Download The myth of Antigone is set in the city state of Thebes, but the

The myth of Antigone is set in the city state of Thebes, but the playwright, Sophocles, was Athenian.
As such, the play is almost certainly a reflection of Athenian values and customs rather than an
attempt to dramatize the attitudes and ideas of Athens’ neighbor to the northwest. However, even if
Sophocles was trying to recreate Theban culture (extremely unlikely given the way that ancient
societies tended to view cultures outside their own), it would not have been perceived as such by his
original audience, who were also Athenian.
This is significant because we know quite a bit about how upper class Athenians raised their
daughters, giving historians an insight into how the central conflict between Creon and Antigone
would have been perceived.
Antigone is betrothed, but not married, and Athenian girls could
be betrothed at any time after birth and before the onset of
puberty (a girl being eligible to marry after her first menstrual
cycle). This means that Antigone (were she a historical figure)
would probably have been between the ages of twelve to fifteen.
She would have been, in other words, a girl, not a woman. Think
of her as a freshman or sophomore in high school (Haemon
most likely would have been only a few years older).
Artemis
Pre-pubescent girls were perceived by ancient Athenians as wild
and ungovernable, and upper class girls were often removed
from the home at this age to the Sanctuary of Artemis (goddess
of the moon and the hunt, but also a goddess of young girls and
virginity) to live apart from the family as “bears”(arktoi). An
imaginative explanation for this custom emphasizes the
resemblance of the young girl to a bear; she seems almost
human (walking on hind legs, holding things in paws), but is both
wild and tame, both human and animal.
The significance of this for the original audience is that not only was Antigone a woman meddling in
politics (the domain of men), she would have been seen as a child questioning the decisions of her
elders.
DIRECTIONS: Keeping this in mind answer the following questions.
1. Assuming the original audience saw Antigone as a typical spoiled child defying her elders, how
would they have interpreted her actions when she a) announces she is going to bury her
brother; b) challenges Creon’s authority to his face; and c) ends up being the one who is in the
right? How does this alter the character from how it is usually portrayed in modern productions
(with Antigone being cast as a young woman in her twenties)? Explain.
2. In general, how seriously should adults take the political opinions of younger people? Different
cultures have answered this question differently. Consider the article on the reverse side, and
either defend the notion that young people should have a say in their governance or argue
against this idea. The more convincing you are, the better your grade will be.
Germany Ponders Giving Children the Right to Vote
Deutsche Welle (World)
07 September 2008
German citizen should have the right to vote in national elections, even those under the age of 18,
says a group of parliamentarians. They've proposed a law that would allow parents to vote for their
children.
Preschoolers have as much right to make their political opinions heard as adults, according to a
bipartisan group of 46 German parliamentarians.
The politicians are outraged that approximately 14 million German citizens are shut out of the
democratic process because of their tender ages, the DPA news agency reported. That means nearly
one in every five German citizens is too young to cast a ballot.
Currently, Germany follows the lead of most other democratic countries in limiting voting to adults 18
years of age and older. Some German states allow voting starting at age 16 for local elections.
The idea has gotten backing from some members of the conservative Christian Democratic Union
(CDU), center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the free-market liberal Free Democratic Party
(FDP). The proposal also has the support of political heavyweights such as the former minister for
family affairs Renate Schmidt, Bundestag vice-president Wolfgang Thierse and FDP head Dirk Niebel.
Constitutional change required
The supporters want to change Article 38 of Germany's constitution by striking out the sentence that
defines voting eligibility as starting at the age of 18.
Under the proposal, parents would be allowed to vote for the children. Parents could then add their
children to a voting list when they believe the child is ready to take on his or her own democratic
responsibility.
A similar proposal was defeated in 2005 on constitutional and practical grounds. Opponents objected
that parents would vote their own wishes and not those of their children. A two-thirds majority would
be needed to change the German constitution.