Male roles have created and influenced feminism around the world throughout time. “Feminism assumed that men had secured power by claiming the authority to decree meaning…all meaning in life was arbitrarily defined by men. Therefore, as the philosophy of feminism spread, it challenged us to make women's experiences a point of reference for determining the meaning of life” (Mary A. Kassian, Feminist Mistake). In Antigone written by Sophocles and A Doll's House written by Henrik Ibsen, the issue of feminism is known. Antigone is set in ancient Greece at the royal house of Creon. Creon issued a law prohibiting the burial of Polyneices, Antigone's brother and Creon's nephew. Antigone goes against Creon's law to follow the laws of the gods and to ensure that her brother is not cursed. Creon's pride comes between right and wrong when he tells Antigone of his fatal punishment. Antigone commits suicide before Creon can kill her. However, Creon had changed his mind, but not before Antigone and Haemon, his son and Antigone's fiancé, killed themselves. A Doll's House is set in Norway in the late 1800s. Nora and Torvald are happily married with three children or so they thought. Torvald faced an illness that only Nora knew would be fatal unless they traveled to a warmer climate. Nora convinces Torvald to go on holiday to Northern Italy, but to do so she secretly asks for a loan by forging her father's signature. Nora keeps this secret from Torvald until Krogstad, the man Nora borrowed from, writes Torvald a letter in repercussion for Torvald firing him. During the course of this tragic story Nora realizes that she no longer loves Torvald and leaves Torvald and the children to find herself. Importantly...at the heart of the document...society's information about women is shown in Antigone and A Doll's House through the arrogance, patriarchal beliefs and ignorance of men. Male arrogance forces men to be prejudiced against women. Patriarchal beliefs blind many men to the intelligence and abilities of women. Men's ignorance does not allow men to achieve success or women to achieve important results. The restrictions on women created by male roles influence and preserve feminism in society. Works Cited Ibsen, Henrik. A doll's house. World literature, an anthology of short stories, poetry and theatre. Colombo: np, 2004. 140-202. Print."Quotes about feminism." Notable quotes. Np, nd Web. March 3, 2011..Sophocles. Antigone. World literature, an anthology of short stories, poetry and theatre. Colombo: np, 2004. 14-57. Press.