Athenian Principles
The Classical Age of Ancient Greece otherwise known as the Golden Age (ca. 480-430 B.C.E.), became the most creative period in the history of the world. A play called Antigone by Sophocles’, reflects the cultural values and characteristics of the Golden Age. The Golden Age of Greece featured civic pride in the society, a firm belief of realism and idealism, and a strong, tenacious patriarchal system and these qualities are shown in Antigone. After conquering the Persian wars Athens cultivated a sense of pride, euphoria, and chauvinism among the community. In fact, the largest polis was Athens. The well-known pride of the Greek citizens flourished into achievements such as drama, democracy, art, architecture, music, mathematics, philosophy, poetry, sports, and sciences. For example, the Olympic …show more content…
It was a cohesive patriarchal system in which Athenian women did not have equal rights as the men. Women were not qualified as citizens in Athens, neither were they allowed to possess or acquire land. Athenian women had a couple of rights, but not landowning by the age eighteen like the Athenian male’s that was forbidden for the Athenian women. Plus, Athenian women were not authorized to file for divorce of their husband. However, the men could divorce their wives without a problem. Basically, the Athenian women had to obey the male dominated society. In Antigone, Ismene tells Antigone “No, no we must remember we were born women, not meant to strive with men” (Fiero, 53). Ismene is trying to convince her stubborn sister Antigone, it is not their role to challenge the male authority. Unfortunately, when Antigone is accompanied by the guards to Creon, she confirms her actions of burying Polynices to Creon and then is sentenced to starve in a cave. In Antigone, it was a patriarchal society like the Golden Age because Antigone’s outcomes of disobeying the male rules becomes a
The Classical Age of Ancient Greece otherwise known as the Golden Age (ca. 480-430 B.C.E.), became the most creative period in the history of the world. A play called Antigone by Sophocles’, reflects the cultural values and characteristics of the Golden Age. The Golden Age of Greece featured civic pride in the society, a firm belief of realism and idealism, and a strong, tenacious patriarchal system and these qualities are shown in Antigone. After conquering the Persian wars Athens cultivated a sense of pride, euphoria, and chauvinism among the community. In fact, the largest polis was Athens. The well-known pride of the Greek citizens flourished into achievements such as drama, democracy, art, architecture, music, mathematics, philosophy, poetry, sports, and sciences. For example, the Olympic …show more content…
It was a cohesive patriarchal system in which Athenian women did not have equal rights as the men. Women were not qualified as citizens in Athens, neither were they allowed to possess or acquire land. Athenian women had a couple of rights, but not landowning by the age eighteen like the Athenian male’s that was forbidden for the Athenian women. Plus, Athenian women were not authorized to file for divorce of their husband. However, the men could divorce their wives without a problem. Basically, the Athenian women had to obey the male dominated society. In Antigone, Ismene tells Antigone “No, no we must remember we were born women, not meant to strive with men” (Fiero, 53). Ismene is trying to convince her stubborn sister Antigone, it is not their role to challenge the male authority. Unfortunately, when Antigone is accompanied by the guards to Creon, she confirms her actions of burying Polynices to Creon and then is sentenced to starve in a cave. In Antigone, it was a patriarchal society like the Golden Age because Antigone’s outcomes of disobeying the male rules becomes a