Creon and Antigone represent the clash of ideologies: Kinship versus the state. In Sophocles’ day, traditional bonds of family and kinship were strong; however, Greek citizens had other claims on their loyalty—to the state. In an age of frequent wars, it was everyone’s concern to defend his/ her polis. Why? What does this concern guarantee? The concern to defend one's polis guaranteed some sort of safety, prosperity, and a stable “lifeboat” (189). Through the dedication to the state, there’s a larger chance of the citizens fighting for the “greater good” of the state over their families/what they may believe. The development of the state created conflicts with traditional values. What are your thoughts on this tension between the state and …show more content…
His “obsession” with these suspicions cause him to make allegations about his watchmen, which not only shows his irrational side, but also that he’s beginning to lose control of himself the longer that he’s king. In what sense is Creon a religious man? During his outburst to the chorus leader, Creon argues how it’s not possible to ever see a “criminal honored by the gods” and given burial rites (288). Applying this to Polyneices, Creon essentially refuses to believe that the gods want Polyneices buried and that he himself is honoring the gods by not doing so. To him, he’s living according to his own religious beliefs and the gods’ desires; a belief that completely contrasts that of Antigone considering the fact that she believes the gods desire her to bury him. How well does he live up to his implied claim to respect freedom of speech? Right after his claims to respect freedom of speech, he loses his head when the chorus leader attempts to suggest something and give some sort of advice—the job he was hired to do. Creon asks if he is “as stupid as [he] is old” exemplifying how he has already gone against his claim (281). It didn’t take long for him to lose his temper and contradict what he had just spoken to the chorus about. How does Creon fit the villain archetype so far? Creon has already been depicted to have a temper and contain views that are opposite of the
Creon is a man who has just become the king of Thebes and has a flaw of having too much pride. He can’t control the power of being over other people and he lets the power go to his head. “ I now possess the throne and all its powers. No, he must be left unburied, his corpse carrion for the birds and dogs
Finally, Creon is a dynamic character. He undergoes changes in emotion throughout the work. He realizes his mistakes when Tiresias forecasts the future. Thus, Creon attempts to correct himself by releasing Antigone. But he is too late. He is forced to live, knowing that three people are dead as a result of his actions. This punishment is worse than death. Although Creon’s self-righteousness and inflexibility did not change until the end of the play, his motivations traveled from patriotic ones to personal ones. This created a major portion of the
He feels that Haimon is too young to know what he is talking about especially when it comes to Antigone. Creon believes that Haimon is blinded by love. Creon wouldn’t even take anything that Haimon said into consideration. He also did the same thing with Teiresias, a blind prophetwho has always been right in other situations. Teiresias told Creon that his actions have angered the Gods and that it would be in his best interest to let Antigone go free, otherwise his family would be cursed and he would suffer a great deal. Creon, whom was obviously in denial, didn’t believe a word Teiresias said and accused him of lying and taking bribes from the people.
who is also very narrow minded. Creon who only thinks of himself, not the good of
In the Greek play Antigone writer Sophocles illustrates the clash between the story’s main character Antigone and her powerful uncle, Creon. King Creon of Thebes is an ignorant and oppressive ruler. In the text, there is a prevailing theme of rules and order in which Antigone’s standards of divine justice conflict with Creon’s will as the king. Antigone was not wrong in disobeying Creon, because he was evil and tyrannical. The authors of “Antigone: Kinship, Justice, and the Polis,” and “Assumptions and the Creation of Meaning: Reading Sophocles’ Antigone.” agree with the notion that Antigone performs the role of woman and warrior at once. She does not only what a kinswoman would, but also what a warrior would do.
Throughout the whole play, Creon has not kept himself from showing his unruly attitude towards all the characters about his decisions for the people. There were many occasions in
Creon frequently made decisions out of arrogance and pride, such as deciding to not bury Polyneices because it was what he thought was right. Never did he ask or listen to other’s advice or critism because he thought because he has a high status, that other’s opinions were irrelevant. By not thinking through his choices, he ultimately caused the death of everyone he loved and lost the respect of the city he cared so much for. When making decisions, one must fully think through if the sacrifice is one they are willing to take. This lesson repeats itself through every human’s life. As a child learning to not eat too much or they will be sick, teenagers face many temptations, leading to addiction and reckless accidents, adults learn that if they do not work to their maximum potential, the bills will not be paid. Thinking of the future should motivate others to make the best decision for themselves and everyone else around them. By not thinking about the consequences, one could have everything stripped from them in a blink of an eye, like Creon in the tragedy,
Creon was known as the antagonist King in Antigone. A sample of Creon’s antagonist actions is quoted: “…Polyneices, I say,
The opening events of the play Antigone, written by Sophocles, quickly establish the central conflict between Antigone and Creon. Creon has decreed that the traitor Polynices, who tried to burn down the temple of gods in Thebes, must not be given proper burial. Antigone is the only one who will speak against this decree and insists on the sacredness of family and a symbolic burial for her brother. Whereas Antigone sees no validity in a law that disregards the duty family members owe one another, Creon's point of view is exactly opposite. He has no use for anyone who places private ties above the common good, as he proclaims firmly to the Chorus and the audience as he revels in his victory over Polynices. He sees Polynices as an enemy to
In addition, Creon also has an inaccurate view of his place in relation to the gods. He believes that man’s laws are more important than the laws of the gods. Antigone tries to defend her decision to bury her brother by proclaiming, “I do not think your edicts have such power that they can override the laws of heaven…If I transgressed these laws because I feared the arrogance of man, how to the god’s could I make satisfaction” (line 408)? Creon’s hubris causes him to think that he must put Antigone to death because she chooses to follow the god’s laws over his.
Finally giving up on his hubris and listening to the Gods, it seems poor Creon may still have a
Creon is first portrayed as a leader with rational laws and consequences for breaking them. But by the end of the play, Creon is a completely different character; he has let his excessive pride and hubris take over him. He doesn’t realize his change in character until it is brought to him through the prophecy of Teiresias, when it is already too late. Creon can be identified as a tragic hero because he shows great signs of stubbornness and pride. Considering he is the King of Thebes, he follows his rules and laws without listening to his citizen’s concerns, nor does he care about the gods wishes. His role as a hubris influences many of his choices, he believes in only his own thoughts and wishes. Creon abuses his power just because he can, without thinking of the consequences.
Creon has just become the king of Thebes and is letting his great power go to his head. He is deaf to reason and even accuses those who try to change his mind of “selling their soul
The other similarity between these two characters is the need to go ‘one up’ on their predecessor. Creon is the new king and desperate to make himself feared and respected, George W Bush,
Creon was close-minded and unreceptive of anything Haemon had to say, despite the fact that he presented such a strong argument, displaying both a wise and well thought-out case. Creon overlooked Haemon’s advice and chose to focus on the insignificant detail that he was simply too young lacking life experience, rather than concentrating on what he was actually saying. Truth