Faro Vitale

Professor Brady

English 102

2/25/12

                                                Power of Gender

            Throughout history in reality and also in literature there are many variations of gender inequality. Gender inequality is described as a great difference between individuals due to gender. Gender inequalities are thoroughly projected in the plays “Antigone” by Sophocles between the characters Creon, Haemon, and Antigone and also in Tennessee Williams play “A Streetcar Named Desire” between Stanley, Blanche and somewhat Stella. During ancient Greece the male species was dominant over the females in terms of power and rule with the women having no rights but to be obedient to the men, and in the 1940’s in America women still didn’t have many rights or as much power as the men.

            In “Antigone” the ruler Creon shows a great deal of gender inequality throughout the entire play especially towards Antigone. Throughout the play Creon displays his power as the ruler of Thebes and puts it on display to the people, very rarely does he like to show weakness to his peers especially towards women, he shows this during his argument with his son Haemon when he states “we cannot give victory to a woman. If we must accept defeat, let it be from a man.”(Creon 729-730) He is trying to say women are weaker then men so he cannot show weakness to a woman. Throughout the play he argues with his son Haemon about his nature to show sympathy towards women and Antigone, Creon makes another statement showing this when he says to Haemon “your nature is vile, in yielding to a woman.”(Creon 803) and also when he says “you woman’s slave, do not try to wheedle me.”(Creon 814) he is showing utter disrespect for Haemons efforts in trying to save Antigone. At times Creon shows no respect towards Haemon and goes as far as to threatening his son to kill Antigone right next to him “you people bring out this creature, this hated creature, that she may die before his very eyes, right now, next to her would-be husband.”(Creon 828-830)

             In “A Streetcar Named Desire” Williams displays gender inequality in various characters in different points in the play. Blanche has a distinct dislike for Stanley from the start of the play and as they go on she goes on to call him an “animal” as he acts on that description of himself in the play. Stanley is shown yelling at the other men around the poker table displaying his dominance, he dominance and disrespect for Blanche is shown when Blanche turns on the music during the poker game and even though the other men don’t mind the music Stanley pursues to break the radio showing his animalistic behavior. Williams shows symbolism to the poker games and dominance/ primitive behavior when Stanley throws his plate to the floor and states, “what do you two think you are? A pair of queens? Every man is a king! And I am the king around here, so don’t forget it!”(Stanley, scene 8) Stanley’s actions show his disrespect towards women when he slaps Stella on the butt while there is company present even though he has clear knowledge that she doesn’t like when he does it. His rage is displayed not only with him throwing the plate to the floor but he goes as far as getting physical with his wife Stella and abuses her in front of the others. Stella is shown as weak and depending on Stanley when returning to him son after the attack on her. The biggest deal of gender inequality is the brutal act of violence on Blanche from Stanley. The climax of the play is the rape of Blanche by Stanley in scene 10, since in the entire play Blanche has gone toe to toe with Stanley and has objected to his dominance he had to prove to her that he is dominant between the two of them.

            During both of these time periods there was a great deal of gender inequality. In ancient Greece women had no rights and had to follow every demand of whoever was married to them. In the 1940’s American women were usually married to strong hard workingmen and still had very little rights. In “Antigone” she was sentenced to death for doing what was morally correct and in “A Streetcar Named Desire” Stella was abused for speaking up and the same man out of straight rage and dominance raped her sister Blanche.