ipl-logo

Creon's Mistakes In Antigone

686 Words3 Pages

In Antigone, it is evident that both Creon and Antigone made mistakes in spite of the fact that they had right intentions. Creon attempts to uphold the law in order to maintain structure and be what he considers to be a just leader, however, Creon’s mindset remains too rigid and his actions don’t adapt in light of the circumstances. Antigone wants to stay loyal to her family and save her brother’s soul, yet she isolates herself and shows disrespect for the law.
Creon does not allow Antigone any grace for her actions because he explicitly adheres to the laws of the city. Ironically, he states that “the mind that is most rigid stumbles soonest,” which would lead one to assume that his leadership style would be flexible (473-474). Creon has the correct intentions by attempting to follow the established law, yet contradicts his statement on a rigid mindset by allowing no exception in Antigone’s case. Creon is in a difficult position …show more content…

The burial of Polyneices is viewed nobly, yet Antigone is not faultless in that act. One of Antigone’s largest mistakes is that she burns bridges with those that care about her. Pleading with Antigone, Ismene laments “why would I care to live when you are gone?” (548). Antigone dismisses this heartfelt plea by deferring Ismene to Creon, thus isolating herself from her only kin. She concludes her story by committing suicide without regard to the lives that will be affected by her loss. Haemon “tumbled around her[Antigone], hugging her waist, grieving for his marriage lost,” resulting in his death as he “drew his two-edged sword” and drove it through his body (1223-1224; 1233). Consequently, Haemon’s mother “died at the alter [by] a sharp sword-thrust” because she could not bear the demise of her beloved son. Antigone’s mistake in disregarding those who love her affected many, which leads the reader to better understand that both characters

Show More
Related

  • Examples Of Creon In Antigone

    578 Words  | 3 Pages

    Antigone Relevance In the book Antigone by Sophocles the main character is Antigone and her sister Ismene. Their close brother Polyneices has died in a battle against his brother over the city. Antigone wants to give her brother a proper burial but Creon the new ruler, announces that if anyone buries Polyneices they will be put to death. Creon believes Polyneices was a traitor.

    Read More

  • The Similarities Between Creon And Antigone

    623 Words  | 3 Pages

    Creon was not only looking to be a good ruler, he was looking to prove that he was strong or may be better than Oedipus. He did not accept offenses, but it was worse in the case of Antigone because she was a woman. For example, when Creon realized that Antigone had taken her brother’s body and she accepted her guilt without feeling scared from his rules, he said “She is the man, not I, if all unscathed, Such deeds of might are hers” (532-33). In that statement, he was making a difference between what a woman can do or not.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Dual Nature In Antigone

    583 Words  | 3 Pages

    However, on the other hand, Creon is also stubborn and unwilling to listen to the opinions of others. He is a man who is unwilling to consider alternative viewpoints, and this ultimately leads to his downfall. His rigid adherence to the laws of the state causes him to make cruel and unjust decisions, particularly in regards to the treatment of Antigone. He believes that his actions are just and that he is acting in the best interests of the state, but in reality, his decisions are driven by his own pride and desire for power.

    Read More

  • Antigone Vs Creon

    714 Words  | 3 Pages

    Boom! It shocked her, her own brother has died why “why would this happen to me, she repeated to herself. Antigone begins with the two sons of Oedipus, Eteocles and Polyneices, who are fighting for the kingship of Thebes. Both men die in the battle. Their successor, Creon, decides that King Eteocles will be buried, but Polyneices, because he was leading a foreign army, will be left on the field of battle.

    Read More

  • Creon Loyalty In Antigone

    694 Words  | 3 Pages

    Creon Sophocle’s play Antigone suggests that a good leader should provide loyalty and trust, and through actions Creon, shows many reasons to be a loyal character in the play, Creon has good rational reasons for his laws and punishments that he believes that will help him as a king. Even though Creon has a hard time listening to anyone, which makes him stubborn and his pride to increase he is actually doing something that can help his people, Creon and the citizens of Thebes respect the law, which shows loyalty to the state. In the play Creon states “ For me, a man who rules the entire state and does not take the best advise there is, but through fear keeps his mouth forever shut, such man is the worst of men- and always

    Read More

  • Creon Speech In Antigone

    703 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Antigone by Sophocles, the purpose of Creon’s speech is to explain his new leadership. First, Creon wants to gain the loyalty from the citizens of Thebes. A great king would first need the trust of his state in order to rule effectively. Especially, Creon would need trust from his state after the tragic events that happened beforehand, which was Polyneices and Eteocles dying. He state this fact in his speech: “I am aware, of course, that no ruler can expect complete loyalty from his subjects until he has been tested in office.”

    Read More

  • Who Is Creon's Loyalty In Antigone

    318 Words  | 2 Pages

    Antigone dearly beloved brothers Eteocles and Polyneices has joined their ancestors in the afterlife. Eteocles has been buried with honor There seems to be a problem with Polyneices who has not been buried. Antigone uncle Creon, don 't want to bury his own nephew.

    Read More

  • Is Creon Justified In Antigone

    1501 Words  | 7 Pages

    In the classic play by Sophocles, Antigone is a tragic story of the bold Antigone who defied her uncle, King Creonʻs, edict by burying her brother, Polyneices, who died attacking the city of Thebes, trying to take the power away from their brother, Eteocles, who refused to share the throne with Polyneices. Even though Antigone knew that going against Creon and burying her brother would not end well for her, she still choose to risk her life to do what is right. After being caught breaking the law, Antigone is appointed to be locked away, isolated in a cave until she dies, but she hangs herself at the end. At the same time, things for Creon are not looking good, as everyone around him seems to be against him in his decision for punishing Antigone. Everyone Creon cares about kills themselves from a curse that is put on Creon for not following the Godsʻ laws.

    Read More

  • Creon's Destruction In Sophocles Antigone

    1391 Words  | 6 Pages

    This contributed to the fact that he was mentally lost. He had clouded judgment because of his idea of what is right for the city is the only way he would rule. As Burt describes “Creon remains adamant, and his judgment on Antigone and Ismene, along with his subsequent argument with his son, Haemon, reveals that Creon's principles are self-centered, contradictory, and compromised by his own pride, fears, and anxieties. ”(Burt). Creon can only think in his mindset and any other view to him is impossible to understand.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Civil Disobedience In Antigone

    1005 Words  | 5 Pages

    Creon finally realizes that he was wrong and Antigone’s act made him realize this. Antigone was able to create change through her action, and thus making her act a civil disobedient

    Read More

  • Antigone: Creon As A Tragic Hero

    1234 Words  | 5 Pages

    Creon believes that whatever he says or decide is true, he has so much of self-righteousness. The word that Creon said “Am I to rule by other mind than mine?” (Antigone, page 26). He thinks that he should rule everything because he is a king, he believes that people should obey him and the law he sets because he thinks that it is the right thing to do. Creon does not want other people to tell him what to do.

    Read More

  • Creon's Tragic Flaw In Antigone

    1226 Words  | 5 Pages

    How would you feel if you were locked away to rot by one of your own family members because you did something they didn’t approve of? In Sophocles play, Antigone, this is just the case for the niece of Creon, King of Thebes. After getting word that her “own two brothers [...] slaughtered one another and brought about their common doom” (Sophocles 318), Antigone is distraught. What makes her infuriated is when she learns that her uncle, Creon, has decided that one of her brothers, Eteocles, will receive a proper burial and be honored while the other brother, Polyneices, will receive no burial and be remembered as a traitor. Soon after, Antigone takes action and performs a secret burial and ritual on her dead brothers corpse, but she is also

    Read More

  • Creon's Core Values In Antigone

    905 Words  | 4 Pages

    Antigone felt that Creon’s laws were prejudiced against her belief in God's proclamation and her personal morals or core values. She put her family first the whole time,

    Read More

  • King Creon's Struggle In Antigone

    1014 Words  | 5 Pages

    Haemon and his father have several disputes that show, Creon pushing his son away in order to show his dominance. Creon calls his son a “soul of corruption, rotten through” which just reflects how cruel Creon had become, even when talking to his own son (836). This will be the last argument the two have before Haemon kills himself due to neglect and longing for Antigone. The power of the crown causes Creon to act instinctively rather than reasonably when deciding Antigone's fate. His loyalty to his power becomes priority over his family, when he decrees his nephews burial illegal.

    Read More

  • Creon: The Tragic Hero In The Play Antigone

    1039 Words  | 5 Pages

    But the body of Polynices, who died miserably- why, a city wide-proclamation, rumor has it, forbids anyone to bury him, even mourn him.” (1.1 26-33) Also when her sister, Ismene, offers to share Antigone’s punishment with her, Antigone tells her to live her own life and not die by her side. “Antigone- Never share my dying, don’t lay claim to what you never touched. My death will be enough.” (1.1.

    Read More

More about Creon's Mistakes In Antigone

Open Document