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Women In Sophocles Antigone Play

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In Sophocles’ Antigone play which was written 2500 years ago the role of women is a really striking feature.It is one of the first impressive play which illustrates the different roles of women play in society.As it is noticed there are some characters in Antigone’s play portray that women should be strong and sensible in society. While others’ views of women are very much grounded in the society.They put the woman down and undermine her ability as well as they reveal that women have a narrow role in life. So, these themes are still discussed in our modern society which is amazing that things are not changed much in terms of the role of women of five hundred years ago and today. In the following paper, I am going to analyse the role of women in Sophocles’ Antigone play and show how the characters see the role of women and compare it to Creon’s view about the role of women too. …show more content…

It is obvious that the two sisters Antigone and Ismene depict the major female characteristics.Although Antigone plays the role of a strong and headstrong independent woman in society, her sister Ismene represents the role of a weak and powerless woman in society.As well Creon's view of women is typical in considering women as they should only play a subordinate role in the family and society.Since he thinks them are less intelligent than men, attracted by emotion, and unable to make an independent and right judgment.Antigone and Ismene are contrasting characters.Antigone believes with all her soul that she is powerful and capable of deciding how to act based on the situation that is presented in her society.She is adamant that she should be free to disobey a command given by a man if she feels the command or the order is unjust and doesn't respect the human’s rights and that can be emphasised strongly by her quote when she

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Antigone also falls victim to the excessive force and jaded complexity of her uncle, when he prioritizes patriarchal standards and his law over her moral act of goodness and makes it known that, “while I’m alive, no woman is going to lord it over me” (590). All the trouble Creon put his family through just to save face and show his dominance ends up destroying what was left of his family just to avoid, “never be rated inferior to a woman, never”

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She dares to challenge the arrogant tyrant Creon by expressing her points bravely and furiously, trying to warn him that women do not always have the obligation to do what men command; she dares to protest the balance between duty and law, “…for it was not Zeus made such a law; such is not the Justice of the gods.” (Antigone), making her decisions in an equitable way and promise to find the real justice so as to give respect to her brother, Polyneices’ burial. Even though in the end Creon tries to give Antigone a lesson by putting her to prison, Antigone did not escape, for she understood that her action and pride would bring about these consequences, and she did not regret for doing this. In addition, we can also observe women power by seeing Creon’s words and behaviors. Creon’s hubris as a men affects how he thinks about women, he considered women as secondary creature.

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In the Greek tragic drama, Antigone, by Sophocles Ismene is a foil of her sister. There are many characteristics that exhibit this, such as, Ismene’s lack of courage, how she chooses to follow civil laws over the laws of the gods, and finally, how Ismene cannot stand up for herself. There are many instances in the play where these traits are are exhibited. One way that Ismene is a foil of Antigone is because she lacks courage.

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