Lauren Ryan
Mrs. Carey
English 9H
December 19th, 2012
Digging Yourself a Grave
Throughout history, women have always been seen as inferior to men. Although this
stereotype has been improved upon over the years, there are still some civilizations who shine a
negative light on women. Moreover, many works of literature have explored the role of women
as a major theme. One of these works is Antigone by Sophocles. This famous play is the
conclusion to the trilogy surrounding the family of King Oedipus, the cursed man who fulfilled
a prophecy by unknowingly killing his father and marrying his mother. The play follows his
youngest daughter Antigone as she tries to defy her uncle, King Creon, and give her brother a
proper burial. In the second play in the trilogy, Oedipus at Colonus, Antigone’s brothers Eteocles
and Polynices go head to head in an epic battle to decide who has the right to rule the kingdom
after succeeding their father. The play comes to a close when the brothers murder each other in
battle. Afterwards, Eteocles is deemed a hero, while Polynices is seen as a traitor who waged war
on his own city-state. Antigone opens with Antigone explaining to her sister, Ismene, the plan
she has to bury their brother. Ismene refuses to assist Antigone, and this leads into this epic,
tragic play. Antigone, as well as Ismene, battle with themselves and those around them as they
try to overcome Creon and his chauvinistic ways.
Indeed, Ismene depicts the stereotypical image portrayed by women during this time
period. By her own mouth, she is often referred to as weak, even going as far to say “So think
Antigone, how we, weak women shall perish if we disobey the law.” (25) Here Antigone is
trying to persuade Ismene into assisting her in the burial of Polynices. At this point, she is
attempting to say that she and Antigone are basically asking for a death sentence if they try to put
off this feat, as it is not only illegal, but also something a weak woman could never do.
Furthermore, Ismene is reinforcing the idea that a woman could never do something of such
manly caliber, as this task is. Ismene also declares that she is loyal to the state over her family,
which is used in this context as yet another excuse to get off the topic of Polynices’ burial. She
retorts, “I too honor the gods, but but I am a frail woman and I cannot defy the laws of the state.”
(25) This furthers the thought that Ismene sees herself as a weak woman. Also, she is explaining
that although she is loyal to and respects the gods, she cannot proceed with the task of burying
her brother because it has been deemed illegal. She is also saying, however, that she knows the
gods will be displeased that Polynices has been left to rot in an area outside the city gates. These
facts prove that Ismene is a weak individual who cannot, at this point, break free from the mold
that society has set for her.
Antigone, on the other hand, is the complete opposite at the opening of the play. From the
start, she is characterized as a determined woman who will stop at nothing to prove a point. A
martyr for the cause of giving her brother a proper burial, Antigone can almost be seen as
ruthless. This is due to the fact that she will stop at no expense to do what she believes to be
right, even if the cost is her life. As opposed to her sister, Antigone represents the small
percentage of women who were strong, willing and able to do most anything during this time
period. Antigone can be characterized as a recalcitrant individual. Furthermore, she is very
proud, as she will not accept help from those who do not truly wish to give it. She declares
“Remain what you choose to be: I would not want you to help me even if you changed your
mind. But I will bury him, though i die for it...” (25) At this point, Antigone is explaining to her
sister that she should remain the person she has chosen to be, which in this case is a weak
woman. Furthermore, she is willing to die if it means her brother will be properly buried.
Digging deeper into her headstrong personality, Antigone has no reservations when it comes to
dealing with her uncle. She has absolutely no problem getting into scuffles with him and is not
afraid to tell it like it is. When her uncle, King Creon, asks who dared to defy his edict regarding
the burial of Polynices, Antigone retorts, “I dared: the edict was not from the God who rules
above...” (30) By this, she means that she is loyal to the gods over her king, and would much
rather please them than Creon. Furthermore, this proves that Antigone’s personality denies her of
holding anything back, and also causes her to always speak her mind. Moreover, this is a trait
that was not only rare, but was discouraged during the time in which the play was written.
During the time period in which the play was written, women were seen as inferior
creatures who could not hold an opinion, nor could they accomplish any and all tasks that a man
could. Furthermore, Antigone goes on to break this mold, as she is a headstrong woman who
isn’t afraid to say what shes thinking. On the other hand, Ismene has chosen to stick with the
stereotypical role of women, as she is seen as a frail individual. Moreover, Antigone and Ismene
grapple with life as a whole, as it is not very welcoming to women such as them, nor do the
people of Thebes wish to accept their cursed family. Indeed, Antigone by Sophocles showcases
the ups and downs of being an individual in a sea of people who all have the same views and
values. However, the play also conveys the message that is is important to stand up for what you
believe in, as Antigone did here.