Male Reactions to Female Power in Antigone Essay -- Literary Analysis

Western society has a long history of subjugating women to men. Some evoke the idea that women are somehow weaker or inferior to men as a reason for the existence of this social dynamic. In Sophocless Antigone and, Durrenmatts The Visit, however, the female leads show capacious strength and are even able to threaten the male leads with their power. Creon and Alfred Ills disdainful and oppressive treatment of women stems not from the supposed inferiority of women, but from the theme that humankind is afraid to lose control. This theme is developed through particular events in the plot the men begin in positions of power, which are then threatened by the women. Their amateur reactions to the powerful women cause them to lose more control until in the end, they have nothing. Their redemption comes not through defeating the women, but through accepting office for their own actions.To begin with, Creon and Ill have power socially and politically. Creon is the King of Thebes and Ill is the most popular personality (Durrenmatt 15) of Guellen. Sophocles and Durrenmatt set the stage by implying that their menses situation will last the gods (Sophocles 170) themselves appoint Creon as king and the people of Guellen unanimously agree to nominate (Durrenmatt 15) Ill as the mayors successor. Furthermore, foreshadowing of their actions towards Antigone and Claire appears as approval. The elders of Thebes assure Creon that he has power over the living and the dead (Sophocles 172), justifying his actions towards Polyneicess body and empowering his punishment of Antigone. Ill, on the other hand, represents Guellens last chance for survival. All depends (Durrenmatt 14) on Ills ability to capitalize on his and Claires ... ...no reason to continue mistreating Antigone and Claire.A series of events catalyzed by powerful women and ending with a tragic loss for the male leads of The Visit and Antigone reveals a reason for the mistreatment of women in western society. Durrenmat t and Sophocles show that the oppression of women stems from mans fear of losing control. By identifying this fear, the authors underscore the importance of treating women as equals, as the decision of the male leads to blame the women rather than to accept certificate of indebtedness for their actions is what causes their downfall.Works CitedDurrenmatt, Friedrich. The Visit a Tragi-comedy. Trans. Patrick Bowles. New York Grove, 1982.Sophocles. The Oedipus Plays of Sophocles Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus, Antigone. Trans. Paul Roche. New York New American Library, 1958.