Religious Values In Antigone And Duccio's The Maest�

In the play Antigone, men view women as a threat to their masculinity and do whatever they have to in order to silence them. However, the women find ways to speak out anyway. Gender has profound affects on the meaning of Antigone's actions. Creon feels the need to defeat Antigone more so because she is a woman. Antigone's rebellion is especially threatening because it upsets gender roles and hierarchy. By refusing to be passive, she overturns one of the fundamental rules of her culture.

Although Antigone shows equality for women and rights, each character in the play has different views and believes. As a tragic hero of the play, Antigone has a tragic flaw and is very brave, as she defies Creon’s law and buries her brother, despite the fact she knows she will have to face consequences. Ismene and Creon on the other hand, do not appreciate

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.

This Sophocles tragedy seemed to touch many readers. This tragedy has made many people in present and antiquity rethink their purpose in life. This story also intended to raise many questions. One question that I will discus is what means more to you, social acceptance or staying true to your beliefs? This classic tragedy that I am referring to is called Antigone. This fascinating story touches many subject of social and religious matter. I will discuss the tragic turmoil of Antigone, her surrounding family, and the social and religious dilemma that Antigone faces that will ultimately decide her fate.

The play “Antigone” is a tragedy by Sophocles. One main theme of the play is Religion vs. the state. This theme is seen throughout the play. Antigone is the supporter of religion and following the laws of the gods and the king of Thebes, Creon, is the state. In the play Creon has made it against the law to bury Antigone’s brother, something that goes against the laws of the gods, this is the cause of most conflict in the story. This struggle helps to develop the tragic form by giving the reader parts of the form through different characters.

Just like the roles in Athens, women were known to not have any assets of men, not even any signs of masculinity. Women were known to be less superior than men, and never do anything that resemble the actions of men. Antigone is trying to convince her sister, Ismene, to help her bury her brother but she does not want to because she is more of the submissive type in the play. Ismene says, “Remember we are women, we’re not born to contend with men.” (pages 1344-1345).

The Victorian period further divided men and women by establishing a sharper, stronger line between the duties of the two sexes and what was appropriate for them. Women were further oppressed by the lack of education offered to them that didn’t only involve becoming a proper wife and mother. One sphere of education that was pervasively thought of as masculine and therefore, reserved for men, was classical education. In America, it wasn’t until the mid-nineteenth century that women were taught Latin and Greek, and only half of the schools offered to them also offered this type of education. Antigone was, therefore, first introduced to men. However, “It was not Thebes, the subject of the play, but Athens, the home playwright, that

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.

In literature, authors generally incorporate characteristics of humanity in their work in order to connect with the readers. For instance, the play Antigone, by Sophocles, is about a young girl named Antigone who is determined to give her brother, Polyneices, a proper burial after he and her other brother, Eteocles, die in battle. Antigone’s uncle, Creon, the heir to the throne, enforces an edict prohibiting Polyneices from being buried. In Ancient Greece religion was used as a means to explain things that were unknown or why certain things happen. Greek gods and goddesses set moral standards for citizens due to the punishments and consequences they had in store for those who were treacherous. Essentially, religion had a great impact on many aspects of life including politics, overall lifestyle, and the theater. These elements are present in Antigone because in Ancient Greece people went to oracles to reveal their futures and in the play Creon had an oracle give insight on his future, moreover, citizens, and finally, violence in the theater was seen as inappropriate and in the play there are numerous scenes that do not demonstrate violence.

“No woman shall seduce us. If we must lose, Let's lose to a man, at least. Is a woman stronger than we?” (Sophocles.II.3.539-540) says Creon, King of Thebes and uncle to the disobeying but brave Antigone in Antigone by Sophocles. A patriarchal society is a community in which male domination over women, Sophocles explains the journey of Antigone in getting her brother buried and yielding against the laws of Thebes in a man dominated city. Antigone portrayed in the play is loyal and stubborn, she would do anything that feels ethical and honest to her even if that disregarding the laws created by men. She responds to the standards of King Creon by going against her own blood, not believing that women should subjected to the rule that they

Throughout history, women have always stood in the shadows of men. In many cultures, the role of a woman was to be seen and not heard. One of the first "heard" females was as I believe Antigone, of Sophocles’. Antigone, was the descendant of Oedipus. When her brothers Eteocles and Polynices killed one another, Creon, king of Thebes, forbade the rebel Polynices’ burial. However, Antigone disobeyed him, performed the burial, and was condemned to death for what she had done. Thru her actions she displayed vast uniqueness of a great female leader. In doing this, she stepped out of her place as a woman in a male dominated culture.

In “Antigone” by Sophocles, a famous ancient Greek tragedian, the main character, Antigone, demonstrates a prohibited action in a strict, male-dominated society. Greek civilization upheld strong values and rules that were designed to enforce orderly behavior among its people. There were state laws created by the King, Creon, and divine laws created by the Gods. Divine law was superior to the king laws, and if that rule was disrupted, eternal consequences could ruin an individual. In this society, men were mighty, powerful, and in control of the kingdom. Women were traditionally treated as an underclass with no voice or power. Women were restricted from performing any masculine jobs, holding high civilization positions, and disobeying men. Although Greek civilization had strict standards for women, Antigone challenges the law through her actions in order to satisfy the Gods because it is what she thought was the right decision.

Women were not recognized as citizens in Ancient Greece. During the “Golden Age”, women had no rights to entitlement as a results, women were only viewed to only applaud men without questioning, these perspectives resulted in the absolute faith and admiration in what a male was considered to be a god-like- figure. In the ancient Greek play, “Antigone” written by Sophocles, Antigone, Daughter of Oedipus, was able to oppose what men have a set notation of what and how the “ideal” woman should conduct and present oneself in the community. This opposition resulted in the in the questioning of why Antigone was unable to be an “ideal” woman during this era.

Antigone had a very strong theme that portrayed and represented feminism in a very unique way. The way we think of feminism in society today, and the way feminism was portrayed in the play was very different, yet very similar in the ways that women are fighting for the things in which they believe in.

It seems to be far stretching to contrast Antigone as a play reflecting tragic events in 441BCE with the Basilica that started with a chapel built in 1658. However, both arts showed how religious beliefs shape people’s lives and both are a reflection of how humans explained both tragic and joyous events. More significantly, how art forms (play and architecture) depict historical and social events.