We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. By continuing we’ll assume you’re on board with our cookie policy

Gender Stereotyping in “Antigone”

essay
The whole doc is available only for registered users

A limited time offer! Get a custom sample essay written according to your requirements urgent 3h delivery guaranteed

Order Now

“Die then, and love the dead if thou must; No woman shall be the master while I live (184).”

This quotation portrays a powerful and important theme about gender and the role that a woman plays in Greek society. Antigone’s gender has an incredible effect on the others around her, for her actions don’t constitute those of an average woman in Greek society. An average Greek woman is characterized as subservient and passive, but Antigone possesses independent, strong-willed characteristics that make her intimidating to the men around her. Creon says himself that the need to defeat and control her is greater because she is a woman. Antigone rebels against social structure because she is caught between serving two different men. The first is her deceased brother, while the second is her hostile ruler. However, Creon is more than just her king, he is also her future father-in-law, as well as her guardian since the exile of Oediupus. Her feminine obligations are to men, but she is torn between the two opposing forces in her life. In a sense though, Antigone is indeed following the gender role of a woman, because she is serving a man, her brother, Polyneices. Antigone’s individualistic social rebellion is exceptionally intimidating to Creon because it upsets gender roles in hierarchy.

This propagating insurgence disrupts social order and his authoritative power, causing the unsteady Labdacids to return to a previous state of chaos that it experienced during the war. By refusing to be acquiescent, she upsets the principle rules of her antediluvian culture. This overturning of the fundamental order of Greek culture can be seen when Creon rambles to the chorus about the decision of whether or not to kill Antigone. “Now if she thus can flout authority unpunished, I am woman, she the man (174).” In this quote, Creon implores that he cannot back down from his ruling because the triumph of a woman is unacceptable and would make a fool out of him. He also must suppress Antigone because her defiance is seen to him as an attempt to undermine his male status and claim it as her own. Through Antigone’s simple duty of burying Polyneices, she disrupts gender hierarchy and power hierarchy at the same time. Creon wants Antigone to take the role of a woman and be submissive, obedient, and defeated, while making himself dominant, free, authoritative, and victorious. Coincidentally, Creon is the only one in the story who cares about this gender hierarchy, because it is he, who, as a man in power, has the most to gain from this unjust system.

Related Topics

We can write a custom essay

According to Your Specific Requirements

Order an essay
icon
300+
Materials Daily
icon
100,000+ Subjects
2000+ Topics
icon
Free Plagiarism
Checker
icon
All Materials
are Cataloged Well

Sorry, but copying text is forbidden on this website. If you need this or any other sample, we can send it to you via email.

By clicking "SEND", you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy. We'll occasionally send you account related and promo emails.
Sorry, but only registered users have full access

How about getting this access
immediately?

Your Answer Is Very Helpful For Us
Thank You A Lot!

logo

Emma Taylor

online

Hi there!
Would you like to get such a paper?
How about getting a customized one?

Can't find What you were Looking for?

Get access to our huge, continuously updated knowledge base

The next update will be in:
14 : 59 : 59