Antigone: Feminism
Feminism has been around long before literature. Feminism goes hand in hand with the women's right movement. Feminism has become more and more popular in themes throughout literature, although women have more rights nowadays than they did before. Antigone a character from Greece, which had very little modern rights, did not let that phase her. Antigone is a prime example for modern day feminists. She can also be compared to a feminist because she rejected to comply to her basic cultural duty as a woman, she defied noble figures, and pursued a fight for her rights against said nobility.
In Ancient Greece, women did not have high expectations. They were kept around to reproduce, cook, clean, take care of children, be respectful, and take orders. Ismene, Antigone's sister followed these expectations to key, while Antigone stood up for what she believed in. She rejected the idea of being the stereotypical woman. Instead of taking orders from the men, she directly disobeyed them. Antigone believed in following the laws of God. Antigone was never competent enough to take on these responsibilities of a woman, nor did she want to.
The most significant act of an anti feminism characteristic that Antigone showed in the story was the fact that she stood up to those empowering her, she did not back down and take orders like a typical woman should of. Antigone counter attacked the rule of a male-dominant empire. She went against the rule of not only her ruler but he was also her uncle. She was told she was not allowed to bury her dead brother, but she did anyways, which eventually led to her death. When asked if she was guilty of the crime, she did not lie, she owned up to it, proving her bravery. “I deny nothing,” Antigone said (line 59). Antigone stood up for herself against male dominance, which is a major breakthrough for feminists.
Although Antigone was the one who stood up to the male power, she was not the only woman in Ancient...