Antigone is a special character in the play as she uses her morals and set of values to brave through the hardships she faces in life. Her bravery helps her to stand up for what is morally right, while her values help in overpowering those who try to stray her from the path of righteousness. The best example is where she feels that she must bury Polynices, contrary to the expectations of many including Ismene. In this regard, Antigone's presence in the world of the play represents the change from the archaic laws and practices. For instance, Antigone goes against the Creons' unjust law for she believes that it insults Polynices. The world in which the play takes place is founded on gender segregation, where the females were considered weaker sex. Antigone is represented as a source of destruction of the notion that female characters are weak and subjective to discriminatory laws that make them subjects to their male counterparts in the Greece of that time. Antigone turns the image of women in plays and stories at that time, which was weak, where she shows that they are as powerful and as brave as their male counterparts.
Gender Functions
The gender roles were varied in the Greek culture. In Antigone, men and women were not equal considering that there were specific roles for each of the gender affiliation. The best example is seen when Antigone tells Ismene that she needs her support in burying their brother. Ismene believes that they are women by birth and as such, it is forbidden for them to carry out such a role. Ismene thinks that the law gives men have more powers than the women and that the women must obey the rules lest they face harsher agonies for they are powerless. This primarily shows that women were less powerful and could not stand up for what they believe in. Antigone is portrayed as the character that disrupts the expectations of the gender functions in the play. Antigone goes against the laws of Creon to bury her dead brother while knowing the consequences that are attached to the contravention of the law. When Creon asks her if she knew about the laws that were made against burying Polynice, Antigone admits that she was aware of the laws. This shows that she believes in her strength and the power of doing what she feels is right as opposed to being controlled by the unjust laws of the dominant male.
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Comparing Mrs. Hale and Antigone
Civil disobedience is the theme that is portrayed by the main characters in the plays, Antigone and Trifles. The female main characters are portrayed to have both committed the act of civil disobedience. On her part, Antigone protects the honor of her dead brother, thereby disobeying the laws of King Creon. On her part, Mrs. Hale protects a neighbor from facing the homicide charges as she breaks the law before the Sherrif and the County Attorney. The crimes of both characters are similar, while the variations lie in the way they handle the violations. Antigone handles her breaches by planning to face the disastrous consequences, while Mrs. Hale schemes are smartly executed as she prevents herself and the neighbor from punishment by concealing the evidence. The similarity in the traits of main female characters in Antigone and Trifles is significant as it shows how moral defectiveness can help in serving justice especially when the law targets the oppressed. The two female characters find the need to violate the law as a mode of serving justice to those who deserve it the most.
