In ancient Greece, men who died in war fulfilled the civic ideal to the utmost. The women, destined to live out a degrading life, died in bed. Certainly, not all men died in battle, but every epitaph shows in one way or another, the city would always remember the men who died in war. Additionally, not all Athenian women died in bed; nonetheless, it was left to her family to preserve the memory of her not the city. No matter how perfect a woman was she would never receive the same status or level of social expectations from the city that a man received. No accomplishments were allowed beyond living a life of motherhood and submissiveness to a man, namely her husband. In fact, in early Greece, women were typically viewed as subservient to men, submissive in their actions, and of a status only slightly above slaves; however, Antigone was not your typical Greek woman.
Many ancient Greek Philosophers have written and expressed their views on women’s’ status in ancient Greece. One author, Sophocles, wrote plays about how you cannot escape fate, because the Gods give fate and men cannot escape what the Gods decide. Sophocles shows his case in point, that human laws can destroy a city, using Antigone as a noticeable illustration to show his points. Pericles according to the author Thucydides has hardly anything to say about women, but when he does, it is in a demeaning statement. Socrates never says anything in reference to women, but more to society in a whole. Finally, Sappho’s writings have been threatened to be destroyed because of her indifferent views towards women and how she portrayed them.
In the play Antigone, Sophocles stretches the role of a woman. There is a battle between what is right and laws of Gods or laws of man. Sophocles places Antigone in this fight against her Uncle Creon. Antigone stands up for ancient law and Creon stands up for man’s law. Creon voices his opinion on how he feels about women in ancient Greece. Creon states “We must defend the men who live by law, 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.” (Pg. 77 – line 755-762)
Antigone, with her sharp tongue, challenges Creon with what she feels is right “It wasn’t Zeus, not in the least, who made this proclamation – not to me.
Athena and Antigone valu honor to a great extent. Throughout the Greek tragedy, Antigone, Antigone, the female protagonist displayed a great lust for fighting for her own honor; She fights to be able to bury her brother. In Homer’s epic The Odyssey, Athena shows her hunger to maintain honor by fighting the gods to be able to continue to provide aid for Odysseus. Throughout each ancient Greek work, Athena and Antigone show strong perseverance despite great suffering. Antigone persevered and buried her brother, after being told not to, even though she knew that doing so would result in great punishment. Athena persevered and continued to provide aid to Odysseus, even though she was told not to by the gods. Both females were born into a higher class, and were stereotypically expected to not do anything with their lives, except be a rich female, But both females live up to the Greek hero archetype and prove that a royal female can become something great. Throughout history, with the exception of a couple civilizations, women are looked at as a lower class. There have been numerous women that have shown that women can be of equal, or more importance than
Brad Moore, a famous athlete once said, “Pride would be a lot easier to swallow if it didn’t taste so bad.” In Sophocles’ well known Greek tragedy, Antigone, the main character undergoes immense character development. Antigone transforms from being stubborn and underestimated to courageous and open-minded. In reality, it is Antigone’s insular persistence that leads to her ultimate decline in the play as well as others around her. After the death of her two brothers, Eteocles and Polynices, Creon becomes the new ruler of Thebes. With this, he grants Eteocles an honorable funeral service for his brave fighting. Claiming that Polynices was a traitor, he shows complete refusal to grant Polynices a respectable and worthy service. Clearly disagreeing with Creon’s inexcusable demands, Antigone declares she will bury Polynices herself so that his soul can be at peace. Entirely aware of the consequences and dangers of this action, which include death, she goes forward vowing her love for her family. Antigone shows strength and determination towards her brother. However, her growing sense of pride leads to her downfall as she sacrifices everything for her family. Antigone develops into an admirable character in which she portrays her defiance and courage, pride and open mindedness, and sense of moral righteousness to show vital character growth as the play progresses.
when you're not with them they get up to all sorts and last of all
Creon believes that his laws are absolute and must be followed above all else, even Divine Law. Therefore when Antigone, in accordance with divine law, goes against Creons edict by burying her brother she is forcefully imprisoned and sentenced to death by Creon. In Creons opening speech he says, “Of course you cannot know a man completely, his character, his principles, sense of judgment … Experience, there’s the test” (Sophocles, p. 67). How Creon handles Antigones unlawful actions serves as his first test as the new king of Thebes and ends up showing the Thebans a glimpse of his true nature, that of a tyrannical ruler. This can be seen again when Haemon comes to Creon with the hope of dissuading him from his current course of action. He does this by trying to make Creon understand that the citizens of Thebes don’t agree with his use of power and planned execution of Antigone. Again Creons authoritarian nature comes to light in his response to Haemon, “And is Thebes about to tell me how to rule… Am I to rule this land for others – or myself?” (Sophocles, p. 97). To which Haemon counters by saying that “its no city at all, owned by one man alone” (Sophocles, p. 97). Creon, being the tyrant he is, fails to heed the wisdom of his sons’ words, which ultimately leads to his downfall. Creon, like Machiavelli, believed that it was
This proves that no one should disobey his rules even if the people that he rules for thinks his morals are wrong. But no one wants to speak out or stand up to Creon because they all fear him and afraid to loose their life going against his words. But Antigone isn't afraid of Creon or the consequences that faces her if she goes against his ruling. Creon knows that Antigone would not back down, she shows him that she is not afraid of the consequences but yet still he wants to prove himself that his word is law even if the gods advised him that he would loose everything important to him.
He fells that people are already starting to do that at the beginning of his rule and says, “there have been those who have whispered together, stiff-necked anarchists, putting their heads together, scheming against me in the alleys” (i 113-115). His paranoia causes him to feel that people are plotting against him, which causes him to not accept input from other people. Because he is so clear that he does not want rebellion, Creon is very unhappy when Antigone buries Polyneices and feels that this is some form of rebellion. Instead of just accusing Antigone of the illegal burial, Creon blames her for “a double insolence, breaking the given laws and boasting of it” (ii 80-81). Though Antigone never boasted about defying the law, Creon is so self-conscious that he sees the act as much more than it really is. Finally, Creon does realize that he must break away from his ignorant ways. By the time he realizes that he should “not fight with destiny” (v 101) and that “the laws of the Gods are mighty” (v 108), it is too late. He was too oblivious and caught up in his own self-consciousness that he was not able to make the right decision quickly enough. Though Creon did eventually understand his mistakes, it was not enough to save him from the wrath of the
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Women had very few rights, they lived as prisoners, serving men 24 hours a day. Women were sheltered from society, restricted to their husbands and their husbands houses, crying out for help and justice but there is no one to there to hear their screams. In the play Antigone when the title character had to sneak out of the house to meet up with Ismene. Ancient Greek men ruled a lot like over protective fathers with teenage daughters. Men were also scared of women gaining confidence and begin thinking on their own or worse taking action or speaking out against men, like in the play Antigone where Antigone confronts Creon by burying Polyneices after Creon strictly stated that no one bury him. If someone were to bury him, the whole Polis would stone them to death. When Creon found out that someone buried Polyneices, he did not even consider that it could have been a women that did it.
There isn’t enough literature from this time period from the lower and middle classes of society, and the view of women we have comes from writings of the upper class males. As much of an enigma that the women of Athens were, it is clear that “women were for the most part legal nonentities,” (O’Neal 117) that were denied any association and participation in the intellectual life of their city. The women were not involved in getting an education, and never learned to read or write. O’Neal writes, “The principal spokesmen of fifth century Athens, Pericles and Thucydides, disdained Athenian women.” (O’Neal 117) Based on their writing, and on surmountable evidence, it can be assumed that women had only two roles in Athens - a wife, or a mother. A girl was ideally married at 14 or 15 years of age, and there was necessity that the bride was a virgin, otherwise she was shamed and sold into
Antigone’s opinions are distinctive as she clearly states her beliefs to Creon after being caught for performing her brother’s burial rituals. Antigone strongly believes that law has no validity when laid by a human as she questions Creon saying, “What laws? I never heard it was Zeus who made that announcement” (Antigone 450). This quote shows her reliance on the Gods for moral direction instead of the kings who reign over her. Although she disregards the law, she also accepts punishment; Antigone is able to follow her opinions and independently rule herself, yet also recognize the societal expectations of law and accept punishment. When being taken by Creon with her sister Antigone takes the responsibility of the crime all herself and recognizes what she did despite not being ashamed of it. One of the main views of Antigone that causes her disobedience is the belief that rulers should not keep loved ones from each other. Antigone clearly states, “He has no right to keep me from my own” this shows how she believes the connection between family overpowers that of a law passed by a vengeful king (Antigone 48). Antigone’s opinions contrast to those of Creon who is a gender biased ruler who sees women as lesser as he states “I will not be ruled by a woman” (Antigone 24). This shows his belief in who is credible within law. Not only does he have opinions on who
Having already been through public disgrace, when her own father, Oedipus found out that he was to fulfill a prophecy; he would kill his father and marry his mother, and this caused Antigone to be full of resentment toward her city. Both of her brothers die in a battle and, Creon, the king of Thebes forbids the burial of one of her brothers, Polynices. This must have driven Antigone to follow her moral law. Considering the love she had for her family as well as her God, she felt that you react upon morals not upon the laws of man. That morale law was to honor her brother and give him the respectful and proper burial that he deserved just as her other brother was given. The love she had for her family was the only thing she had left to honor. Ismene, Antigone’s sister was more fearful of the king’s law then the way her heart was leading her. Her values were slightly distorted.
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.
...ven in death shows that she had a strong heart and solid mind. She was not willing to let go of what was most important to her. Furthermore, in saying that she would not have performed this deed for her husband or children, she is denouncing her traditional gender role as a female whose only purpose was to become a loving wife and mother. Antigone’s expression of her independent spirit is what makes her stand out as an ancient literary feminist and martyr. Antigone’s legacy will live on, and provide inspiration to many other rebels to stand up for their
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.
In Greek classics, it is common knowledge that in that era women and men were considered unequal. Men were superior, and in most cases women were not even fit for citizenship. It is in this atmosphere and time period that Aristophanes wrote Lysistrata. The play itself is supposed to be a comedy, although the actions of the women do not seem amusing. Instead, the women’s actions, especially the main character Lysistrata, seem incredibly brave. Lysistrata rounds up her “troop” of all the women in Athens and a Spartan woman. They take charge of the acropolis and refuse to settle for anything less than a peace treaty to end the war. The only problem with this is, in ending the war, they will be bringing back the men from their duty and end up in the same social caste system as they were from the beginning. Aristophanes seems to make the point that – the only power women hold is their sexuality (Rex Par. 7). The Athenian women can withdraw from their husbands for however long they like, they still end up givi...