Moral and Gener in Antigone essays

Moral and Gener in Antigone essays As the course Athens to New York begins, four questions are drilled into our heads as the foundations of the course. These questions might as well be Greek to us, for many college freshmen have never been asked these questions before, not to mention required to take a course that is focused mainly on these questions. The questions force us to look deep within ourselves, to investigate what our beliefs and morals consist of and how they originated. The questions in relation to the readings also force us to compare our beliefs and morals to those of other civilizations. Two of these questions have a strong meaning in the book Antigone by Sophocles. These questions are how do individuals and communities respond to differences in race, class, gender and ethnicity and what does it mean to be moral, ethical or just. Not only do these questions pertain strongly to the book, but todays society can strongly relate to these questions and the impact they have in the book as well. In ancient Greece, women were inferior to men, for they were expected to stay home all the time and keep the house. In fact, the only women who were ever outside of their house were usually courtesans or hereartas. The families of ancient Greece were very strong, for the poleis consisted of many extended families. Gender issues are very apparent in Antigone, and these issues lead to why Antigone breaks Creons man-made laws and followed the divine laws that Antigone felt was moral and just. The gender problems in ancient Greek society and Antigones refusal to follow the man-made laws of the land are important aspects of the play, for the gender and class problems in her society were the reasons that she did what she felt was moral, ethical, and just and therefore lead to her death for the honor of being able to bury her brother. One of the questions for the course Athens to New York is how do individuals and communities re...