Ancient Greece: In the ancient Greece of legendary Thebes, the king has absolute power. Rulers are in constant danger from assassination attempts and coups.

1940s: France is invaded by Nazi Germany; a puppet government is set up to rule over the French people. A Resistance movement forms to undermine the Nazis and their collaborators.

Today: France is a stable democracy.

Ancient Greece: Women hold inferior positions in society, remaining in separate quarters in the household. They are expected to follow their father's or husband's rules, and to be spoken of as little as possible. By the latter half of the fifth century, around the time that Sophocles wrote Antigone, women are enjoying a period of emancipation and can exercise greater autonomy.

1940s: Women enter the workplace in great numbers because of the need for labor and the demands of World War II. Although ninety...