Antigone

First off, Oedipus was the king of Thebes and passed the throne to his two sons,
Eteocles and Polyneices, upon his death. The two brothers ruled Thebes until
they quarrelled, at which point Eteocles expelled Polyneices and a civil war
broke out with each brother fighting for the throne. Both brothers died in the
battle, allowing Creon, Oedipus' uncle, to become the king. Creon's claim to the
throne is legitimate: it comes directly from Oedipus in Oedipus Rex. It is in this
challenging political situation that Antigone opens.

Antigone begins with its titular character and her sister Ismene discussing news
from Creon, the king of Thebes. Both of their brothers, Polyneices and
Eteocles, have just died in battle. Creon has decreed that Eteocles will be
buried, but that Polyneices will not receive any burial rights because he was
fighting for the opposing side at the time of his death. Creon's choice actually
goes against the religious rules of Thebes, but he feels his choice is justified
because of Polyneices' betrayal.

Ismene and Antigone are deeply upset by this news, but Ismene does not
believe that there is anything that they can do, as they are women with little
power. Antigone disagrees: she has already decided to defy the law and go and
bury Polyneices herself, despite the potential consequences. In the next scene,
Creon announces that Polyneices' body is not to be buried, but a guard arrives
and tells him that the burial has already been accomplished. Antigone is swiftly
caught and brought before Creon.

Rather than deny what she has done, Antigone fully admits to having buried her
brother and argues that Creon's law is unjust. She follows the rules of the gods,
she says, not the rule of arrogant kings. One of the most famous Antigone
quotes is when Antigone tells Creon: ''what greater glory could I find than
giving my own brother's funeral?' (David Grene's translation, pg. 39) Both
Antigone and Ismene are sentenced to death for Antigone's actions and are
taken to prison.

Haemon, Creon's son and Antigone's betrothed, goes to his father to try and
change his mind. He tells him that Thebes is mourning Antigone's sentencing.
Creon is unmoved by his son's pleas, saying that he will not lose this fight to a
woman. However, after Haemon leaves, Creon pardons Ismene and releases
her. The next person to try and persuade Creon that he is mistaken is Tiresias, a
famous seer. Again, Creon refuses to change his decision even when Tiresias
tells him that he is disappointing the gods.
It is only when Creon addresses the chorus, a group of characters in ancient
Greek plays who advise characters and often represent the people or the
audience, that he finally sees that he has made a mistake. He orders Antigone
released. Unfortunately, he is too late: Antigone has hanged herself rather than
allow Creon to dictate her fate. Haemon has also killed himself out of grief for
his lost love. Creon's wife Eurydice also kills herself and curses Creon for the
death of her son. Creon is left alone, devastated.

Details: Sophocles, work in translation, originally written in ancient greek and

translated to english.
Global Issue Concept/Ideas: misogyny/predjudice against women/ gender
inequality
Gloabal issue - How gender inequality may lead to the
development of anti-women societal norms and the
harsh concequences of opposing those norms.
Feedback from Assesment 1 IO:
“Introduction is very long No zooming in on literary techniques Good analysis but very general as no quotes are
refered to You cannot come to a conclusion of a text if you haven't analysed the language it uses. This is more of a
reflection on the extract.”

• Shorten the introduction

• Zoom in on literary techniques
• Analyze the language

Improve analysis (techniques and quotes), and be mindful of time

when balancing structure.

A Doll’s House
A Doll’s House opens on Christmas Eve. Nora Helmer enters her well-
furnished living room—the setting of the entire play—carrying several
packages. Torvald Helmer, Nora’s husband, comes out of his study when he
hears her arrive. He greets her playfully and affectionately, but then chides her
for spending so much money on Christmas gifts. Their conversation reveals that
the Helmers have had to be careful with money for many years, but that Torvald
has recently obtained a new position at the bank where he works that will afford
them a more comfortable lifestyle.
Helene, the maid, announces that the Helmers’ dear friend Dr. Rank has come
to visit. At the same time, another visitor has arrived, this one unknown. To
Nora’s great surprise, Kristine Linde, a former school friend, comes into the
room. The two have not seen each other for years, but Nora mentions having
read that Mrs. Linde’s husband passed away a few years earlier. Mrs. Linde
tells Nora that when her husband died, she was left with no money and no
children. Nora tells Mrs. Linde about her first year of marriage to Torvald. She
explains that they were very poor and both had to work long hours. Torvald
became sick, she adds, and the couple had to travel to Italy so that Torvald
could recover.

Nora inquires further about Mrs. Linde’s life, and Mrs. Linde explains that for
years she had to care for her sick mother and her two younger brothers. She
states that her mother has passed away, though, and that the brothers are too old
to need her. Instead of feeling relief, Mrs. Linde says she feels empty because
she has no occupation; she hopes that Torvald may be able to help her obtain
employment. Nora promises to speak to Torvald and then reveals a great secret
to Mrs. Linde—without Torvald’s knowledge, Nora illegally borrowed money
for the trip that she and Torvald took to Italy; she told Torvald that the money
had come from her father. For years, Nora reveals, she has worked and saved in
secret, slowly repaying the debt, and soon it will be fully repaid.

Krogstad, a low-level employee at the bank where Torvald works, arrives and
proceeds into Torvald’s study. Nora reacts uneasily to Krogstad’s presence, and
Dr. Rank, coming out of the study, says Krogstad is “morally sick.” Once he
has finished meeting with Krogstad, Torvald comes into the living room and
says that he can probably hire Mrs. Linde at the bank. Dr. Rank, Torvald, and
Mrs. Linde then depart, leaving Nora by herself. Nora’s children return with
their nanny, Anne-Marie, and Nora plays with them until she notices
Krogstad’s presence in the room. The two converse, and Krogstad is revealed to
be the source of Nora’s secret loan.

Krogstad states that Torvald wants to fire him from his position at the bank and
alludes to his own poor reputation. He asks Nora to use her influence to ensure
that his position remains secure. When she refuses, Krogstad points out that he
has in his possession a contract that contains Nora’s forgery of her father’s
signature. Krogstad blackmails Nora, threatening to reveal her crime and to
bring shame and disgrace on both Nora and her husband if she does not prevent
Torvald from firing him. Krogstad leaves, and when Torvald returns, Nora tries
to convince him not to fire Krogstad, but Torvald will hear nothing of it. He
declares Krogstad an immoral man and states that he feels physically ill in the
presence of such people.

Act Two opens on the following day, Christmas. Alone, Nora paces her living
room, filled with anxiety. Mrs. Linde arrives and helps sew Nora’s costume for
the ball that Nora will be attending at her neighbors’ home the following
evening. Nora tells Mrs. Linde that Dr. Rank has a mortal illness that he
inherited from his father. Nora’s suspicious behavior leads Mrs. Linde to guess
that Dr. Rank is the source of Nora’s loan. Nora denies Mrs. Linde’s charge but
refuses to reveal the source of her distress. Torvald arrives, and Nora again begs
him to keep Krogstad employed at the bank, but again Torvald refuses. When
Nora presses him, he admits that Krogstad’s moral behavior isn’t all that
bothers him—he dislikes Krogstad’s overly familiar attitude. Torvald and Nora
argue until Torvald sends the maid to deliver Krogstad’s letter of dismissal.

Torvald leaves. Dr. Rank arrives and tells Nora that he knows he is close to
death. She attempts to cheer him up and begins to flirt with him. She seems to
be preparing to ask him to intervene on her behalf in her struggle with Torvald.
Suddenly, Dr. Rank reveals to Nora that he is in love with her. In light of this
revelation, Nora refuses to ask Dr. Rank for anything.

Once Dr. Rank leaves, Krogstad arrives and demands an explanation for his
dismissal. He wants respectability and has changed the terms of the blackmail:
he now insists to Nora not only that he be rehired at the bank but that he be
rehired in a higher position. He then puts a letter detailing Nora’s debt and
forgery in the Helmers’ letterbox. In a panic, Nora tells Mrs. Linde everything,
and Mrs. Linde instructs Nora to delay Torvald from opening the letter as long
as possible while she goes to speak with Krogstad. In order to distract Torvald
from the letterbox, Nora begins to practice the tarantella she will perform at that
evening’s costume party. In her agitated emotional state, she dances wildly and
violently, displeasing Torvald. Nora manages to make Torvald promise not to
open his mail until after she performs at the party. Mrs. Linde soon returns and
says that she has left Krogstad a note but that he will be gone until the
following evening.

The next night, as the costume party takes place upstairs, Krogstad meets Mrs.
Linde in the Helmers’ living room. Their conversation reveals that the two had
once been deeply in love, but Mrs. Linde left Krogstad for a wealthier man who
would enable her to support her family. She tells Krogstad that now that she is
free of her own familial obligations and wishes to be with Krogstad and care for
his children. Krogstad is overjoyed and says he will demand his letter back
before Torvald can read it and learn Nora’s secret. Mrs. Linde, however, insists
he leave the letter, because she believes both Torvald and Nora will be better
off once the truth has been revealed.

Soon after Krogstad’s departure, Nora and Torvald enter, back from the
costume ball. After saying goodnight to Mrs. Linde, Torvald tells Nora how
desirable she looked as she danced. Dr. Rank, who was also at the party and has
come to say goodnight, promptly interrupts Torvald’s advances on Nora. After
Dr. Rank leaves, Torvald finds in his letterbox two of Dr. Rank’s visiting cards,
each with a black cross above the name. Nora knows Dr. Rank’s cards
constitute his announcement that he will soon die, and she informs Torvald of
this fact. She then insists that Torvald read Krogstad’s letter.

Torvald reads the letter and is outraged. He calls Nora a hypocrite and a liar and
complains that she has ruined his happiness. He declares that she will not be
allowed to raise their children. Helene then brings in a letter. Torvald opens it
and discovers that Krogstad has returned Nora’s contract (which contains the
forged signature). Overjoyed, Torvald attempts to dismiss his past insults, but
his harsh words have triggered something in Nora. She declares that despite
their eight years of marriage, they do not understand one another. Torvald, Nora
asserts, has treated her like a “doll” to be played with and admired. She decides
to leave Torvald, declaring that she must “make sense of [her]self and
everything around her.” She walks out, slamming the door behind her.

Gloabal issue - How

gender inequality may lead to the
development of anti-women societal norms and the
harsh concequences of opposing those norms.

Parts of the story that give light to the Global Issue:

1. Trovald calling Nora by silly names (exposition) – page 7 Gender

Inequality & Infantilization
2. Trovald treating Nora in a child-like manner (disciplining) – page 8/9/10
Infantilization
3. Ms Linde’s conversation with Nora (women treated) – page 12/17/18
Societal Norms
4. Krogstad threatening Nora (blackmail) – page 32/34 Gender Inequality &
Societal Norms
5. Trovald’s conversation with Nora (Tarentella) page 70/71
6. Trovald’s conversation with Nora (epilogue) – page 76 to 85 Gender
Inequality & Societal Norms
Analysis:

Zoom in (page 7/8)

Act / Scene Key aspects / conflicts of Key authorial or directorial
moment moves used in expressing
Global Issue
Act I – Gender Inequality Trovald calling Nora “little • Anaphora used by Ibsen
& Infantilization lark”, “little spendthrift” and to drive emphasis on
“little squirrel” Trovald’s dominance.

Kids gifts for christmas : Ivar, • Ibsen further supports

Bob and Emy’s gifts this by using metaphors
shuch as “lark” and
“squirrel” (what do they
both have in common?)
to nudge the reader into
developing the picrture
of Nora as youthful and
immature girl who is
unable to support
herself making her
powerless.

• Gender stereotypes
appears naturally when
Nora describes what she
got for her kid’s
christmas presents.
Emmy gets a doll while
Bob and Ivar get more
boy oriented. The doll
signifies the
reinforcement of gender
inequality. Dolls allow
kids to explore the skill
of empathy and teaches
them how to take care
of a person. This
develops anti-women
norms where women
are expected to take
care of children and
men work.

Language Analysis
Textual Referances Features Author/Audience
relationship
“little featherhead” Anaphora: “littlle” Ibsen drives emphasis on
“little skylark” Metaphors: What do all the Trovald’s dominance.
nicknames have in common”,
“little squirrel”
the animals used to refer to Audience start developing the
Nora are small and tiny picrture of Nora as youthful
and immature girl who is
unable to support herself
making her powerless.
(Goes up to her and takes Stage Direction Ibsen uses this to point towards
her playfully by the ear) Trovald’s control over Nora by
disciplining her.

This action supports the idea of

Nora being dependent on
Trovald, as she seems to
require discipline and is unable
to understand and handle basic
tasks, in this case handling
money.
“That is like a woman!” Symbolises Nora’s obedience Ibsen uses this remark to show
Helmer’s approval of Nora
suggesting that important
matters should be left to
husbands. This is used by Ibsen
as a miniature to present norms
that revolve around the idea
that women should leave
important matters to men,
implying that men are more
capable.

Zoom out
Textual Referances Evidence of global issue Key authorial/ directorial
moves
“Oh, you’re always right, Ibsen uses this motif to draw Ibsen creates a significant
whatever you do” attenton to the theme of motif
women’s inferiority in relation
“Everything you do is quite
to gender inequality
right, Trovald”
We can see her surrenduring to
Trovald’s opinion passively
throught the extract. This
depicts social subordiantion of
women, presented as a norm.
This goes against women rights
and freedom which shapes anti-
women societal norms
“I don’t believe it. Is a Anti-women societal norms are Ibsen delelivers a drastically
daughter not to be allowed shown when Nora expresses imbalace of power between
her distress on the men and women in a society
to spare her dying father
consequences of her frogery. that uses laws alongside norms
anxiety and care”. The act of frogery done by that restrict the freedom of
Nora is unusal for a women to women.
do. She defends this by stating
“I did it for love’s sake”,
however norms and regulation
based on women inferiority do
not take such excuses into
account. This presents the harsh
consequences of women going
against their customary roles.

Outline – Power, politics and justice

Gloabal How gender inequaliity may lead to the development of anti-women societal
Issue norms and the harh consequences of opposing those norms

Zoom in
• Anaphora: Drive emphasis on Trovald’s dominanace
• Metaphor: nudge the reader into developing the picrture of Nora as youthful
and immature girl who is Unable to support herself making her powerless.
• The doll signifies the reinforcement of gender inequality
Zoom out
• Srrenduring to Trovald’s opinion passively . Depicts social subordiantion of
women, presented as a norm. Goes against women rights and freedom, shapes
anti-women societal norms
• Drastically imbalace of power between men and women in a society that uses
laws alongside norms that restrict the freedom of women.

The Kite Runner

Gloabal issue - How
gender inequality may lead to the
development of anti-women societal norms and the
harsh concequences of opposing those norms.
Summary: Kahled Hosseini represents women as weak, denigrated and the target of
numerous double standards.

Places in the book that give light to the global issue:

 Gender Inequality Anti-Women Norms Harsh Consequences
Restricted Freedom of Arranged mariages: • Bad relationship
women: Sanaubar’s father forced with Ali leading to
Sanaubar to marry Ali in her cheating and
order to build his repuation. leaving Hassan
motherless as she
Restriction of Women’s runs off.
preference to men: Young • This leaves Ali and
men are able to talk freely Hassan with a bad
about the women they repuatation due to
would like to marry. societal culture
However, according to standards
cultural standards,
respectable women should
not discuss such matters
with their fathers
Customary Roles of Men’s control over their • Maraiges are
Women: wives: Jamila and her arranged with the
husband deliver the absence of love and
message of a traditional hapiness
husband/wife relationship. • Eleminates the
talent of women as
Jamila accepted that
she won’t sing as a
condition of
marrying

Quotes that give light to the global issue:

• Page 9: They are treated as mere possessions that are passed between men. -
Quote
• Page 146: Men standards - Quote
• Page 179: Double standards of gender
• Page 115: Inferiority of women - Extract (Chapter 10)

Zoom in - Language Analysis

Textual Referances Features Author/Audience
relationship
“they’re just men having Drives the audience into
fun” having a pessimistic
perception of the following
events
 “His eyes settled on the Symbolism: soldiers stare Hoseini uses the soldiers
young women” stare to symbolise how
women are solely regarded
as an objects for satisfying
their lustly desires. -
societal norm
“Burst into tears” Symbolism: women’s The women responds by
vuntrablilty crying which depicts that
she is vunrable; unable to
act as she knows she
would be faced with
serious consequences.

This relate to the global

issue as the audience
develop an understanding
of the harsh consequences
she would face if she
shows any sign of defience
“His face became as pale Simile: supports the idea of
as the moon hovering the soldier’s dominance
above” over the circumstance
“he says.. he says every Implied metaphor: The The women is humiliated
price has a tax” soldier sees the women as a and treated inhumanely, as
material object as he reffers a material object.
to her as tax. This supports
the idea that women are
treated inhumanely,
wiewed as a source of
feeding off their lustly
desires

Zoom out
Textual Referances Evidence of global issue Key authorial/ directorial
moves
“they’re just men having Soraya expresses her Dialogue between Amir
fun” resentment towards the and Soraya
normalities that allow men
to freely feed on their
sexual desires. Women, on
the other hand, would
 recieve backlash and the
society would regard her as
an outcast
“Afghan double standards Amir’s point of view on
that favoured my gender” gender inequality

Term 2 Final Oral

Structure of IO
Part What to include?
INTRO – 1min • Fields of inquiry – Power, Justice and Politics
• State Global issue
• Introduce A Doll’s House – Nora, who is the
wife of Helmer, gradually breaks norms that
opress her
• Introduce The Kite Runner – Tells a novel
through the eyes of Amir and adresses a series
of topics, one prominant topic presented is the
opression of women in Afghanistan.
• Restate Gloabl Issue
A Doll’s House - • Zoom in Extract - 2min
4min • Zoom out on Play - 2min

The Kite Runner - • Zoom in Extract - 2min

4min • Zoom out on Play – 2min

Conclusion- - • Both texts give light to the gloabl issue as they

1min show a drastic imbalace of power between men
and women in a society that uses laws alongside
norms that restrict the freedom of women.

Quick notes:
• For restatment of global issue – using both of these texts to show how gender
inequality can lead to norms and regulations that opress the rights of women
• Instead of the beginning of the extract, refer to it as the exposition
• belitting and infantile nicknames – “my little skylark”...

THE KITE RUNNER – EXTRACT

1 "Their sons go out to nightclubs looking for meat and get their girlfriends
2 pregnant, they have kids out of wedlock and no one says a goddamn thing.
3 Oh, they're just men having fun! I make one mistake and suddenly everyone
4 is talking nang and namoos and I have to have my face rubbed in it for the
5 rest of my life."

6 I wiped a tear from her jawline, just above her birthmark,

7 with the pad of my thumb. "I didn't tell you," Soraya said, dabbing at her eyes,
8 "but my father showed up with a gun that night. He told... him... that he had two
9 bullets in the chamber, one for him and one for himself if I didn't
10 come home. I was screaming, calling my father all kinds of names,
11 saying he couldn't keep me locked up forever, that I wished he were
12 dead." Fresh tears squeezed out between her lids. "I actually said
13 that to him, that I wished he were dead.

14 "When he brought me home, my mother threw her arms around me and she
15 was crying too. She was saying things but I couldn't understand any of it
16 because she was slurring her words so badly. So my father took me up to my
17 bedroom and sat me in front of the dresser mirror. He handed me a pair of
18 scissors and calmly told me to cut off all my hair. He watched while
19 I did it. "I didn't step out of the house for weeks. And when I did, I heard
20 whispers or imagined them everywhere I went. That was four years ago
21 and three thousand miles away and I'm still hearing them."

Point:

Hosienni uses Soraya to present the double standards and anti women customs that are targeted to
many women in Afghanistan.
In Soraya’s flashback of her past mistake, which is an encounter with a man, the metaphor, meat
dehumanises women to make them appear as objects for men’s pleasure.
This shows the role of women in Afganistan, informing us how men view and treat women, with
disgrace and disrespect. The first-person narrative allows the readers to empathize with Soraya's
pain and trauma on a personal level. The use of vivid imagery, such as the tears on her jawline and
the act of cutting her hair, enhances the emotional resonance of the passage. Soraya's inability to
understand her mother's words due to her state suggests a lack of agency and voice for women,
where their opinions and experiences are often dismissed or ignored. Overall, Soraya’s story
highlights the societal expectations placed upon Afghan women. They are expected to conform,
suppress their desires, and endure silently. If we look at the book as a whole, there is an instance
where Amir admits the norms in that society that restrict women, when he says “Afghan double
standards that favoured my gender” Afghan men often enjoy privileges that Afghan women do not.
This demonstrates as men can engage in sexual relationships without severe consequences, while
women face harsh judgment and loss of honor.

A DOLL’S HOUSE – EXTRACT

1 Nora: Pooh! we can borrow till then.

2 Helmer: Nora! (Goes up to her and takes her playfully by the ear.)
3 The same little featherhead! Suppose, now, that I borrowed fifty pounds
4 today, and you spent it all in the Christmas week, and then on New Year’s Eve a
5 slate fell on my head and killed me, and—
6 Nora (putting her hands over his mouth): Oh! don’t say such horrid things.

7 Helmer: Still, suppose that happened,—what then?

8 Nora: If that were to happen, I don’t suppose I should care

9 whether I owed money or not.

10 Helmer: Yes, but what about the people who had lent it?

11 Nora: They? Who would bother about them? I should not

12 know who they were.

13 Helmer: That is like a woman! But seriously, Nora, you know what I think
14 about that. No debt, no borrowing. There can be no freedom or beauty about
15 a home life that depends on borrowing and debt. We two have kept bravely on
16 the straight road so far, and we will go on the same way for the short time
17 longer that there need be any struggle.

18 Nora (moving towards the stove): As you please, Torvald.

19 Helmer (following her): Come, come, my little skylark must not droop her wings.
20 What is this! Is my little squirrel out of temper? (Taking out his purse.)
21 Nora, what do you think I have got here?

Trovald greets Nora with nicknames such as liittle sqaylark and, little squirell and my
litttle featherhead, these include metaphors that refer to animals that are little. This
paints Nora a yound and immature wife. Furthermore, the anaphora little, renforces
the idea that Nora is young infantilising and making her seem like a child. Through
these techniques, the audience start imagining Nora as a young and immature wife.

Feedback and Important Tips

• Zoom in into authorial choices. For exmaple “Burst into tears.” : the hyperbole
in burst and the alliteration of the letter t in the sentance
• Number the lines of the extract