Male and Female Social Characteristics in the Heroine of Sophocles' Antigone

Antigone combines the social elements of the two sexes in her practically by default: she effectively has no male relatives remaining (her uncle, Creon, is actually the one persecuting her and so obviously cannot be counted upon to perform manly duties for her benefit) and so must fend for herself in all matters. Yet while performing actions that are socially considered to be the male domain - conducting her own legal defense, for example - Antigone is shown to retain and use in her actions and conversations the qualities of her personality that come naturally to her as a woman.

The subordinate position of a woman in the Theban society is well represented through Ismene, Antigone's sister. To Ismene, to contradict the laws of the land is unthinkable because it is unnatural: "We must remember that by birth we're women, and, as such, we shouldn't fight with men" (77-78). She would rather face the repercussions in the afterlife for not following the laws passed down by the gods than go against an edict by an earthly ruler, which would cause her "even harsher agonies" (81). In Ismene's mind, only men are naturally capable of pious actions the result of which could be physical suffering and death due to contradicting human laws.

In this light, Antigone's attempts to bury Polyneices despite Creon's edict forbidding it can be considered a male quality of character. She is courageous and resolute in performing this, knowing what to expect when she is caught, and she is openly defiant when facing Creon and his accusations. Her defiance is not of a rebellious nature, however; Antigone argues at her "trial" that she has done nothing wrong by following the laws of the gods, as in her mind, divine laws supercede any laws a human ruler might institute.

Yet, even though Antigone takes on a male role in her defiance of the state, her actions are not driven by spite or hate - the two emotions that, as displayed by Creon, are clearly part of male character. She does not see Polyneices as the enemy whose goal was to conquer and destroy her city - she only sees him as her brother and as such deserving her love and devotion. When Creon admonishes her for caring about her enemy, Antigone replies: "But my nature is to love. I cannot hate" (598). In this show of nurturing personality, Antigone is undeniably female. The amalgamation of the two sexes is particularly striking because Antigone uses both male-centered and female-centered arguments in the same scene - her legal defense against Creon's accusations of treason.