In the Plays of Sophocles pictures very strong characters of woman. One of the brightest protagonists of the plays is Anigone, who challenged the law of state under death penalty. The play carries the idea that even in those times; women have the possibility of self-realization and can be as strong and wise as men. In Antigone, Sophocles describes the type of pride that allows men to create laws that substitute for divine principles. Also “Antigone” is a thoughtful example of Greek tragedy because the play contains all traditional Greek tragedy elements as well. Some of those elements mention or illustrate that the play is written in poetic format. Most of the main characters of the play were noble thus can make their full from grace more powerful and the major character of the play is quality of hubris.
Antigone is one of Sophocles most well studied plays and she is faced with the responsibility of bearing witness that Polynice’s body is properly entombed. One of the central themes of the play deals with the conflicts between Antigone and, Creon. The play Antigone deals with the conflicts between the individual conscience and the laws of the gods. Antigone is a character who is dominated by intense feelings and moral beliefs.
Sophocles’ play is named after its main character, Antigone, and for one the first times in the tragedy it is a woman. Antigone is clearly the protagonist and she mentions the position of women. The author of the play is presented that she as a victim and thus her benefits from a special status, which makes the reader, can appreciate her more than other characters. The play takes place in Thebes and starts the following night Polyneice’s and Antigone’s brother, Etecoles’ fight for the throne Oedipus held. Polyneices fights against his own country, the city of Thebes, and his brother fights defending it. The two brothers kill each other in the battle and Creon decided to leave Polyncies. Antigone decided to give her brother a proper burial and is prepared to face Creon’s harsh consequences because she felt it was worth keeping her loyalties to her brother, Polyncies. Creon states “A proclamation has forbidden the city to dignify him with burial, mourn him at all. No, he must be left unburied, his corpse carrion for the birds and dogs to tear, an obscenity for the citizens to behold!” (728).
The conflict between Antigone and Creon as a psychological clash between a woman and a man is that Antigone relates her plans of burying her brother, Polyneices to her sister. No one is to bury Polyneices for the penalty is a public stoning to death. Ismene, Antigone sister, pleads Antigone to refrain from her plans for they were only women. When Antigone declines her sisters begging, Ismene claims that she will keep it a secret. However, unkindly informs Ismene that she wants to tell it. Ismene states, “ I did it yes-If only she consents-I share the guilt, The consequences too.” Antigone states, “ No Justice will never suffer that-not you, You were unwilling. I never brought you in.” (737).
Every country has numerous civilizations and men have the clear role as a dominator. For many generations of men, their names and property pass down to an eligible male member of family. The drama tells of how a daughter of Oedipus, Antigone against the civil law of a single man, Creon. Everyone knows that men and women do not have equal opportunity in the family members especially in developing countries. The reality is always obvious, and has been pondered on for many years. The argument is how men and women are approached, and how they become different through culture and being together. Some of the clashes and relationships are the main history of approaching men and women.
In the play, Antigone’s gender has profound effects on the meaning of her actions. Creon by himself says that the need to defeat her is all the more pressing because she is a woman. The freedom of women is extremely limited; some