From a woman point of view…
When looking at the play ‘Antigone’ from the feminist point of view, I would say that there is an issue ‘gender inequality’ in the way Sophocles presented the female characters.
Women have no power what so ever in decision making and in voicing out their opinions. Their voice is totally unheard in any way for example in the case of Antigone when she speaks up her reasons of burying Polyneices to Creon. Creon will not listen to such an explanation especially when it comes from a woman, Antigone. For Creon, as he is the king, his alter ego is very high that Antigone is considered as rude and this challenges that ego. Thus, in my opinion, egoism is one of the reasons why he sentences such an unreasonable sentence of putting Antigone in a tomb until her last day.
In this play also, Sophocles presented women as the inferiors who have to submit to the men especially when Ismene sees that her own womanhood as her relative weakness. As for this reason, she does not want to go against the authority, in this case, Creon. She considers that as a reasonable action but personally I think that she is just so stupid to put herself low.
In contrast with this, the character of Antigone represents the new feminity where a woman, Antigone, at last has the courage to stand on what she believes and not to feel intimidated by Creon’s power. Thus, the emergence of such courage really pisses him off. If the setting of this play is in this year of 2006, I belief that Antigone will get a lot of supports especially from the fellow women. It is just so happened that this play is about the Roman society in the Roman Age. This somehow can be a motivational factor for women to fight for their rights.
Women have no power what so ever in decision making and in voicing out their opinions. Their voice is totally unheard in any way for example in the case of Antigone when she speaks up her reasons of burying Polyneices to Creon. Creon will not listen to such an explanation especially when it comes from a woman, Antigone. For Creon, as he is the king, his alter ego is very high that Antigone is considered as rude and this challenges that ego. Thus, in my opinion, egoism is one of the reasons why he sentences such an unreasonable sentence of putting Antigone in a tomb until her last day.
In this play also, Sophocles presented women as the inferiors who have to submit to the men especially when Ismene sees that her own womanhood as her relative weakness. As for this reason, she does not want to go against the authority, in this case, Creon. She considers that as a reasonable action but personally I think that she is just so stupid to put herself low.
In contrast with this, the character of Antigone represents the new feminity where a woman, Antigone, at last has the courage to stand on what she believes and not to feel intimidated by Creon’s power. Thus, the emergence of such courage really pisses him off. If the setting of this play is in this year of 2006, I belief that Antigone will get a lot of supports especially from the fellow women. It is just so happened that this play is about the Roman society in the Roman Age. This somehow can be a motivational factor for women to fight for their rights.
posted by norfaizah at 12:56 AM
2 Comments:
Hye fais...
I do agree with your opinion that there is an issue of gender inequality in that play.However, it just happened that it was Antigone, whom is a woman, had go against Creon. I am wondering what if the person was not Antigone. And instead of a woman, it was a man whom go against him. That will be more interesting I guess...It will be like a dragon meets a dragon. See, man will always concern about the 'man ego' thing you know. And have you ever wondered what if Ismene is replaced by a man's character? In that case, gender issue will not be a problem anymore...Afertall, this play had actually gave me the idea on how women in those days were portrayed as. It was sad to see that in today's modern living, we are still facing the problem although it is not obviously seen anymore.
I was attracting by Norfaizah view about egoism in man. She referred to Creon in the play entitle Antigone. In my opinion, of course every human in this world have this egoism in their attitudes and minds. However the different between them is the level of the egoism in them. In addition, the issue of gender inequality will not resolve because human themselves are the inventor for it.
In my opinion, women or men are the same creature that god have made. If both sexes know how to control their egoism, there will be no problem such gender inequality in this world. The concept of modesty should have in every person because it will resolve our egoism. Human also should respect each other so that they can listen to each other thought. In addition, it is not wrong to do things that have been state in the culture as long as it is not harm anyone. For instance, it is not wrong for a woman to be a housewife and work. It also not wrong for man to help his wife at home. As a conclusion, human they who should appreciate with what they have and be humble in everything they do.
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