Introduction
Greek literature is sometimes said to reflect Greek society’s values, beliefs, and conventions. In these circumstances, women, the family, and the oikos constitute a sizable portion of these beliefs, customs, and values. Ancient Greek dramas present a particular view of women’s roles in society, family, and oikos. While Antigone depicts a more feminist attitude, The Trojan Women, Hecuba, and Andromache emphasize that Greek women do not have any control over their fate outside their family or oikos, which are separated from the male-led state.
Comparison of Women, Family, and Oikos Portrayed in the Plays
Antigone
Antigone is one of the key pieces of literature presented by Greek literature. Sophocles depicted Antigone as a strong-willed woman who does not follow her uncle’s order to bury her brother, who fought against her city-state in defiance of his command (Sophocles & Fitts, 2010). Antigone resists the patriarchal culture, in contrast to her sister Ismene, who gives in to fear and submits to male authority.
She asserts that “the unwritten rules of the gods, which supersede human laws,” serve as her compass (Sophocles & Fitts, 2010, p. 58). The play depicts the distancing between polis and oikos as Antigone prioritizes divine law and her family over the state. Readers may relate to Antigone’s rejection of male authority and eventual sacrifice because they represent a feminist message.
The Trojan Women
Contrarily, The Trojan Women primarily portrays women as passive objects of masculine aggression. When Jocasta, Oedipus’s wife and mother, learns that she has wed and given birth to children with her son, she kills herself. Ismene, Antigone’s sister, is presented as a “helpless and obedient figure” who counsels Antigone to submit to male authority (Griffith et al., 2013, p. 56).
It is said that Antigone and Ismene, the two daughters of Oedipus, were the last of the royal family to break the curse set on their house. The family or oikos in the play is presented as a traditional male-led structure. At the same time, women follow and cherish this order in contrast to Antigone, who manifested her individual values.
Hecuba
Euripides’ play Hecuba has a similar view of the family in society as The Trojan Women, emphasizing the central role of oikos in the life of a woman. According to the play, Hecuba has lost “everything, her family, her home, and her freedom” (Mastronarde, 2004, p. 75). She was abducted after the destruction of Troy, having no control over her own life, in contrast to Antigone, who made her own choices. Her adversity and fortitude suit the stereotypical view of women as teachers and defenders of the oikos or family.
Andromache
Another Euripides work, Andromache, tells the story of what happened to the Greeks when they kidnapped the Trojan princess Andromache, whose role is surprisingly similar to Hecuba’s. Andromache is portrayed in the drama as “a lady who goes through a number of misfortunes,” including losing her husband, her city, and her child (Mastronarde, 2004, p. 46).
Women were frequently utilized as players in political and military battles, as Andromache’s predicament demonstrates. Her death also serves as a stark reminder of how vulnerable women are in patriarchal societies where men hold the reins of authority over them. Family or oikos has utmost significance, while women ought to protect them even at the expense of their lives.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Greek plays illustrate the roles of women, family, and oikos. Women are presented as protectors of the family, which is their primary duty in a patriarchal society. Oikos is distanced from the state as it is a separate social structure. Therefore, women are involved exclusively in family business, while men are engaged in state affairs.
However, as Hecuba and Andromache show, women can be used in political games against their will. Additionally, these plays illustrate that in Greek society, women had nothing except for their families or oikos, which is also supported by the view presented in The Trojan Women. Antigone offers a more feminist approach but still emphasizes the value of oikos for a woman and its distancing from the state.
References
Griffith, M., Most, G. W., Greene, D., & Lattimore, R. (Eds.). (2013). Euripides III: Heracles, the Trojan women, Iphigenia among the Taurians, Ion. University of Chicago Press.
Mastronarde, D. J. (Ed.). (2004). Euripides I. University of Pittsburgh Press.
Sophocles, R. F., & Fitts, D. (2010). Sophocles, The Oedipus Cycle. Classic Books International.