Discrimination against women is still a very real problem in the modern world. A Doll's House written by Isben involves a woman named Nora and her family. The story is set in southern Italy in the 1800s. Antigone is a play written by Sophocles, set over the course of a day in ancient Thebes, Greece. It tells the story of a girl named Antigone and the problems she faces as she tries to honor her deceased brother. A Doll's House and Antigone describe women's boundaries and what happens to those who dare to step outside of them, even if it is to save someone they love. Nora and Antigone share rebellious, independent and deceitful personalities. Women were submissive and outspoken in previous eras and in their societies; however, Antigone and Nora rebelled against stereotypical images of women. Ismene, Antigone's sister, was against the burial of her brother Polyneices. “Remember that we are women, we were not born to compete with men. Furthermore, we are subordinate, ruled by much stronger hands, so we must submit in this, and even worse things (Sophocles, page 18).” When Antigone tells her sister of her plans to bury Polyneices, Ismene tries to convince her not to do so. Antigone burying her brother would go against Creon's word, which would be absurd. Women were not supposed to disobey men, much less the king of Thebes. In A Doll's House Nora tells Helmer, her husband, about her father during their last argument. “He called me his doll and played with me while I played with my dolls (Isben, 197).” Nora is confronting Helmer about how she is treated. He compares his life to that of a doll. Her entire life she has been told what to do, how to feel, and what to think. Now he's walking out... middle of paper... able to have one last night of his normal life. Overall, both Antigone and Nora demonstrated that women are capable of being themselves. Which, at the time these plays were written, was an outrageous idea. Their rebellious, independent and deceptive personalities allowed them to overcome obstacles and conflicts. Undoubtedly, however, these figures helped pave the way for the improvement of women's rights. Since the era of Antigone and A Doll's House, equality for women has become an increasingly common idea in society. Works Cited Ibsen, Henrik. A doll's house. World Literature: An Anthology of Great Stories, Poetry, and Drama. Columbus, Ohio: McGraw Hill Glencoe, 2004.140-202. Print.Sophocles. Antigone. World Literature: An Anthology of Great Stories, Poetry, and Drama. Columbus, Ohio: McGraw Hill Glencoe, 2004. 14-57. Press.