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Gender Bias In Antigone

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Society’s Dilemma Many biblical historians say that Adam was the first human and Eve was made from Adam’s rib. Since women came from men, it can be said that society has grown to become male dominant, otherwise known as gender biased. According to Macmillan Dictionary, “Gender Bias is the unfair difference in the treatment of men or women because of the sex”. In agreement with this, Sophocles “Antigone” portrays males as strong, independent and ego driven figures. However, women are portrayed as obedient, fragile, submissive, and law abiding figures. Disbelief, fear, and anger fuels characters in Greek male dominant society. Sophocles implements disbelief in the play to express women's roles in society. In the play’s, Climax, Creon and Haemon have a verbal disagreement. Creon states” Truly if she wields such power uncensored, she is man” (Sophocles 18). Sophocles conveys clear signs of understatement of women in society. He compares Antigone’s decisions to that of a man. This displays men’s …show more content…

In “Antigone” many actions suggest how women are often considered law abiding figures. Antigone’s sister Ismene, show cowardice when told Antigone’s plot. She states “We must remember we are women born, Unapt to cope with men”. (Sophocles 3). Women in Thebes were shown to be afraid to stand up. When Antigone stood up for what she thought was right the whole city commended her. Although, if she was to become content with her status in society, her voice would’ve never been heard. On the other hand, men were constantly involved in political concerns. In fact, the chorus was constructed of the old wise men of Thebes. Also, only men had the ability to inherit kingship over Thebes. After the Death of Oedipus, Eteocles, and Polyneices, Brother of Jocasta, Creon became the next option. One can infer from this, woman was never given a political role with the potential power to overriding any

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420 Words | 2 Pages

His view on women also reshapes his flaws and enhances his tragedy of him as a character. CREON. "Do you want me to be shown to have obeyed a woman?" (Sophocles, line 743) In line 743, Creon talks about how he does not think that any woman should be involved in any men’s politics. Creon thinks that men should have more power than women and that they should not be into politics considering that their opinion is less important or

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623 Words | 3 Pages

In a certain way, the conflict was generated by the confrontation of two people who believed to be powerful. Creon saw himself as the new ruler of Thebes and he created a new image and became an arrogant and very self-centered person. For example, when Creon was arguing with Haem, he said to his son “will my subjects tell me how to rule” (834) , he also said "And I am guilty, then, Claiming due reverence for my sovereignty?” (852-3). These statements clearly show that Creon believed that being a new ruler gave him a new position over everyone; he thought that nobody could be against him or his rules.

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737 Words | 3 Pages

Stop wasting time. You servants, take her in. It’s very important to keep women strictly disciplined” (Sophocles 15). Creon believes that women should know their place, so therefore they know how to listen and not break rules. In this circumstance Antigone was the example of a woman out of control without discipline.

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580 Words | 3 Pages

In Greek society, women had few rights and hardly moved from their place next to men. Antigone defies all stereotypes and traditional images of women in Greek society. Creon feels she is a menace to him and eventually sentences her to death for treason.

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1226 Words | 5 Pages

After the exile of Oedipus, Creon became the king of Thebes, which placed a lot of power in his hands. With this sudden shift in authority, Creon's tragic flaw becomes more noticeable. When in an argument with Haemon, Creon's son, he states his position on the opposite sex, “If we must fall from power, let that come at some man’s hand—at least, we won’t be called inferior to any women” (353). This reveals his excessive pride, hubris, because he worries that his image would be tarnished if ever doing something imposed by a women. With this condescending perspective, he is led to believe that he is above all others, which leads to his free choice.

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1014 Words | 5 Pages

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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704 Words | 3 Pages

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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736 Words | 3 Pages

It is well known that for much of history, females have been largely oppressed and given few rights, unlike the male gender. Traditionally, a women’s role in society was to be a submissive housewife and to raise children. In Sophocles’ play, Antigone, a young woman goes against the law to give her dead brother a proper burial, defying the typical role expected of a female during this time period. Antigone can be seen as a role model for women because she knows her own mind, stands up to her uncle, and sacrifices herself for someone she loves. Women during this time period were expected to listen to the men in society and follow their rules.

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742 Words | 3 Pages

Creon throughout the whole play shows a discrimination toward women, in the end he ends up undergoing a terrible downfall. In the play, Antigone is the protagonist who most of the sexism is appointed toward. Creon shows a lot of feminism toward Antigone not only because of her criminal action but also that the fact that she is a female. Creon goes on to send Antigone to a cell deep in the middle of the woods because she went against his law. The fact that she was a female and went against a man’s power makes it seem worse than it actually has to be, all she did was pay her respect to her brother because no one would.

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1224 Words | 5 Pages

Antigone exhibits Fairness by wanting all other aspects to be thrown aside and give her brother a fair right to a proper

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483 Words | 2 Pages

Gender roles play a significant part through ought the play Antigone due to the fact that men are treated on a higher scale than women. Sophocles portrays women as people with no rights nor freedom. Antigone is on a destiny for burial rights of her brother Polyneicis. Gender roles are expressed throughout the play Antigone by disrespecting women and men having power and freedom.

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1064 Words | 5 Pages

(Book 13, 396-403) Greek literature sometimes showed signs of female empowerment, but most mortal female characters were nothing more than wives or maids. Antigone was one of the few exceptions. She was strong, smart, and didn’t care what people thought of her. She was fearless, unlike her sister Ismene, who felt limited in her options because she was a woman. She did not think a woman could ever bury her brother’s body,

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770 Words | 4 Pages

As Antigone tries to convince Ismene to help, she exclaims, “Creon is not strong enough to stand in my way.” She feels as though honoring her brother is worth dying for and that Creon can not “stand in her way.” When Creon hears of this startling news, he questions the ability of women to stand up to him in which he states, “Pride? In a slave?” At this point in time women are not seen as equals to men.

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1735 Words | 7 Pages

Sophocles play “Antigone” introduces a lot of debatable topics such as Human law vs Divine laws, pride, but most importantly the topic of woman’s movement for empowerment. Long before 442 B.C.E, women were belittled because of their gender however, after the birth of “Antigone” it demonstrated a strong outreach towards women and their roles in society ”Antigone, a woman who defines King Creon’s edict without any fear, doubts, or regrets. This courageous woman, the fruit of incest, has fascinated philosophers in the nineteenth century, inspired playwrights in the twentieth century, and intrigued feminist thinkers and activists for decades” (Söderbäck). Birth from a respected bloodline, Antigone doesn’t feel respected at all within her town, especially from her uncle Creon who became entitled as the King after Antigone’s blood

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706 Words | 3 Pages

“Kids should be satisfied with the warm fuzzy feeling of accomplishment.” Is this possible when being paid for good grades? When paid for good grades, students are no longer learning for a better future, but rather just for the reward of money. If the purpose of school is to educate, does the prize of cash take that away? From students feeling not needed pressure, to taking away the natural motivation to learn, to not remembering the material presented, students should not be paid for good grades.

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