A man’s dream is to have a woman to completely do what he says. From cooking, to taking care of the kids for him. Basically, do what sexist call woman’s work. Its a man’s world, we just live in it. Woman are just a small factor in life for many men in Ismene’s era. Men are the rulers we are just here to obey them, which seems unfair, but how can women stop it? So women like Antigone are strong and willing to fight those men, but women like Ismene are not so willing to stand up to men. Nowadays women have more of a voice than they use to. A rare woman is a woman who excepts sexist views. But in Ismene’s time she was as common as they get. In her time she was only a woman, so how could she ever stand up to a man?
Ismene is the complete opposite of Antigone. At times its almost as if she “excepts defeat” because she is a woman. “ Consider that we were born women, proving we should not fight with men”. Ismene just stated that because she is a woman, she can’t stand up to men. She proves a sexist man right that woman are weaker. At times, Ismene seems as if she’s the voice of reason when in all she is afraid of what the outcome holds for her and Antigone. Compared to Antigone,she is a rather cowardly individual. It’s okay to be scared but that's no reason to use your gender as a crutch for you not to do something. Ismene’s real flaw is that she has sub come to societies views on women. Which are that they are weak and unable to fight. Ismene’s willingness to obey is what really holds her back in Antigone’s time of need.
In Ismene’s case, she constantly uses excuses for every daring thing. She always does what she’s told, never dreaming of doing something rebellious. Making her sound weak compared to Antigone. Ismene at first defines the weakness of women by doing nothing. Family is family and you should makes some sacrifices for family. But I think some of Antigone has rubbed off on Ismene.
Soon Ismene started to gain somewhat of a voice. She wanted to share the punishment Antigone was given. I think after all that struggle Ismene finally realized she had voice after all. She’s no longer an nice girl anymore. Ismene began to have a fight in her that, in the beginning, she could have never found. Something clicked to make Ismene change so abruptly. At first, it was hard to imagine Ismene taking a stand after all the excuses she proposed.
Ismene was a stereotypical girl at first, but then she slowly turned into a strong woman. The cowardliness no longer controlled her. She found the inner braveness.
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