Gender Roles In Antigone

1174 Words3 Pages

Imani T. Brown
ENG 1202
5/6/18
A Woman’s Place

Life cannot be without a measure of darkness, trials and tribulations, for success would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness. A women’s place in society has been a constant bumpy road when it has come to adding equality into women’s roles in society. Sophocles exposes the unequal power relevance between men and women in 441 B.C. as Thebes has a conflict between Antigone and Creon unfolds in his play Antigone.
The initial conflict in Antigone is that of the society in which she lives. King Creon and sister Ismene’s actions represent the personality of the society as a whole; full of fear and unequal gender biases. First representation can be identified in Ismene’s statement to Antigone, “You must realize we are only women, not meant in nature to fight against men,”(70-71) This statement points out the taught inferior mindset that women have in the Ancient Theban society, as well as gender specific stereotypes and assumptions that cause civil obedience. Ismene follows this statement by saying “And that we are ruled, by those who are stronger, to obedience in those beneath the earth, to give me their forgiveness, since force constrains me that I shall yield in this to the authorities. Extravagant action is not sensible. (72-78)” implying that male-only rulers are …show more content…

Evidence is seen in Creon’s statement “Do not, my son, banish your good sense, Through pleasure in a women, since you know, That the embrace grows cold When an evil women shares your bed at home” (699-702) Creon is trying to turn Haimon against Antigone which initially seemed to be a success until Haimon switches back to thinking in her favor. Creon ops to continually reiterate throughout the play that his authority would not be overlooked without consequences to whoever broke his spoken law. As a man Creon’s focus was mainly on making a name for himself. “So we must stand on the side of what is

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