Creon
The Ruling of Man
Men have always been looked at as inferior to women no matter what the situation may be. That is how ancient Greece and many other parts of the world operated. Women were never respected and their opinions showed no value to the benefit of their superior man. It is quite an unfair system, however that was the way things were run in the past. In Sophocles ‘Antigone’ women however are portrayed in a different light. They are shown to be brave, relentless and strong human beings. Even though they are portrayed this way does not mean that there were not any others who disagreed differently. Creon a powerful tyrant as portrayed in “Antigone” is obsessed with maintaining the subordination of women.
The play begins with the defeat of Polyneices army who has been chased away by Creon who has taken his role in ruling the city of Thebes. The brothers of Antigone son of Oedipus, Polyneice and Eteocles die during this war in maintaining the city of Thebes. Polyneice allied with the other city-states to attack Thebes while Eteocles refused this and the sharing of the throne. Polyneice’s death is the main reason that shows the subordination of women in this play.
Antigone, being Polyneice’s sister wants a proper burial for her brother because he after all no matter what action he may have taken is still her brother. She believes that if Creon orders Eteocles to receive a hero burial, her brother should deserve the same ending. However on the other hand, Creon refutes this idea and decides to bury Polyneice’s body in the field of battle to rot. He also proclaims that anyone who tries to honor the traitor’s death will be sentenced to death.
Antigone decides to go against Creon’s order and bury her brother without her sister’s help. Afterward Creon finds out from the sentry what she has done. This creates the clash of Creon and Antigone to begin when he brings her and interrogates her on her treachery. She denies nothing and confesses to her actions
Men have always been looked at as inferior to women no matter what the situation may be. That is how ancient Greece and many other parts of the world operated. Women were never respected and their opinions showed no value to the benefit of their superior man. It is quite an unfair system, however that was the way things were run in the past. In Sophocles ‘Antigone’ women however are portrayed in a different light. They are shown to be brave, relentless and strong human beings. Even though they are portrayed this way does not mean that there were not any others who disagreed differently. Creon a powerful tyrant as portrayed in “Antigone” is obsessed with maintaining the subordination of women.
The play begins with the defeat of Polyneices army who has been chased away by Creon who has taken his role in ruling the city of Thebes. The brothers of Antigone son of Oedipus, Polyneice and Eteocles die during this war in maintaining the city of Thebes. Polyneice allied with the other city-states to attack Thebes while Eteocles refused this and the sharing of the throne. Polyneice’s death is the main reason that shows the subordination of women in this play.
Antigone, being Polyneice’s sister wants a proper burial for her brother because he after all no matter what action he may have taken is still her brother. She believes that if Creon orders Eteocles to receive a hero burial, her brother should deserve the same ending. However on the other hand, Creon refutes this idea and decides to bury Polyneice’s body in the field of battle to rot. He also proclaims that anyone who tries to honor the traitor’s death will be sentenced to death.
Antigone decides to go against Creon’s order and bury her brother without her sister’s help. Afterward Creon finds out from the sentry what she has done. This creates the clash of Creon and Antigone to begin when he brings her and interrogates her on her treachery. She denies nothing and confesses to her actions