Challenges to Male Authority in Sophocles’ play, Antigone

Challenges to Male Authority in Sophocles’ play, Antigone

In the play Antigone by Sophocles, Creon and Antigone have distinct conflicting values.

Antigone first demonstrates feminist logic when she chooses to challenge a powerful male

establishment. This establishment is personified by her uncle Creon, who is newly crowned

as the King of Thebes. Creon poses to be a major authority figure in a patriarchal

society. Creon's regard for the laws of the city causes him to abandon all other beliefs.

He feels that all should obey the laws set forth by him, even if other beliefs, moral or

religious, state otherwise. Antigone, on the other hand, holds the beliefs of the gods in

high reverence. She feels that the laws of the gods should be obeyed above all others,

especially when in respect to family. The bold, tradition-braking character of Antigone

clearly clashed with the overpowering patriarchal dominance of Creon. This collision

between characters gives rise to the conflict between the sexes in Sophocles' Antigone.

The denial of burial to Polynices strikes directly at her family loyalty. This enormous

sense of loyalty leads to her simultaneous violation and observance to the duty of women

of the time. It is precisely this loyalty that makes her an active rather than a static

figure.

Antigone herself represents the highest ideals of human life -- courage and respect for

the gods. She believed that the law of the gods, which dictates that a body be given

proper burial rights, was more important than the law of the King. Throughout the play,

Antigone amazingly retains the traditional role of women, while at the same time boldly

challenges this depiction. The challenge occurs as both a defiance of Creon's laws in

Antigone's burying Polynices and as a direct verbal assault on Creon himself. Creon

becomes angry that a woman questions his sovereignty and condemns her to death even

though she was the daughter of his sister, Jocasta. Creon believes that if he does not

follow through on his word the people of Thebes will not respect his authority as king.

Thus Creon's patriotic values clash with Antigone's ethical values to make conflicting

roles.

Creon, being a new king, wants to prove his abilities as a firm and strong administrator.

Creon wants to be respected and feared as a king because this will prove him to be the

ultimate authorative figure in Thebes. He stands for obedience to the State. Surely it is

his voice the townspeople should obey. Creon abuses his power to force others to accept

his point of view.