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Gender Roles In Antigone

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The gender roles the women in Antigone are defined by are characterized by age-old issues passed down from generation to generation, making them harder to change and for people to see the fault in them. Women are treated are the way they are to keep civil obedience and limit their freewill. Creon, as well as those in power before he, strives to keep all the power in the king’s hands and maintains the social standards created to maintain order. The women are aware of their place in society and those who are obedient like Inesme, know the government “is not a woman’s place, [that women] are weak where [men] are strong… we must do as we’re told” (Mitchell 10). This is not a threat the men created to keep society functioning, but it is a practice …show more content…

On Creon’s first day as king he uses these manipulation tactics to ensure total dominance over his subjects to show he he deserving of the throne. Creon’s first diplomatic decision threatens that if people are not obedient to their new ruler and “Whoever breaks [his first] law, [he will] have them stoned to death” (7). This law shows Creon’s violent and tyrannical ways of ruling his subject and by exerting scare tactics Creon is scaring his subjects into following his rule and dehumanizes them when stating that “even the wildest of horses heel when they’re reined and bitted right.” (30). Creon is power hungry and shows family is not his first priority by not being fazed by the death of both of his nephews, which is the reason behind him being the “next kin to those dead and doomed [he’s] next in line. The throne has come to [him]” …show more content…

The banning of a proper burial for her brother Polyneices was not a rule Antigone followed “…because the law was not the law of Zeus… [she] chose to disregard it [and] abide by statutes utter and immutable – unwritten, original, god-given laws” (29). By disrespecting her uncle, Antigone shows her true motive is not family since any action she took, either obeying or disobeying the law, would negatively affect one of her family members. Antigone’s actions show instead that she values her morals over the divine law, even dying for what she believes in. Both the men and women in the society support her choice over Creon’ rule, and even the chorus admits that before Antigone, “…never before did death open his stone door to one so radiant…” (50). (question why she was

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52 Words | 1 Pages

In ancient times, all over the world, woman were considered inferior to men. Woman in ancient Greece, as well as in other religions, did not have any political rights, official power, and were not educated. Becasue of this, Antigone’s gender is a problem from Creon since he does not recognize her

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1040 Words | 5 Pages

She defies Creon’s law because she is trying to honor her brother and preserve the God-given rights of a proper burial after death (Leshak). Even though she recognizes death as the consequence for her action, Antigone fights the struggle of the individual and still feels the need to bury her brother. She does not only feel the need to bury Polynices because he is her brother, but there she strongly feels that is is her moral duty to due so in order to please the Theban gods and will only be found “guilty of the holiest crime”. Another reason that Antigone’s civil disobedience is symbolic is because she is a woman. Creon states that no woman will rule him as he lives and since Antigone loves the dead, she will join

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774 Words | 4 Pages

When he found that out, that made him feel as if he didn’t have control over the people. He is the king so he think he should have complete power over them. King Creon tells Sentry, “ May entertain you now; but unless you bring me the man, You will get little profit from them in the end” (1.140). The way king Creon says this, he believe his punishment

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682 Words | 3 Pages

Antigone tells Creon that her brother was not supposed to be bury that way because he was not a slave but Etheocles brother, his own flesh and blood. Antigone refuses to take pleasure in Creon point of view. Her refusal to obey Creon's orders to leave Polynieces' corpse to the birds is a deliberate and morally-fueled refusal. Since she ignores this reality and instead decides to focus on how the Greek honor the dead, we can infer that Antigone is incredibly family-oriented and remains loyal to family above all else. Being a part of a family forces one to have responsibilities and duties that are needed to be achieved.

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1050 Words | 5 Pages

This play is a perfect example of a woman, following what she believes in and accomplishing her goal. In society, women are faced with many challenges that men just don't have to deal with. To this day, women are treated as inferior to men in every setting; work, school, public and even in households. Although I do think that Sophocles did separate Antigone's character, making her more independent and unconventional than the “traditional woman,” I think that there is more to the story. Sophocles still included Haiman, making him seem more heroic due to the fact that he defends her and kills himself over her body.

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1014 Words | 5 Pages

Several motivating factors can be attributed to why Creon struggled with asserting his will during his reign. First, he sat by for years and watched other family members of his, rule, which allowed him only brief moments of control. And when he was finally able to gain the crown, he allowed the power to intoxicate him. This influx in power and control led to the fear that he could lose what he had gained at

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484 Words | 2 Pages

Antigone wants her brother to receive proper burial rites in the play “Antigone”, written by Sophocles. In the lead up to the play, two brothers fight till death in order to receive the beloved power over Thebes. In the dual between the two brothers, Polyneices met fatality while bringing mischief upon the city of Thebes. Consequently, the King, Creon, declared that Polyneices’s proper burial rites should be revoked. Antigone was driven by tradition and her family values to bury her deceased brother; thus forthe, she was readily willing to suffer her punishment.

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785 Words | 4 Pages

Whereas Creon feels that women should have no ruling in the state or power, Antigone thinks otherwise. She has a strong personality and she is proud of breaking the law and standing up to King Creon even if that meant she would be sentenced to die. She puts an emphasis on how being a woman and breaking the rules is something so significant and powerful. Even before Antigone is sent to the cave to die she still is persistent that she did nothing wrong she says, O city that I love, O men that dwell,

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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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733 Words | 3 Pages

In the play, Antigone is sentenced to death for burying her dead brother Polyneices, who died in conflict against Thebes where she resides. Her other brother Eteocles, who died fighting for Thebes, is honored and given a proper burial by the king Kreon, who also happened to decree the Polyneices’ body should be left out in the open in public shame because of his betrayal. He then sentences Antigone to death after hearing her betrayal, a fate that Antigone willingly accepts. There is no pleading or begging for him to change her sentence. She argues that she broke no law for what Kreon did to Polyneices’ body was not in the god’s favor, so she was not obliged to honor the law.

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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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821 Words | 4 Pages

Therefore, the idea of Antigone challenging gender norms would have been much more abrasive to the people in the audience at the time than it would be now. Because of this, the Athenians would have judged Antigone’s actions differently. She is set up as a female protagonist, but is not necessarily likable. Whereas other famous male protagonists such as Achilles were found noble for being willing to risk their lives, Antigone has something going against her – something Scodel refers to as “a form of sosophryne,” or “the good sense” – something that “should restrain people from ignoring the limits of their power” (page 109). In this case, Antigone should be restrained by her gender.

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483 Words | 2 Pages

Antigone believes she should have the right of her brother’s burial. Creon states, “No one shall burry him, no one mourn for him” (Sophocles 2) illustrating that Polyneicis is irrelevant in the city of Thebes. The law in Greek society is a female should not have power or freedom over any circumstance. Antigone demands rights over her brother and will not accept

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1335 Words | 6 Pages

The play Antigone written by Sophocles is a Greek tragedy which incorporates themes of divine law vs. man made law ,conventional role of a woman vs. a defiant role portrayed by a woman, but the very essence of the play and other major themes are created with the defiance of the conventional role of women shown by Antigone. This is the primary aim of the essay. A little insight into the Greek society gives us a brief idea about the status of women and help do a comparative study with the unique character of Antigone and her role in the development of the plot. Women in ancient Greek were considered inferior to men in every sphere ,from the intellect to the physical state. Their freedom was monitored by the dominating male in the family

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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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