Women's Roles in Antigone and A Doll's House

902 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Gender politics in the Antigone

In the plays Antigone and A Doll's House, the playwrights discuss gender roles and how they relate to the characters in each individual play. Antigone, by Sophocles, follows a young girl who defies a law issued by King Creon against burying her brother, who fought against their town in the recent war. Creon orders her to be executed, but she ends up committing suicide. In A Doll's House, by Henrik Ibsen, a wife named Nora takes out a loan by herself, unacceptable for a woman during that time period, and tries to appease the lender who threatens to reveal her loan. In the end, Nora's husband, Torvald, finds out about the loan and Nora ends up leaving him. In each of these plays, Sophocles and Ibsen offer insight into the problems faced by women who are independent, stubborn, and brave.

In each of these plays, the protagonist is a woman who has a very independent mindset, but is limited by society in how much she is able to do for herself. For example, after Antigone buries Polynices, she tries to defend what she did to Creon. However, he refuses to listen to her because he doesn’t want to seem like he would listen to a woman (Sophocles 37). His refusal shows that men are supposed to be dominant over women and a man who listens to a woman is not masculine. It also represents the idea that during this time period, women have no valuable opinion. Additionally, in A Doll’s House, Nora is criticized for taking out the loan on her own, like when Mrs. Linden says, “Why, a wife can’t borrow without her husband’s consent!" (Ibsen 151). This criticism demonstrates the idea that women are unable to make their own decisions and decide things for themselves. It also shows the belief that only men have the sense to make a business deal, and w...

... middle of paper ...

...n he tried to intimidate her earlier and that she would be so bold to his face. The criticism faced by the characters in the plays demonstrate the idea that women are inferior to men and should not speak out for themselves.

Each play represents the issues faced by each gender during the time period in which it was written. However, many of the issues are similar in each time period, as well as throughout most of history. These issues will likely continue to affect both women and men for a long time in the future.

Works Cited

Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll's House. World Literature: An Anthology of Great Short

Stories, Poetry, and Drama. Columbus, Ohio: McGraw Hill Glencoe, 2004.

140-202. Print.

Sophocles. Antigone. World Literature: A Anthology of Great Short Stories,

Poetry, and Drama. Columbus, Ohio: McGraw Hill Glencoe, 2004. 14-57. Print.

Show More
Related

  • Trifles and A Dollhouse

    855 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout the plays, the reader can visualize how men dismiss women as trivial and treat them like property, even though the lifestyles they are living in are very much in contrast. The playwrights, each in their own way, are addressing the issues that have negatively impacted the identity of women in society.

    Read More

  • Male Roles in the Plays Antigone and A Doll’s House

    1097 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Remember we are women, we’re not born to contend with men” (Sophocles, 18). The popular literary works, Antigone and A Doll’s House, written by Sophocles and Ibsen, are two famous tragedies that have been performed and read throughout the decades. Although countless audiences have been entertained by these well written plays, few would care to guess that many lessons and several unfortunate truths can be found with a less than tedious inspection of the characters and the reactions they give to their circumstances. The two main characters in these stories, Antigone and Nora, face adversities and problems that are amplified by their society’s views on the rights and abilities of women. The two main male characters in these plays, Creon and Helmer, cause the greater part of the struggle that the female protagonists face. The difficulties that Helmer and Creon create during the plot of these stories are the cause of three major characteristics of what one would consider typical to a headstrong man in a leadership position. The three features of Creon and Helmer that lead to the eventual downfall of Antigone and Nora, are pride, arrogance, and ignorance.

    Read More

  • Feminism In Antigone And Wicked

    1786 Words  | 4 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • The Role of Women in Antigone

    596 Words  | 2 Pages

    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?

    Read More

  • A Character Comparison: Nora Vs. Antigone

    1855 Words  | 4 Pages

    Nearly every society, Nora and Antigone's are no exception, dictates a specific place or purpose for women, and while Nora and Antigone's respective societies possess some similarities regarding women's place and purpose, they contain several important differences. In Antigone, for example, the relative worth and status of women in Thebian society seems clear; women are to submit to the rule of man. Ismene suggests this submissive attribute of women in Thebian society when she begs Antigone not to defy Creon's commands, "Remind ourselves that we are women and as such are not made to fight with men." (193) Evidently the Thebian society controlled by men has kept a lid on women's individuality so much so that even a member of the royal family, Ismene, speaks of the futility in attempting to clash with the rule of man. Furthermore, Creon asks Antigone if she is "ashamed to differ from such men [the Chorus]?" (212) This suggests that in Thebian society w...

    Read More

  • A Comparison of Antigone and A Doll's House

    686 Words  | 2 Pages

    In merely looking at the surface, one notices right away that both plays are significant in that they avoid the social temptation of using a man as a protagonist. Looking deeper into the stories, however, one can see that in even more contradiction with society, the female characters go against men. Both Antigone and Nora step into the spotlight as the female hero who has been put in a compromising situation and is forced to decide whether it is more important to follow what society dictates, or go with what they feel is moral and just.

    Read More

  • A Doll’s House and Antigone

    1126 Words  | 3 Pages

    Discuss the Concept of the sins of the father in relation to A Doll’s House and Antigone

    Read More

  • Cat On A Hot Tin Roof Analysis

    2326 Words  | 5 Pages

    In the opening of both the play and the novel we are introduced to the two main female characters which we see throughout both texts. The authors’ styles of writing effectively compare and contrast with one another, which enables the reader to see a distinct difference in characters, showing the constrictions that society has placed upon them.

    Read More

  • Feminism in Antigone and A Doll’s House

    1463 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Antigone and A Doll’s House feminine comparison

    2038 Words  | 5 Pages

    “The emotional, sexual, and psychological stereotyping of females begins when the doctor says, ‘It's a girl.’” (Chisholm). Where do women fit in the social order of society today? Many women today fit in the same role as they would have been expected to long ago. Though generally speaking, women have a lot more options today. The male hierarchy still governs most aspects of society, but with many more limitations because women are discovering that they can stand on their own, and have no need for constant regulating from their male counterparts. Patriarchal influences are the base of society. In Antigone Sophocles tells a tale about Greek values and women’s status. Antigone has just witnessed her two brothers kill each other; one brother died defending Thebes and the other died betraying it. Creon’s law keeps anyone from burying the traitor and Antigone is set on contravening this. Conversely, Ibsen’s playwright, A Doll’s House, is a story about an intelligent woman, Nora, who is misunderstood by her husband, Torvald. She takes desperate measures to keep her family intact but in the end wines up going out on her own. As the stories progress the both Nora’s and Antigone’s characteristics become very similar in that they are both rebellious, are subservient to male jurisdiction, and are resolute and strong-willed in their decision.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Gertrude And Ophelia

    892 Words  | 2 Pages

    This fact plays a crucial role in the mood of the play. If the reader understands history, they also understand that women did not really amount to any importance, they were perceived more as property.

    Read More

  • womenant Portrayal of Women in Sophocles' Antigone

    834 Words  | 2 Pages

    Although ancient Greece was a male-dominate society, Sophocles' work Antigone, portrays women as being strong and capable of making wise decisions. In this famous tragedy, Sophocles uses the characters Ismene and Antigone to show the different characteristics and roles that woman are typical of interpreting. Traditionally women are characterized as weak and subordinate and Ismene is portrayed in this way. Through the character of Antigone, women finally get to present realistic viewpoints about their character.

    Read More

  • The Portaryal of Gender in Othello by William Shakespeare

    1409 Words  | 3 Pages

    The portrayal of gender roles in William Shakespeare’s play Othello, demonstrates the inferior treatment of women and the certain stereotypes of men placed on them by society. Both the male and female characters in the play have these certain gender expectations placed on them. In a society dominated by men, it is understood that the women are to be seen rather than heard. The women are referred to and treated much like property. If indeed they do speak up, they are quickly silenced. One woman’s attempt to be the perfect wife is what ultimately led to her demise. The expectations of men are equally stereotypical. Men are to be leaders and to be in control and dominant especially over the women. The male characters compete for position and use the female characters in the play as leverage to manipulate each other. Shakespeare provides insight in understanding the outcomes of the men and women who are faced with the pressures of trying to live up to society’s expectations, not only in the workplace, but also in the home. The pressure creates jealousy issues amongst the men and they become blind to the voice of reason and are overtaken by jealous rage, leads to the death of many of the characters.

    Read More

  • Women: The Role Of Women In Shakespeare's Othello

    1877 Words  | 4 Pages

    Even though in the play, women are mainly seen as submissive, there are a few incidents of women establishing their beliefs and act as an individual.

    Read More

  • Women´s Portrayal in Shakespeare´s Othello

    1426 Words  | 3 Pages

    Men have so much control in this society and Shakespeare has a little bit of a change in the women in his play.

    Read More

More about Women's Roles in Antigone and A Doll's House

Open Document