Similarities Between Antigone And Persepolis

Many women around the world have set examples for others to follow. They break government-set and social limitations to get to a better place in society. This is the foundation for feminism, the movement advocating for equal rights for women and men. In the graphic novel Persepolis and the tragedy Antigone, the main characters Marjane Satrapi, referred to here as Marji, and Antigone are examples of modern feminists who break through the limitations that were set on each of them. Women break limitations imposed on them by doing things that are seen as the defiance of their local government’s law. In Persepolis, Iranian schools during the Islamic revolution are strictly regulated by the government. As a young girl, Marji does not approve of …show more content…
During the Islamic Revolution, Iran held men and women on different levels in their social hierarchy in areas such as clothing and relationships. In Persepolis, Marji confronts her principal over a piece of jewelry she was wearing. Marji’s principal scolds “If you’re still wearing jewelry tomorrow…”, followed by Marji’s response “Yeah, I know!” (Satrapi 143). Marji’s response shows her faith to her beliefs of women having the ability to dress and live their lives as they see fit. She states earlier that nothing could stand in her way to living a better life, further displaying her desire to inspire change in her society. Social hierarchies have also created misconceptions between men and women. In Antigone, Antigone was the suspect for the crime of burying Polyneices. Creon assumed only a man would do such a thing. He says “But this is Antigone! Why have you brought her here?” (Sophocles 1.2.18). Creon does not know that a woman could commit the same crime that a man can. This displays Antigone’s burst through a societal limitation of a woman’s actions not equaling in impact or recognized as those by