Gender Inequality In Antigone

Antigone by Sophocles is a play about the struggle for family, power in politics, power between men and women. In this play, the conflict between Creon and Antigone has several dimensions to it. Creon argues with Antigone as a ruler, as a future father in law and as a man in the male dominated society. In the lines (Creon 528-529) Creon says, “I am no man and she the man” if he does not punish her. When Sentry tells Creon that someone buried Polyneices, he describes the person as a man. Sentry considers the person to have buried Polyneices to be a man because he considers that these women in their society are not bold enough to go against the law (sentry 668-671). The significance in these two conversations is that in both these sentences Sophocles describes the society as a male dominated society. From these sentences both Creon and Sentry consider women to be weaker and men to be braver and stronger in nature.

There are several clear evidences that the conflict between Creon and Antigone is related to their gender. In the play (Creon 577), Creon states that he will not allow a women to rule him. Similarly when Creon defines a women in their society to explain how Antigone must be treated, he says that she should not be free to roam (Creon 634). This shows that Greek women were limited on their political freedom. Creon compares women to a field to be ploughed by men (Creon 626). Creon conveys that women are objects for men to breed children just like ploughing a land for crops. Creon reveals his strength as a ruler (Creon 195-210). He is not meant to be a king. Circumstances made him the king, hence he expects everyone to obey his orders (Creon 790). When Antigone, a women criticizes Creon in public, it makes him more agitated. Creon’s rage made him punish Antigone even though she is his future daughter in law. On the other hand, Antigone stands separate from all the women in her society including her sister Ismene, who refused to go against men, who she feels are stronger (Ismene 70-72). In the conflict between Creon and Antigone, the male and king Creon is supposed to think straight and Antigone, a women in a male dominating society is supposed to be emotional. But in this play Creon is emotional and Antigone is brave and logical.

Creon feels defeated when Antigone bravely buries her brother and boldly accepts it. He believes that if he does not punish Antigone, she will win. It bothers Creon to be defeated by a women who he considers as a weaker sex (Creon 729-731). Creon’s thoughts made him reject his son Haemon’s proposal of freeing Antigone. Creon himself mentioned in the play that the need to defeat her is all the more pressing because she is a women. Hence at last Creon faces the consequence for the mistakes he has made. He lost all that he considered crucial for a man. His wife, son, pride, and his power.