The Conflict Between Women And Women

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.

In Sophocles’ Antigone, gender roles are a major conflicting theme throughout the entire play. The setting of the play was written during the Greek mythological days, around 442 B.C. During these days, men were dominant and held all of the power, so women were automatically treated as less. Antigone and Creon portray the conflicting sides between male and female, and Ismene and Haemon portray opposing sides to Antigone and Creon’s actions. Antigone, Ismene, Creon, and Haemon each show differences in behavior due to their sex versus the actions each character chooses to take. Antigone tells Ismene about her plans to bury their brother, Polynices, which is going against Creon’s orders. Antigone and Ismene, have contrasting perspectives on

In Sophocles’s Antigone, we can see that the deeply misogynistic society of ancient Greece has manifested itself into Creon, a despotic ruler, despising dissidents, traitors, and especially women. His hatred of women manifested into several examples of misogyny throughout the play: He assumed that the criminal who buried Polyneices was a man, he looks down on Antigone’s defiance as improper defiance of a mans order by a woman, and he virtually disowns his son Haemon for disagreeing with him and listening to a woman.

As a woman, Antigone upholds her normative feminine funerary duties in burying her brother, Polyneikes, showing her dedication to the realm of the personal. Antigone claims to gain glory from the act of giving Polyneikes his due funeral rites. She aptly asks Kreon, “What greater glory could I have gained than by / properly burying my own true brother?” (552-554). Antigone argues that her honor as a non-citizen and as an unmarried woman stems only from the honor bestowed upon her direct, male relations, a group that includes the traitor Polyneikes. Under usual circumstances, if Kreon had not earlier declared death upon anyone who buried Polyneikes’ body, Antigone and her sister, Ismene, would be expected to perform funeral rites, as this is a female duty. This means of gaining feminine glory becomes clouded when Kreon, another of Antigone’s kinsmen, forbids the very act of normative, performative femininity expected of Theban women. Conversely, Antigone is aware of her place in society in that she acknowledges that burying her brother

In today’s society, men and women do not always see eye-to-eye. Creon and Antigone, the two main characters in Sophocles’ play Antigone are examples of this statement. In this play, the difference of gender plays a big role in the main conflict. Antigone is a young, independent girl going against the law of king Creon, her uncle, by giving her brother a proper burial. Eteocles and Polyneices, Antigone's older brothers, fought to the death because of their different beliefs; Creon buried Eteocles with military honor and Polyneices was not allowed to be buried because he went against the kingdom. Antigone believes Polyneices’ soul deserves to be at peace; so she decides to go against Creon’s orders and bury him by herself. When Creon

In the novel Antigone the main character Antigone takes a reader on a journey of love and hate, honor and disrespect, and a roller coaster ride of emotions. In some parts of the book you feel sympathy for Antigone, but others feel disgusted with her behavior and actions. A reader can empathize with Antigone’s overall response to seeing her traitor brother’s dead body left out for public display however, it is through her actions reader starts to contemplate their sympathies for Antigone. Antigone’s behavior towards Creon, Ismene, and her defiance of the Greek feminine behavior all show that Antigone was a very selfish women. Although I agree with Antigone desire to give her brother a proper burial, I disagree with her treatment of others,

This continues to set up the tension between Creon and Antigone because it shows that some of his statements are based off of sexism, not off of rationality--rationality would have been his response if Antigone was a man, but because she is a woman, she is treated differently. This reveals about Antigone’s character that is she not afraid to voice the truth and stand up for her beliefs, regard of the punishments that will follow, which could lead to a tragic ending because of her acceptance of punishment for her supposed crime (honoring her brother with burial

With the strong values Antigone held and her loyalty to her brother, they lead her to behave in an untraditional way by going against the law and orders given by a man.“As long as I live, I will not be ruled by a woman.” (line 525). Creon and Antigone were discussing the burial of Polyneices; Creon did not agree with Antigone that both of her brothers deserved a proper burial. Creon expresses himself with misogynistic language and tried to belittle Antigone to engender her to feel weak, like women were expected to. Refusing to accept that Antigone was right, Creon evaded to show weakness to a woman, in fear of being scrutinized and perceived as less than a man

Antigone was an agent of her own beliefs and she never hesitated to fulfill her obligation. “When at last it stopped,/There was the girl, screaming like an angry bird,/When it finds its nest left empty and little ones gone.” (Sophocles 137). Sophocles used a maternal image to describe how Antigone conducted the ritual of burial. Antigone was compared to a mother bird as she found out her babies were gone. This intense and explosive anger characterized the mental state of Antigone when she was burying her brother. Unlike a male who would seek for revenge, Antigone, as a female character, screamed and cursed to defend her beliefs and to protest her respect to the death. Though Antigone’s physical strength was small, her moral strength, in regard to how the living should respect the dead, was powerful. This moral strength, accompanied by her action, demonstrated Sohpocles’ perspective that women can make life happens despite they lack the physical strength of men.

In “Antigone”, it does not take long for our main character (Antigone) to step outside of the boundaries set against women in society. Antigone’s brothers died in battle as leaders of separate sides, and only one was to be honored after death while the other would remain on the battlefield. A strict ruling was put down by the leader Creon that Antigone’s brother Polyneices be left to rot, which Antigone quickly decides to defy. After asking her sister Ismene for help with the deed of a proper burial (which was declined), Antigone spoke of Creon by saying “Nay, he hath no right to keep me from mine own” (Sophocles, Norton 11th Edition). Antigone breaks the obvious rule of society by going against Creon’s command to not give proper burial to her brother. This was not like many of the women of this time period because women were not seen as equal in the decision making process,

Interestingly, Antigone is compared, both mistakenly and purposefully, to men for standing up for herself and her beliefs. When Creon first hears about Polyneices’ burial, he doesn’t even consider that the person who buried him could be a woman, telling the sentry to “bring [him] the man,” (273). In Ancient Greek society, women are so demure and submissive that they are never suspected of any crime. When Antigone stands in the way of this idea, Creon says, “Who is the man here,/ She or I, if this crime goes unpunished?” (382-3). Even though he knows that a woman was the one who buried

“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

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.

The works of Sophocles are remarkably memorable and seven have managed to survive the test of time. These include: Ajax, Antigone, The Women of Trachis, Oedipus the King, Electra, Philoctetes, and Oedipus at Colonus. Antigone is one of the earliest works in the theatre to feature themes of female empowerment. Although the last two hundred years have been the main setting for the feminist movement, I believe that Antigone’s titular character is a strong woman that embodies our presentism views of feminism.

In Sophocles’ play, Antigone, the role of women in society is challenged as Antigone reluctantly disobeys the “natural laws” that place women below men. Antigone’s two brothers, “...slew each other,” (Sophocles 57) but only one was buried as an honor, and the other “...unlamented, unburied, a sweet find for birds to feast upon” (30-31). Antigone disobeys the laws as she decides to bury her brother, with or without the help of her sister Ismene. As Ismene refuses to aid Antigone, she points out the duty of women in society. Ismene states, “...very horribly we will die if we go against the king’s decree,” (60-61) and “Rather, consider that we were born women, proving we should not fight with men, and that we are ruled by more powerful people and must obey them, even in more painful things...yield to those who walk with authority” (64-68).