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Portrayal of women in Sophocle's Antigone
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Portrayal of women in Sophocle's Antigone
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In Sophocles’ drama Antigone, he develops his characters to convey that who they are influences what they do. Sophocles slowly reveals Creon’s misogynistic attitude. Creon disagrees with Antigone’s decision to bury her traitorous brother and has difficulty accepting her willingness to defy the state as well as his authority. In his mind, her actions are disgrace and he believes she is challenging his sovereignty and trying to challenge the gods’ wishes by refusing to submit to male authority. At the heart of Sophocles’ play is an argument about questioning authority and Creon would rather die than be bested by a woman. Creon’s sexist attitude towards women leads to his downfall and the end of his reign as king.
The texts Antigone and Wicked challenge conventional ideas about gender. Both Elphaba and Antigone demonstrate strong will and are figures of rebellion as they challenge the status quo in their patriarchal societies. The main characters in these books reject feminine constructs of leadership, challenge democracy, and deconstruct ideologies of maternity and male dependency through embracing the label as “the other” courageously.
In the play, Sophocles examines the nature of Antigone and Creon who have two different views about life, and use those views against one another. Antigone who is depicted as the hero represents the value of family. According to Richard Braun, translator of Sophocles Antigone, Antigone’s public heroism is domestically motivated: “never does [Antigone] give a political explanation of her deed; on the contrary, from the start [Antigone] assumes it is her hereditary duty to bury Polynices, and it is from inherited courage that [Antigone] expects to gain the strength required for the task” (8). Essentially, it is Antigone’s strong perception of family values that drive the instinct to disobey Creon’s orders and to willingly challenge the King’s authority to dictate her role in society.
On the surface, Antigone is the classic tragic hero, it is she that Sophocles wants us to be drawn to. It is Creon against who he stacks the cards. A writer's value judgement, nothing more. So then, once more assuming Antigone is a male instead, are her or his actions noble or foolhardy, and irresponsible. While on the surface it appears noble to risk death for a principle, is it really ? Aren't relationships more important than principles ? Much is made of Creon sentencing his own son's fiance to death, did she not by her foolhardy, kneejerk reaction sentence herself. Where is her consideration for her husband to be ? And her sister, who has lost so much, and now clings to her so desparately, is rebuffed and dismissed as not worthy of the glorious Antigone.
In the awe-inspiring play of Antigone, Sophocles introduces two remarkable characters, Antigone and Creon. A conflict between these two obstinate characters leads to fatal consequences for themselves and their kindred. The firm stances of Creon and Antigone stem from two great imperatives: his loyalty to the state and her dedication to her family, her religion but most of all her conscience. The identity of the tragic hero of this play is still heavily debated. This tragedy could have been prevented if it had not been for Creon's pitiful mistakes.
Creon clarifies his view of women as he expresses that, “ once she had done it- the insolence, twice over- glory in it- laughing, mocking us to our face with what she’d done. I am not the man, not now: she is the man if this victory goes to her and she goes free” (line 538-542). Firstly Creon feels disrespected as a man who should be in control because Antigone mocks him with her actions and that there is nothing he can do about what has been done but arrest her. Secondly, Creon perceives his lost of control against a woman if he lets her escape with what she has done, he would appear weak.
As the tragedy concludes, the chorus issues its final words: "Pray for no more at all. For what is destined for us, men mortal, there is no escape," demonstrating how justice remains impartial to the prejudice of men; those who make imprudent judgments will ultimately suffer from the consequences of their actions. In Sophocles' Antigone, these prejudices notably surface in the form of paternalism as demonstrated through Creon's government, highlighting the importance of gender roles throughout the play. Therefore, analyzing the motif of gender roles and its effect on the definition of justice through the perspectives of Ismene, Antigone, and Creon enables the audience to understand how Sophocles' macroscopic analogy to humanity's prejudiced judgments as well (and ambiguity of justice)
One of the conflicts in Antigone, is the struggle between men and women. Ismene tells Antigone that since birth, women “were not born to contend with men,” (75) displaying women’s obedience and passivity. In the same passage, Ismene says: “we’re underlings, ruled by stronger hands,” (76) a representation of men’s aggressive and “stronger hands” that dominate women and treats them as second-class citizens. The only woman in Thebes who desires to break free from these chains is Antigone, who stands up against Ismene’s passivity urging her to “submit to this,” (77) and defy Creon by burying Polynices. By breaking Creon’s edict, Antigone challenges the traditional gender roles women and men play. In what ways does the theme of gender in Antigone, demonstrate the passion and choices behind Antigone and Ismene’s decisions?
“Sophocles suggests that while gods can predetermine or influence human action, they do not necessarily define one’s character. People are responsible for finding out who they are and where they belong; they must then take moral responsibility for their lives” (Textbook; pg. 466) Sophocles was a very successful playwright, during his lifetime. His work includes Oedipus Rex and Antigone. Within his plays, he clearly illustrates the difference between appropriate and inappropriate, ancient Greek culture and behavior. Such behavior includes the difference between men and women roles. Men had all the power, and were the rulers/kings, in which no one questioned their law, whereas women had no roles of power, and it was highly inappropriate for them to question the law, and a man for that matter. Along with people’s behavior, Sophocles’ plays displayed the ancient Greek culture. The characters’ strong belief and support of the Greek gods and goddesses really outlines their religion. In his play, Oedipus Rex, Oedipus is the protagonist and ruler of Thebes. He is confronted with the truth, and mentally can’t handle it. Even though Creon may be the true tragic hero in Antigone, he is not the main focus. Antigone, herself, Oedipus’s daughter, is the target of the play, displaying inappropriate, female, Greek behavior. So, when a character acts out on emotion, disaster strikes, but when a character acts accordingly and to the rules of society, they are safe. The difference between Antigone and her sister, Oedipus being blinded by the truth, and both of their actions, causes them to be examples of how Sophocles shows his audience the correct manners.
The sexist stereotypes presented in this tragedy address many perspectives of men at this time. Creon the arrogant and tyrant leader is, the very character that exemplifies this viewpoint. Antigone's spirit is filled with bravery, passion and fury; which allow her to symbolize the very essence of women. She is strong enough to do what her conscious tells her despite the laws of the land. Many examples in the play prove that Antigone's character is very capable of making her own decisions in the name of justice. First, Antigone opposes Creon's law and buries her slain brother; because in her mind it was immoral not to. She does this because she is compassionate and loves her brother very much. Creon, however, believes that his laws must be upheld and would do anything to prevent any type rebelling. He is even more infuriated when he learns that a woman has broken his laws. He tries to show Antigone who's in charge by sentencing her to a life of imprisonment. Secondly, Antigone shows how determined she is by accepting her consequences with pride. She does not try to hide that she is responsible for breaking Creon's laws, moreover, she takes all the credit. All the while she maintains her strength because she truly believes in her actions. These sorts of actions ultimately prove that Antigone is courageous and willing to stand up to men, which was completely against the norm at this time. Her spirit refuses to submit to the role of a helpless woman like her sister Ismene's character does.
When discussing Antigone’s burial of Polyneices with Haimon, King Creon illuminates that he believes he, as a man, is stronger than Antigone: “If we must lose, / Let’s lose to a man, at least! Is a woman stronger than / we?” (1.3.46-48). Creon demonstrates that he doesn’t believe that women are stronger than men when he was outraged because Antigone, the woman he is referring to, might be stronger than him. Antigone was able to create change in Thebes by burying Polyneices, which Creon couldn’t control. Additionally, through Creon’s speech, Sophocles displays that Creon would prefer to lose to a man over a women because in Creon’s eyes, other men are on a similar level to him. When King Creon finally realizes that Antigone had been just in burying Polyneices and that he had been blinded by his pride, all of his views including those about women are degraded in the audience’s eyes. Because Creon’s views are degraded through his admission of arrogance, Sophocles begins to illuminate that women are not weak but
In the play Antigone, by Sophocles, it is greatly apparent just within the first few exchanges between Ismene and Antigone that there are various social issues surrounding the women in ancient Greece. The play raises many gender and socially related issues especially when looking at the contextual background of the playwright and the representation of the women within the play. When the characters of the first scene begin their analog, it is important to note what they are actually saying about each other and what their knowledge of their own social status is. The audience is first introduced to Antigone who we later learn is the antagonist of the play as she rebels against the protagonist, Creon. Her sister, Ismene, is the second character the audience is introduced to, hears of Antigone's plan to bury their brother's body in the first scene. Ismene’s actions and words give the reader the hint that her sister’s behavior is not usual, "so fiery" and "so desperate" are the words used to describe Antigone's frame of mind. At this very early point in the play the reader discovers that Antigone is determined to carry out her mission to bury her beloved brother. However, she is in no position that gives her the rights as a woman, sister, or even future queen to make her own decisions and rebel. Instead, her decision to bury her brother demonstrates her loyalty to her family, the gods, and to all women. Her motivation for those decisions will end up driving her far more than that of what the laws set by Creon have implemented. She shows no fear over disobeying the king and later says about the punishment of death "I will lie with the one I love and loved by him"(Sophocles, 2). Throughout the play the reader can see the viewpoint of an obedient woman, a rebellious woman, and the social norms required for both of them.
Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “A woman is like a tea bag. It's only when she's in hot water that you realize how strong she is.” This is very evident in both Antigone and a Doll’s House. Antigone is a Greek play by Sophocles about a young girl who decides to take on the task of burying her traitorous brother to honor the gods even though her tyrannical uncle Creon has outlawed the burial. A Doll’s House by Ibsen follows Nora Helmer, a housewife who has borrowed money without her husband’s knowledge or consent for the purpose of taking him to Italy for medical reasons. It outlines the internal and external conflicts she experiences in the final days of her secret. It is important to understand the roles of women in both plays because during the time periods they were written, women were held to very different standards and were far more oppressed than men. There are many examples of nonconformity of women in Antigone and A Doll’s House in the ways that the main characters rebel against what is expected of women. Nora and Antigone are headstrong, sharp-witted, and willing to break the law for love, three character traits that were uncommon and almost frowned upon by society for women in history.
“...never let some woman triumph over us. Better to fall from power, if fall we must, at the hands of a man —never be rated inferior to a woman, never.” This quote spoken by Creon, in Sophocles’ Greek tragedy Antigone, adequately represents the opinion on women during the time in which Antigone would have been alive. Women were viewed as lower than men and were expected to be docile and passive. They were expected to never object to a man’s words, no matter if those words were to be unfair or unjust. Despite this, Antigone refuses to follow one of the most fundamental teachings of her culture by burying her brother even though the king, Creon, explicitly forbids the action, since her brother is a traitor. She rebelliously does what she feels is right, which cannot be said for her sister, Ismene. Ismene represents what a woman of her time was viewed as: weak and submissive to men’s
Feminism is a large issue in present day while it was not such an important idea throughout history. Man was historically stronger, smarter, and more useful than woman. As it turns out, that idea is incorrect although at the time that “Antigone” by Jean Anouilh was written, this idea was widely accepted by both man and woman. The play itself is about breaking what is law to do what is right, but under all of that lies the true theme of man vs. woman. Antigone is set out to see how far a woman can push a man before a war is started.
Over the years, literature has played a very important role in showing traits of behavior of past societies, and some of it, has particularly focused of patriarchal societies and oppression of women. In ancient Greece, literature explored some problems of the Greek society and in many cases, exposed several of these issues to the public through theatrical representations. The drama genre in particular, was one of the most relevant forms of literature in ancient Greece, and some of the first representatives of this genre are Euripides, author of Medea and Sophocles, who wrote Antigone. The main characters portrayed in these works of literature, written by men living in a patriarchal society, challenged the stereotype of women and femininity. The roles of Athenian women in the fifth century B.C. were primarily those of wife and mother.