Literary Analysis of Feminism Seen in Antigone and A Doll’s House Essay

Susan B. Anthony one time said, The true republic men, their rights and nothing more women, their rights and nothing less. In the plays Antigone, by Sophocles, and A Dolls House, by Henrik Ibsen, strong women overcome restrictions and limitations put upon them by their inn and gender. In Antigone, Antigone chooses to hold up Creon, her ruler, uncle, and a male control figure, to support what she believes is right, which is burying her brother and respecting the gods. Though it was forbidden for her brother to be buried because of Creons decree, she resists, and in doing so, feels empowered and discovers what a strong charwoman she truly is. Similarly, in A Dolls House, Nora is hindered by how the association in which she lives views women and their capabilities. After saving her husbands life and retentiveness the secret of a forgery that could potentially destroy her marriage, Nora discovers that her husband is not who she thinks he is when he turns on her as soon as his co nstitution is threatened. Through leaving her husband, Helmer, she aims to deposit a life for herself and become her receive person rather than just her husbands doll. Both of these women, Antigone and Nora, make choices that are unheard of for their time periods and that demonstrate the importance of couple relationships mingled with women and men. Through Sophocles and Ibsens plays, women in modern times can apprehend how women are repressed and subservient to men in male-dominated societies. An understanding of the restrictions set on women requires an analysis of the characters submission to men, the expectations placed upon them by society, and their search to let their inner voices through their struggles to be heard.The expectations placed on women by society ... ...ce, and become free lance women, even if they go against societys or their male rulers wishes. Sophocles and Ibsen alike portray strong women who defy societys expectations, do not bend to the wills of me n, and who discover themselves slice fighting for their rights. The actions taken by Nora and Antigone are remarkable for the time periods in which they live, especially with patriarchal societies. By analyzing these plays, women can determine how to become independent and not always conform to societys expectations, just as Nora and Antigone do. Relationships between men and women are changing, through time, to become more equal and accepting of strong-willed women. Women worldwide are slowly shrugging off the chains of restrictions placed upon them by the males in their lives and are growing confident tolerable in themselves to make changes for the better.