Antigone and Modern Feminists

Antigone first demonstrates feminist logic when she chooses to challenge a powerful male establishment. This establishment, personified by her uncle Creon, has a whole army to defend it, and it is usually challenged by whole city-state like Argos, not one lone "fire-eating" woman (3) and her bumbling sister. The challenge occurs as both a defiance of Creon's laws in Antigone's burying Polynices and as a direct verbal assault on Creon himself. Antigone tells Creon bluntly while he questions her,

The last three lines suggest Antigone's feminist stance: she almost calls Creon a fool! Such opinion shows that Antigone does not give Creon additional respect either because he is a man in a patriarchal society or because he is king. In such way, she argues an equality of the sexes, as well as equality under God. However, Antigone's justification for her act provides readers with more of a quandary.

Antigone's motivation to bury Polynices could be one of, or a combination of, three stimuli. First, Antigone could be using her statements about divine justice as a clever justification to leave the world as she does. Indeed, Antigone contemplates suicide with pleasure. She claims, "I'd welcome / An early death, living as I do now" (12), and she sarcastically claims, "We have had / A fine inheritance from Oedipus" (3). The inheritance includes, "the whole range of sufferings ... grief upon grief / Humiliation upon humiliation" (3). Antigone has led a horrible life full of grief and humiliation. She is miserable and desires to leave life with some glory -- something of which she has not had much. Clearly, Antigone leads anything but a pleasurable life. Thus, Antigone's motivation could be just to leave her miserable life with a bit of glory, which she can (and does) achieve by causing Creon's downfall.

She could also be spitefully defying Creon in a feminist mindset. Obviously, Antigone has no respect for authority. The Chorus tells Antigone, "We respect what you did for your brother / But there's no question that the orders of those in authority must be obeyed" (21). Antigone also claims, "What Creon says is quite irrelevant" (4), and, as noted earlier, she almost calls him a fool. Thus, Antigone does not respect government or Creon as a sovereign. Moreover, she even seems to want to partially overthrow the government. Prior to the burial she tells Ismene, "Soon you must show your mettle, if you've any" (3). Readers could take this to mean that Antigone is preparing for a battle in which she must show courage and strength. In short, because Antigone is preparing to battle and has no respect for Creon, she could just be spitefully defying Creon rather than carrying out a divine act.

But, of course, Antigone might also have more noble intentions. Not receiving burial is a huge dishonor to ancient Greeks. Antigone can not "stand ... passively submitting / To my own brother's being unburied" (12). She is unable to permit her brother to be not buried because of a "curse unburied bodies suffer from" (8). She feels that by burying Polynices and relieving him of the curse, she will be able to "face (Polynices) as a friend and look / Him in the eyes" (4). She feels that burying her brother will be an honor for her and her brother. In addition to relieving the curse, she also claims to be upholding God's law. She tells Ismene, "it's a crime that God commands" (4). When Ismene refuses to assist Antigone, she is told, "By all means, be an ashiest if you wish" (4). She also tells Creon of her "divine" intentions in the first passage here cited. Antigone believes that the Gods are commanding her to bury her brother. Antigone can then accomplish two goals at once: gaining popularity among the dead (4), and obeying God's commands. Of course, however, she also might be using divine law as an excuse to die or to spite Creon. Thus, Antigone could be either challenging Creon's authority like a feminist would, or she could have more selfish intentions.

Antigone shows a feminist mentality in her search for popularity among others. One essential characteristic of a person who advocates equal rights, and largely, a change in the status quo, is that he needs widespread popular support. Antigone seeks support several times.

To begin with, she asks for her crime to be made public. She asks when Ismene tells Antigone that she will promise to be silent about the proposed crimes. Antigone responds, "For God's sake, don't do that -- you're sure to be / Far more unpopular if you keep quiet. / No, blurt it out, please do" (5). Antigone wants her crimes to be public! She thereby is searching for support from the public. Antigone knows that if the public is unaware of her crime, she can not gather their sympathies and their support against their dictator.

Additionally, Antigone tries to gather the Chorus's support prior to her death. She first makes reference to the Chorus when she tells Creon, "These men are on my side. But they daren't say so. They're on my side, but they're forced to cringe to you." (13). She also claims to have Eteocles's support, despite Eteocles's being dead: "If (Eteocles) were living now, he'd back me up" (13). Antigone in this way claims to have the support of the Chorus and her dead brother. Because others support her, Antigone vainly hopes that Creon will support her.

Lastly, when she is desperate, she abandons all previous attempts at popularity and cries for sympathy from anyone who would listen. Antigone tries to evoke tears with a speech just prior to being dragged off to her death:

Creon dubs this speech properly as "blubbering" (21). Antigone cries for anyone with any emotion to support her in what borders on demagoguery. She attempts to make the Chorus to feel sorry for her. She uses loaded words such as "unjust," "eerie," "tomb," and "no-man's land." In such way, she attempts to gather peoples' support and to be a martyr. Martyrdom and civil rights movements (i.e. feminism) often go hand in hand. In the above mentioned ways, Antigone tries to gather support for herself and against Creon. Such support is essential to a feminist or anyone attempting to change the status quo.

Antigone's strong will is the last way she demonstrates characteristics of feminists. Creon notices that Antigone has a strong personality. He claims, "I know these rigid temperaments" (13). Creon also notices that Antigone is quite "mad" or "balmy" (15). Antigone's rigid disposition and feminist mentality may be the cause of Creon's feelings. Antigone's will is even stronger than Creon knows. He tells his servants after Antigone's interrogation, "Even the bravest people / Will step down [sic] quick when they see death loom up" (15). That Antigone did not run from her death sentence suggest an inherent braveness to Antigone, if not an inherent stupidity. Antigone's stubbornness and hardened nature is also observed by the Chorus. They draw a relation between Antigone and her father: "She's difficult, just like her father was. / She doesn't realize when to give in" (12). That Antigone is like her father, Oedipus, suggests not necessarily feminism, but an inborn (inbred?) tendency to be mulish. Of course, her feminism may just be a way through which her bullheadedness manifests itself. The Chorus also notices Antigone's strong will when they comment to Antigone, "You were self-willed. That has been your undoing" (21). Indeed, Antigone's strong belief in her correctness causes her downfall. In these ways, Antigone's strong will is demonstrated, and some feminist thoughts are shown.

In conclusion, Antigone in Sopocles's Antigone demonstrates feminist thoughts in several ways. She first challenges a powerful male establishment. She may do so for one of three reasons: to commit suicide gracefully, to spite Creon, or to be divine. She also demonstrates feminist mentality in her search for popularity. Antigone demonstrates feminist thought when she shows her strong will. These three characteristics combine to make Antigone appear to be a feminist long before her time. However, some evidence suggests that Antigone is not really a feminist. In any event, Antigone makes an interesting and varied character in Antigone.