Antigone’s Disobedience: Interpreting Hegel through Irigaray and Butler

This paper examines feminist reinterpretations of Hegel’s Antigone through Luce Irigaray and Judith Butler. It explores how Antigone, traditionally seen as a symbol of familial duty, is reimagined as a figure of resistance against patriarchal norms. Irigaray critiques Hegel’s framing of Antigone as dependent on male recognition, advocating for a maternal genealogy. Butler, emphasizing performativity, views Antigone’s defiance as destabilizing both political authority and gender norms. Through a “cultural translation”, these readings challenge the rigid boundaries between kinship and the state. The paper concludes by reassessing Hegel’s text, revealing its tensions and its potential for feminist thought.