OPINION – Jesuit Dallas shouldn’t read Sophocles’ plays, and instead should begin the progressive movement to cancel this sexist and bigoted writer. Now, I didn’t know much about this guy (he doesn’t have a Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, or TikTok (I even tried looking up his Facebook, no dice (follow me @JezStudent100))), but after reading some of his work, I know everything about him and his misinformed, alt-right values.
Quotas aren’t fulfilled –
Diversity clearly isn’t in this guy’s vocabulary. A female protagonist only appeared in ONE of his plays and he failed to mention each character’s skin tone. How villainous! For all I know, I read a story with only white characters, thus unconsciously fueling systemic racism.
Barely any representation –
There wasn’t any representation for the LGBT community. However, one city in the novel is named “Thebes”, a possible homage to the word “theybies,” which is the correct way to refer to non-binary babies. I’m not an unreasonable guy, so I’ll give credit where credit is due.
SEXIST! –
The two most prominent women, Antigone and Ismene, are constantly berated as weak and frail simply because of their sex! Their brothers too are berated for the feminine activity of “sitting indoors all day [and] weaving.” WHO CARES – MEN CAN WEAVE TOO! Sure, the brothers left their father to die in the wild, but sometimes you need to focus on yourself! If weaving soothes the soul – so be it!
I can’t read . . . sad –
He’s just a bad writer. All his pompous and elegant writing doesn’t help to get the message across. It’s like he was born before Christ. We’re in the year 2022; get with the times Sophocles!
I propose we replace Sophocles’ Greek mythology novels with real Greek mythology. Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series and Disney’s Hercules are good places to start – especially for 12th grade, AP Language students.
Do the right thing! Sign this petition to get Sophocles canceled NOW!
