Role of Gender in

Antigone lived in a patriarchal society where women were subordinate to men. Women had only a limited amount of freedom and were expected to conform to the ideologies of society. Antigone’s gender is a crucial part of this Greek tragedy, her gender affects the meaning and perhaps even the consequences of her actions. Ancient Greeks viewed the role of men as more significant than the role of women, though it is interesting to note that this play is entitled “Antigone,” the name of a female character.

Antigone and her sister, Ismene, were two very different women. Ismene was the perfect Greek woman. She was the complete opposite of her sister, Antigone. She accepted that men were the stronger sex and Creon frightened her. She believed that authority should be obeyed. She accepted her servitude to men and had no desire to push the limits. Even if Ismene had wanted to bury her brother she would not have done so. Her loyalty and fear were much too strong to be overpowere

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It is complicated because of her ties to the royal family of Thebes. Today most people would think of her act as honorable and respectable and it would make no difference if she were a man or a woman. The people of Thebes were appalled that a woman would do such a terrible thing. There are many readers which believe if Antigone were a man, she would not have been punished, though this is an issue that will forever be debated and never solved. He tells Antigone that “while I’m alive, / no woman is going to lord it over me,” (Lines 592-593).

Generally the people of Thebes agreed with Creon that Antigone should be punished. / Nor did that Justice, dwelling with the gods / beneath the earth, ordain such laws for men. The Chorus only develops sympathy for her at the very end. / Die I must, I’ve known it all my life – / how could I keep from knowing? – even without / your death-sentence ringing in my ears. These laws – I was not about to break them, / not about of fear of some man’s wounded pride, / and face the retribution of the gods. She acted on her own feelings and beliefs rather than the orders of a man.

Approximate Word count = 662
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

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