WGS faculty dive into the gender politics of “Antigone”
By Mary Liz Valesano
On Saturday, October 30, Heather Hill (Professor of English, WGS Affiliate Faculty) and Megan Novell (Interim Title IX Coordinator, Adjunct Professor of English, and WGS Affiliate Faculty) hosted a talk-back following a performance of Sophocles’ Antigone by the Detroit Mercy Theatre Company.
The talk-back centered on gender and power dynamics between the grieving Antigone and newly powerful Kreon. Hill and Novell led the audience through a comparison of the two characters, exploring how Antigone represents love of family and loyalty to higher law, whereas Kreon represents love of power and loyalty to the state. The conversation also covered how the prophet Tiresias has lived as both a man and a woman, and in this story is a pivotal source of wisdom and truth.
Approximately 30 audience members participated in the discussion, including students, faculty, and community members. This event was one installment of the Detroit Theatre Discussion Project, an initiative by the Department of Performing Arts that is being supported by the Michigan Council of Arts & Cultural Affairs.
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