Antigone Iriola Analysis - 1129 Words

A pro-Antigone reader should admire Iriola because both characters have a tendency to create their own paths as opposed to blindly following men. Antigone directly defies Kreon’s decree that bans a proper burial for Polyneices, while Iriola does not join Kelemo on his activist mission. Woods suggests that Kelemo has already fled when the soldiers arrive at the house in Nimke, as they kidnap Iriola to retrieve clues about his location. Although there is no scene that outlines Kelemo’s parting, it appears that Iriola chooses not to join him – an attempt at being her â€Å"own woman† (Woods 24). Antigone also makes a choice – one that costs her her life. Fear does not deter her, however; she is determined to please the gods, as â€Å"Zeus was [not] the†¦show more content†¦It does not appear that Nigerian culture values survivors of domestic assault, as Nneka’s experiences remain secretive. Additionally, Nneka is forced to undergo sexi st traditions of mourning, including shaving her head. Her luscious hair symbolizes her identity in the story, and the regrowth of it represents the prosperous, Okpala-free life she plans on creating. The text supports this idea, as Nneka states, â€Å"I shall regrow my hair. Nurture it and delight in its growth† (Unigwe 80). Nneka strives to overcome sexism in her society and allow her identity as an independent woman to flourish, two themes that are critical to the plotline of Orlando. Conversely, â€Å"The Third and Final Continent† contains subtleties that exhibit the subject matter of Orlando. Although not directly about female empowerment, Mrs. Croft displays characteristics that reveal her strength. At 103-years-old, she has presumably lived without her spouse and other family members for a long period of time. She manages excellently for her age, as she remains able to prepare her food and serve as the home’s landlady. Moreover, Mrs. Croft has a stern personality, prompting the narrator to describe her voice as â€Å"bold and clamorous† from their first conversation (Lahiri 177). She barks orders at her male renters, who have all likely been as submissive as the narrator. Mrs. Croft