Victimization of Children in Six Dramas: From Oedipus and Antigone to Hamlet and The Glass Menagerie

Victimization is a recurring theme in literature, particularly when it involves children or young characters caught in the complex web of societal, familial, and personal conflicts. In classical and modern dramas alike, the figures of children or young adults often stand as representations of innocence or vulnerability, and their victimization reflects broader social or existential crises. In this comparison, we examine the victimization of children in six key plays: Sophocles’ Oedipus and Antigone, Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie. Through their interactions with the world around them, these characters are both shaped by and subjected to external forces that lead to their suffering.

**1. Victimization in Oedipus Rex (Sophocles)**

In Oedipus Rex (429 BCE), the victimization of Oedipus himself is central to the tragedy, though the suffering of his children, particularly Antigone and Ismene, is equally tragic. Oedipus’ actions—unbeknownst to him, committing parricide and incest—create an irrevocable chain of suffering for his offspring. Oedipus’s children become victims of the prophecy, which predestines them for misery regardless of their innocence. Their eventual fates are sealed even before their birth, as they are condemned by their father’s errors.

While Oedipus attempts to change his destiny, his children’s victimization is primarily due to the weight of their father’s guilt. They bear the societal and familial consequences of his actions. Antigone, for instance, is later the protagonist of a tragedy in her own right, where she rebels against King Creon’s edict to bury her brother Polynices. This act, though one of filial piety, ends with her being condemned to death, further illustrating how the children of Oedipus suffer from forces beyond their control—prophecy, fate, and the irreversible actions of their parents.

**2. Victimization in Antigone (Sophocles)**

While Antigone in her own right is a victim of societal law, her role as a child of Oedipus means she inherits his fate of suffering. Antigone’s victimization is tied directly to the choices of her father, Oedipus, and later, the decisions of her uncle Creon, the ruler of Thebes. Antigone’s brother, Polynices, is denied a proper burial by Creon due to his rebellion, and Antigone, feeling duty-bound to her family, decides to defy Creon’s orders.

In her actions, Antigone seeks to protect her family’s honor, but in doing so, she is victimized by a rigid, unforgiving system. Her tragic end—being entombed alive for her defiance—reflects the tragic consequences of defying state laws, and she becomes a victim of both familial loyalty and the societal structures that disallow it. Antigone represents the sacrifice of innocence for moral duty, as well as the fatal consequences that result from defiance of authority.

**3. Victimization in Hamlet (Shakespeare)**

In Shakespeare’s Hamlet (1600), the victimization of children is expressed primarily through the protagonist, Prince Hamlet, but also in the tragic figures of Ophelia and Laertes. While Hamlet is certainly a victim of his circumstances—his father’s death, his mother’s hasty remarriage to his uncle, and the ghostly demands of revenge—Ophelia’s victimization is marked by her subjugation to the wills of the men around her.

Ophelia is manipulated by her father, Polonius, and her brother, Laertes, who both attempt to control her actions for their own benefit. Polonius arranges her relationship with Hamlet, and when Hamlet appears to reject her, Ophelia spirals into madness. Her eventual death, whether by suicide or accident, is a direct consequence of her oppression and victimization within the patriarchal structures of the court.

Laertes also becomes a victim of the tragic circumstances surrounding his family, and his eventual duel with Hamlet leads to his death. Though Laertes initially seeks revenge for his father’s death, he, too, is a victim of Hamlet’s machinations and the corrupt state in which they both exist.

**4. Victimization in The Glass Menagerie (Tennessee Williams)**

Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie (1944) portrays the victimization of Tom Wingfield, his sister Laura, and their mother, Amanda. Laura, the fragile, shy daughter, is perhaps the most victimized character in the play, as she is emotionally and physically impaired by her mother’s overbearing expectations. Her self-esteem is crushed under the pressure of Amanda’s relentless attempts to secure a future for her daughter. Laura’s delicate nature and social anxiety make her an easy victim of her mother’s projections of success, and she becomes reclusive, escaping into her collection of glass animals.

Tom, while seemingly the “stronger” character, is also a victim—though his suffering is more a result of the oppressive nature of the familial environment and his struggle to pursue his own desires and ambitions. His escape through the movie theater symbolizes his need to free himself from the chains of familial expectations, but even as he leaves, he is haunted by his sense of responsibility toward his family.

Amanda, though the matriarch, is also a victim of the societal pressures of the time, which push her to find a successful marriage for her daughter while managing the challenges of poverty and personal loss. Her tragic flaw lies in her relentless idealism, leading her to constantly cling to past glory while disregarding her children’s emotional needs.

5. Victimization of Children: Thematic Comparisons

The victimization of children in these six dramas reveals how external forces—such as societal expectations, family dynamics, political institutions, and fate—shape the lives of young characters, often in tragic ways.

In Oedipus Rex and Antigone, the victimization is caused by fate and prophecy, with children born into tragic circumstances they cannot control. The characters are punished for their father’s sins or defied by the weight of societal expectations, representing how children can become victims of forces beyond their understanding.

In Hamlet, the children’s victimization is more immediate, stemming from the corrupt court environment in which they are forced to live. Hamlet’s inability to take action and Ophelia’s suppression lead to their downfall, while Laertes is caught up in the tragic pursuit of revenge. The play highlights how even the strongest of characters can fall victim to family dynamics and the desire for vengeance.

Finally, in The Glass Menagerie, the victimization of Laura, Tom, and Amanda highlights the emotional toll of family obligations, poverty, and unfulfilled dreams. The characters struggle to overcome the limitations placed on them by their social circumstances and the emotional burdens of living with family expectations. The play’s tragic ending reveals how the vulnerability of children is often exacerbated by the selfish desires and insecurities of their parents.

Conclusion

The victimization of children is a powerful theme that transcends time and place, and its portrayal in these six dramatic works highlights the fragility of youth and the way family, fate, and societal pressures can shape the course of their lives. From Oedipus and Antigone, who face the consequences of their family’s curse, to the emotionally oppressed children in Hamlet and The Glass Menagerie, these works show the profound impact of external forces on vulnerable young characters. Ultimately, these tragedies serve as a reflection on the way social structures, generational trauma, and individual choices shape the destiny of the young, often with tragic results.