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To What Extent Does Creon Contribute To The Downfall Of Antigone

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Tragedies often deal with a problematic character that leads to a disastrous ending. A work of literature that contains a character that causes his or her downfall is in the book Antigone. Creon’s excessive pride lead to his downfall by not listening to anyone and believed that he was never wrong, causing the death of his beloved family. This is important to the work as a whole because Creon causes the tragedy of Thebes and it conveys that tyrants, due to their excessive pride, think they don't have to abide to the laws, which leads to their downfall.

Upon being crowned king, Creon is portrayed as a responsible leader. However, Creon becomes a ruthless leader who did not abide by the laws of the gods and rules by his own will. In the book, Creon decides not to bury Polyneices after being told by Antigone that it is against the gods to not bury someone who fought with valor. After being told numerous times by Antigone to bury Polyneices, he decides to punish her by imprisoning her. This shows that Creon believed that not even the gods can go against his decision. In other words, Creon is concerned only with his …show more content…

He was told by his son that he would kill himself if he didn’t release Antigone. Despite hearing this, he did not listen to him. After hearing the prophecy that since he refused to bury Polyneices and punishing Antigone, the gods will curse him. Later, he founds out that his son killed himself after seeing that Antigone hanged herself and her wife upon seeing her son’s dead body. Creon’s unwillingness to listen to his son and prophet ultimately led to the deaths of Antigone, his son, and his wife. Creon’s over excessive pride took over him and caused him to go “deaf” to the pleas and cries of people, even the people he loved. No voice could have reached him for pride and power took over

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