Further, his rank in society corrupts his thoughts and he refuses to listen to others, even when he is at fault. Creon’s title as ruler undoubtedly has impacted his pride. Creon displays a contemptuous belief that his way is the only way. Teiresias the phrophet yet again forwarns Creon on his fateful mistake to punish Antigone. “Think: all men make mistakes, but a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong, and repaired the evil”(5.77).
After Antigone is confronted by the guard and brought to Creon she explains to him what she knows is morally right, “I did not think anything which you proclaimed strong enough to let a mortal override the gods and their unwritten and unchanging laws” (338). In this quote, she is trying to harn Creon that although he thinks very highly of himself, he will never be able to anything to disrupt the gods and their unwritten laws (being that all men deserve burial). Additionally, the word choice and tone used by the characters also differs. When Creon talks he makes it clear that he thinks of himself quite highly and is convinced that he is above everyone else because of his excessive pride and noble stature. This leads to a tone in his speech that is very obnoxious and off-putting.
Creon has disrupted the feeling of trust by misplacing fear in the hearts of the sentry because he wanted his edict to be all-powerful. Furthermore, in addition to turning compatriots onto allies, power also creates an unquenchable lust for itself and drives the owner mad with paranoia, trying to protect their power. When he was threatened by the daughter of the previous ruler to be dethroned, he immediately strives to install a new law, he knew she could not abide so that he would be left without competition. The fabricated mandate by Creon was, “...Polyneices… is to have no burial…”( scene I lines 43-44). When he made
Creon’s pride does not allow him to see anyone else’s reasoning for performing certain actions. This is shown by his questioning of the god’s authority to carry out what is necessary. When Antigone challenges Creon, he only sees the events through his perspective because of his pride. In this, Creon is demonstrated as a tragic hero with his tragic
Countless times, Creon was implored to change his mind to preserve the safety of others. However, due to his uncompromising and egocentric nature, he repeatedly denied this aid, and therefore caused the tragedies of the deaths of his niece and his son. The events that occurred in the play Antigone accurately represent the characteristics of a tragic flaw and subsequent suffering that define a
Ismene said, “But now I know what you meant; and I am here to join you to take my share.” As the story progresses, the effects of Creon’s decrees result in rebellion, unhappiness, and death. As mentioned before, Antigone performed an act of civil disobedience by burying her brother. Thus, she rebelled against Creon’s specific mandate. For a rebellion to happen, Antigone had to perform the action with all knowledge she would die or another punishment would occur. Rosa Parks experienced a similar situation.
That chains onto him having his wife Eurydice committing suicide as well as Antigone (his niece) also committing suicide. This proves that Creon was more of a tragic figure than Antigone because he forced the tragedies on himself due to his self-pride and cruelty.
“The one in the grave before her death, the other, dead, denied the grave. This is your crime.” (scene 5 lines 80-83). Tragically, Creon did not change his mind until it was too late. Finally, he realized, “the laws of the gods are mighty, and a man must serve them to the last day of his life!” He intended to free Antigone, but in the vault, Antigone committed suicide and Haimon followed. When Creon’s wife heard her son was dead, she killed herself as well.
Antigone died but she got the glory she aims for rather than leave her brother’s corpse to rot. Obviously, Creon is the foolish man who misunderstands freedom, and he is fascinated in controlling his country by his own unfair laws to satisfy his pride, and he is unfree man like Mrs. Iselin. In this example, the author figures out that human freedom can’t resist the divine
Sophocles’ play Antigone dramatizes the conflict between competing, but perhaps equally legitimate, forms of authority and power. One side is embodied by Creon, the king of Thebes, who believes that adherence to the laws of the state is paramount, even if they are in contrast with the wishes of the gods. Opposing Creon is Antigone, who advocates for divine justice and proper family roles. Tiresias, the prophet, convinces Creon that by failing to properly bury Polynices and for imprisoning Antigone, he has angered the gods and cursed his family. Tiresias’ role in society is the reason that only he has the authority to dissent against Creon and sway his opinion when he would disregard everyone else’s.