The musical group Aqua once sang in their song “Barbie Girl,” “I'm a Barbie girl, in a Barbie world. Life in plastic is amazing.” Aqua's lyrics symbolize the role women had to play in the 18th century. Women were expected to perform as perfect human beings and put a smile on their faces regardless of the situation. They were expected to follow the rules at all times and submit to men no matter what. Antigone, written by Sophocles, and A Doll's House, written by Henrik Ibsen, demonstrate the interaction and roles with men and women during the 18th century. The main characters in both plays, Antigone in Antigone and Nora in A Doll's House, show how women struggled to find their place in the social order. They had to fight for what they wanted and face dire consequences if they disobeyed the law. Sophocles and Ibsen show the constraints placed on women in patriarchal societies and examine how women overcome them by creating characters who display the following characteristics: strained relationships with men, courage, and heroine. Along with all other 18th century women, Antigone and Nora had a patriarchal relationship with men. During an episode of A Doll's House, Nora tells Helmer what she thinks of their relationship: “We've been married for eight years. Does it not strike you that this is the first time the two of us, you and I, husband and wife, have spoken seriously?" (Ibsen 196) Relationships between men and women were so limited in what was appropriate for a man or woman of to talk to their spouse, that Nora could not express her personal feelings in front of a man who was supposed to be by her side until the death due to their part. This example shows the tragic truth of how women could not… in the middle of the paper… in their era. They rose above society and proved themselves in many different forms. They proved that women can and are an asset to a functional world dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, patience and passion to reach for the stars and change the world. The women of this world have been challenging themselves since the dawn of Greek civilization and will continue to advance because women like Antigone and Nora continue to dream every day. 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.