Antigone And Creon As A Tyrant

Written by the Greek writer Sophocles, the play Antigone continues to touch audiences around the world with themes that are relevant to this day. In the play, Antigone, daughter of Oedipus, and his wife Jocasta, is confronted with conflict as both of her brothers had slain each other after Polynices was exiled from Thebes, then marched back to regain his throne. Creon, the now ruler of Thebes, put forth a declaration stating that only Eteocles was to be buried, while Polynices had been barred from burial as he was considered a traitor. During the play, Antigone fights back and forth on her decision of putting the unwritten law of the gods before the law posted Creon. Two important themes that are showcased throughout the story

Antigone is the sister of Eteocles and Polyneices. Both Eteocles and Polyneices agree to jointly rule Thebes as mutual kings. After one year, Polynices distrusts his brother, resulting in Polyneices fleeing from Thebes, only to later return with an army. In the battle, both sides are massacred. Eteocles and Polyneices kill one another, consequently giving their power up as king to in Creon, Antigone’s uncle. As acting king, Creon orders that, “Eteocles who died as a man should die, fighting for his country, is to be buried with full military honors, with all the ceremony that is usual when the greatest heros die” (Sophocles, line 160). As for Polyneices, Creon passes a law for Polyneices to be left unburied, to rot for every citizen to witness. Antigone viewed this law as immoral and unjust, for one brother to be buried with military honor and not the other. Antigone, expressing her love for Polynices, rises against Creon's higher authority command

In life, humanity has the responsibility to adhere to the rules and regulations imposed upon it by a superior power. For the most part, this obedience breeds peaceful order and mutual understanding; however, when the body in control grows corrupt and enforces unjust laws, the people rightfully turn their thoughts to revolt. This is the case with Antigone, who was correct in her rejection of the inhumane ordinance proclaimed by King Creon. Her means are justified by her desperation to please the gods, her desire to honor her fallen brother, and her compulsion to perform what is morally right.

Creon left Antigone in the tomb when he told the guards to ‘’take her to that vault and leave her alone’’ to let her choose death herself. In order to,not let Creon or his soldiers have the blame for her death. Therefore Creon wanted to resemble Antigone’s death as the punishment for anyone who was against Creon’s law. While, if he choose to stone her to death it wouldn’t end in silence. Along with, both Creon and his soldiers have the responsibility of her death. However, creon left her saying ‘’if she lives or dies,that is her choice, not ours’’.

Creon then replies with, “Old man, you’re all like archers shooting at me— For you all I’ve now become your target— even prophets have been aiming at me.” (Sophocles 1152-1154) This proves Tiresias’ point and Creon has been clouded with his stubbornness, because Tiresias is speaking against Creon’s rule. Lost in his very own ego, Creon believes that everyone that opposes him is wrong, and his ignorance of the gods’ rules illustrates his arrogance and selfishness throughout the story. Despite having those who helped him to get his rule of Thebes, Creon still believes he rules over them without appreciation from the

The qualifications of a tragic hero vary between Aristotle and Shakespeare. Aristotle thinks of a tragic hero as someone who is a noble character by choice and makes his/her own destiny, while Shakespeare sees a tragic hero as someone who is born of nobility and born to be important. Although both tragic hero's end in a tragic death that effects many people, not all tragic hero's fit perfectly into both categories. In Sophocles’ Antigone, Creon is considered a tragic hero. Creon follows Aristotle's definition of a tragic hero by being a noble character by choice, having important potential, and falls due to "miscalculations" with circumstances that are beyond control.

While most of society define heroism as a person who saves lives, people with heroism show bravery and opposition to society or its laws. In Sophocles’ Greek tragedy Antigone, King Creon defies his society’s laws for his own self pride while in Voltaire’s novel Candide, a young boy breaks his uncle’s rule to fulfill his desires. Both characters challenge their society’s laws and take a stand against the flawed principles; however, should people consider Creon and Candide as heroes? Individuals do not have an obligation to challenge laws due to the fact that it leads to multiple deaths and the suffering of themselves or of others.

In the play of "Antigone" by Sophicles, sisters of a royal bloodline head back to Thebes, in which they they then find out both of their brothers are deceased. Creon- the main antogonist in the play- has arranged a proper burial for one the brothers but has banned the other one of a burial. This becomes the main protagonists goal- Antigone- to bury her other brother.

First off, his strong sense of leadership which catches up with him in the end causing destruction. Creon orders the guards to take Antigone away not caring for his son's feelings, since she is his fiancée. Creon feels the law should stand despite the fact that Antigone was his niece or how moral her act was. "Bring her [Antigone] out! Let her die before his eyes..." (Scene 3, 130). This quotes shows that Creon took his position as king seriously to the point where in he was willing to sacrifice the feelings of his own son. He was willing to be the cause of son's destruction just to prove that he is the king and always right. "I will go... I buried her, I will set her free" (scene 5, 102,104). Not only does this quote show leadership but also stubbornness he was risking his relationship with his son to prove that he was the leader of Thebes. Creon says another quote which shows his loyalty to his kingdom, "I call to God to witness that if I saw my country headed for ruin, I should not be afraid to speak out plainly," (Sophocles, scene 1,24-26).

I have been rash and foolish. I have killed my son and my wife. I look for comfort; my comfort lies here dead." (Sophocles, 1034-1036). At first, Creon is stubborn and his pride is so great that he cannot bring himself to acknowledge that he could ever wrong.

Antigone is an important character because she believes in the God's law more than she believes in the men laws. Antigone is considered the hero, she has many characteristic which lead to her downfall. One of her tragic flaws was that she had loyalty to the gods and conversely, her disloyalty to the king. “But all your strength is weakness itself against the immortal unrecorded laws of god. They are not merely now: they were,and shall be,operative forever, beyond man utterly.” She had loyalty to the gods and conversely her disloyalty to the king. Creon is the uncle of Antigone and Ismene he has come to power after the deaths of Eteocles and Polyneices, and has become the king of Thebes. Creon is the men who thinks he is right about

After reading Antigone by Sophocles, readers may believe that the two main characters, Antigone and Creon, seem like polar opposites. However, after digging a little deeper, readers are able to come to a final conclusion that although both characters may not always see eye to eye, they carry a number of similar traits. The characters seem to be so alike that it results in the two to constantly disagree, leading towards the two to continuously find new differences and flaws within each other. They don’t exactly have the same views, for example, Antigone seems to put family over everything else while Creon’s loyalty is more concerned with the well-being of Thebes. However, the two characters do have many similar internal characteristics. They are independent, confident, and stubborn when they want to be.

The play Antigone, written by Sophocles is the last book of his trilogy called The Oedipus Play of Sophocle. Antigone take places in the city of Thebes, the play open “some days later” there have been an edict by King Creon regarding the burials of Eteocles and Polyneices; Eteocles, will get a proper burial for defending the senate, Polyneices will not. The King Creon had declared Polyneice is a traitor and forbid anyone in the city to bury him. Here where we are being presented with the main characters of this story Antigone and Ismene; the two

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.

Sophocles’ play “Antigone” illustrates the conflict between obeying human and divine law. The play opens after Oedipus’ two sons Eteocles and Polyneices have killed each other in a civil war for the throne of Thebes. Oedipus’ brother in law Creon then assumes the throne. He dictates that Eteocles shall receive a state funeral and honors, while Polyneices shall be left in the streets to rot away. Creon believes that Polyneices’ body shall be condemned to this because of his civil disobedience and treachery against the city. Polyneices’ sister, Antigone, upon hearing this exclaims that an improper burial for Polyneices would be an insult to the Gods. She vows that Polyneices’ body will be buried, and Creon declares that anyone who