Social Behaviors in Antigone

In the play, we lay witness to Creon's manhood, not just his kingship, become threatened by Antigone's actions. This occurs when she takes center stage and presents formidable challenges to the king and other men around him. She defends her actions by telling Creon he had no right to make such a law in place of the gods to begin with, because he is merely a mortal man (p.82). This demonstrates Antigone's fearlessness to insult Creon's word and his law. The king was extremely insulted due to Antigone's countless remarks in front of his attendants. It is easy to say he wasn't just offended but felt that he was being emasculated by a woman. Later while the two were conversing Antigone insults Creon again by saying how much she is repelled by everything he says (p.84). Greek society at the time never allowed women to talk to any man in this manor like Antigone did to Creon. The fact that she spoke this way to the king makes it that much more offensive and emasculating. He is also embarrassed by Antigone laughing and mocking him about the law she broke and her acceptance of rebelling against it (p.83). .
             Due to Creon's credence to women being secondary to men and having a subservient role in society one could assume that if he was insulted by a woman, his masculinity would be threatened. There wasn't much to differentiate the two in their conversation about her actions. Both Antigone and Creon were strongly opinionated and rigid on their views of the matter. The fact that Antigone was displaying characteristics of a man essentially put his masculinity and leadership at jeopardy. When Creon stated "while I'm alive, no woman is going to lord it over me" demonstrated that he truly felt that some of his manhood and power as king was in question by Antigone, the surrounding people and himself (p.86). If this was not the case those words would have never left his tongue. Once Antigone had been sentenced and taken away, Creon spoke to his Chorus Leader for guidance because he had essentially lost his confidence as the king and a man.