Name: Dini Laetitia

NIM: 1209619002

Class: 19SA

Gender Roles in The Play Antigone

The story “Antigone” revolves around the power struggle between the main male and
female characters, we can see the importance of the female role within the tragedy. Antigone is a
bold and assertive woman who threatens to upset gender roles in her community by defying the
most powerful entity in Thebes – King Creon. She is a woman who rises up and faces death in
order to stick to her values. Such a depiction was as odds with the original audience’s perception
of woman place. This will be seen through an analysis of other character in the play and the
values of ancient Greeks.

In ancient Greece, women’s role in society was a minimal at best, yet Antigone
represents conflicting values. Indeed, this central character appears to be at odds with the
inclinations of the other females in the play. For instance, Antigone’s sister Ismene is weak and
subservient. She knows that the King’s decree was unjust but she is too timid to fight for her
brother’s dignity. She even tries to talk to her sister out of defying the King’s order. In the play
this is what she says in attempt to persuade her sister, quote “Think how much more terrible than
these our own death would be if we should go against Creon. We are only women; we cannot
fight with men Antigone! The law is strong, we must give in to the law. I beg the dead to forgive
me, but I am helpless, I must yield to those in authority. And I think it is dangerous business to
be always meddling”. These were symptomatic of prevailing perceptions of feminine roles in
that society. Women thought of themselves as weak and inconsequential. The other individual
who also displays these values in the play is King Creon’s wife Eurydice. She was not bold
enough to confront her husband about the moral wrongs he had committed, because this would
translate into a defiance that resembles that of Antigone. She chose the easy way out, and merely
committed suicide. The other women in the play are tools that have been used by Sophocles to
reveal prevailing gender assumptions. Books and scholarly analyses of women in ancient Greece
reveal that they were a fearful lot. Most of them could not dare to speak out against their male
counterparts because they would be confronted with violence. Additionally, because that society
was deeply rooted in mythologies, most women thought that if they stood out, they would anger
the gods hence bring curses upon themselves. All these fears kept them in the confines of their
homes. They let their brothers, husbands and fathers attend to all the serious matters in life.
While they stayed at home taking care of their children. Kings, members of the counsel, soldiers
and other political roles were strictly male dominated. This group made all the crucial decisions
in Greece while women abided and respected those decisions without question.

The main character in the play is definitely a progressive individual based on those
Grecian standards. Her gender had a serious effect on her actions because it undermined societal
structures. King Creon vehemently asserted that he needed to defeat her even more pressingly
because she was a woman. Her rebellion was a threat to hierarchical structures since she had
refused to act subserviently. This view was confirmed when the King realized that he had made a
mistake. Instead of correcting his wrongs, the King chose to alter his argument. He insisted that
accepting defeat to a woman would upset divine laws and he simply was not prepared to do so.
Such faulty thinking has been punished in the play through the deaths of Creon’s most important
family members i.e. his wife and his son. This is indeed a progressive depiction because it
focuses on an ideal female character. She made a resolve to bury her brother’s body regardless of
her sister’s support. Antigone firmly tries to protect her sister when she wanted to accompany her
to her death. She makes a very convincing and daring speech against Creon when he questions
her decision to bury her brother. Antigone does not refrain from provoking the king implement
his repressive resolution because she is certain about her values. Her purpose is firm and
undeterred, and she is willing to face death for it. When the guards carry her to her death, she
starts wailing about her untimely death. Antigone still exhibits heroic qualities at this moment
because she does not talk about Haemon and other lustful moments that she will miss upon her
demise. Even the very nature of her accusation makes her heroic. She is accused of committing a
holy crime. This sister wanted to bury her brother in the proper way but got prosecuted for it.

Four specific instances in the play reveal the heroic nature of the main character. First,
she readily admits her commission of the so called ‘crime’. She could have taken the easy way
out and be spared from prosecution. Secondly, she refuses to let Ismene take the blame for this
act and thus illustrates how selfless she is. Thereafter, Antigone faces death boldly without a hint
of nervousness or misery. Lastly, this woman is a true icon because she chose to take her life
than waste away in a cave. Instead, of waiting and hoping for the King to change his mind, she
chose to terminate it honorably.

Interestingly enough, Antigone is not too different from other contemporary fictitious
characters in Greek plays. Ancient Grecian playwrights had a tendency to create unconventional
and complex female characters. Some notable figures include Clytemnestra of the play
Agamemnon. This was a brutal and villainous woman who killed her husband and his lover. Her
actions are justified by the difficulties she underwent when she lived with her husband. All these
unconventional women reveal that Greek plays tended to elevate women above and beyond their
traditional roles in society.

The play remains relevant today because, like most feminist advocates, Antigone
represents a form of defiance to authority necessitated by seeming injustices. Such individuals
can be found in mainstream media today. Instances if racial injustices and oppression still occur
in modern time. Some countries are grappling with prolonged war, religious and cultural tensions
as well as economic oppression. In situations like these, individuals must stand up just like
Antigone did in order to mend these wrongs. However, these objections should not be raised
through brutal or violent means; they need to borrow strong feminine approaches such as the
ones depicted in the play. Intellect, firm will, and self-sacrifice are just some of the traits that
change agents today can utilize to change their world.

In conclusion, Antigone is a fascinating character who single-handedly takes on figures

of authority in an effort to fight injustice. The manner in which she deals with the King, her
sister, and her death make her quite endearing. It is these qualities that qualify her as an
unconventional and progressive woman in her society.