her heart; a woman who acted as per her feeling of good and bad; a woman with extraordinary veneration for connections and a considerably more noteworthy devotion towards family values. Such a woman merits acclaim. A revolt; a legend; a case; a woman, Antigone. In this essay I will argue the importance of Antigone in feminism, and it’s relation with Kant’s philosophy, categorical imperative.

In the play, ‘The Burial at Thebes’ Antigone, the daughter and the sister of Oedipus, is the tragic heroine of the play. The character of Antigone is portrayed very differently as it breaks the stereotypes of the typical portrayal of women is the society. In the first moments of the play, as the plot develops and characters enfold, Antigone is produced as a rebel from the onset itself. Her character is countered to her radiant sister Ismene. She was never as beautiful and as docile as her sister Ismene but was brave, scrawny, recalcitrant, withdrawn and stubborn brat of the family. The early plot reveals that Antigone has a boyish physique and thus curses her girlhood. She being the antithesis of the histrionic heroine envies the beautiful Ismene. Due to these factors, Antigone has always been complicated as a person, she grew up terrorizing Ismene as a child and refusing to "understand" the limits placed on her and this attribute of her character later dominants her resulting in tragedy. Ismene, on the other hand, is entire of this world, the object of all men's desires, so Antigone’s jealousy is justified.