Antigone Leadership Analysis

If Antigone did nothing, living with the guilt of not helping her brother would be worse. She breaks these rules for divine law, a law that is believed to come directly from god. Antigones actions for Polyneices that he must be buried is a requirement from the gods. If not buried properly the souls of the deceased were let to walk to river Styx, the entrance to the under world, for eternity and their souls would never be at rest. Not burying a body was a great insult to the dead and Antigone could not live with that on her conscience. Creon on the other hand ignores the laws of the gods and believes his duty to the city comes first. Creon believes his decision was in the best interest of Thebes to show that he is a strong ruler and the city of Thebes will be safe in his hands.

In the play Antigone, written by Sophocles, King Creon created a law that denied proper burial rites to anyone who invaded or betrayed the city of Thebes. Antigone defied this law by burying her brother, Polynices, after he was harshly accused of being a traitor. Both Creon and Antigone showed a tenacious passion toward their perception of justice, unwilling to accept that honoring the law and honoring the individual conscience were both justified in different ways. The stubbornness that they shared led them both to meet their downfalls, which conveyed the idea that being too proud to accept guidance from others ultimately leads to dire consequences.

Antigone believed that the actions she took were done for the right reason, because they adhere to the law of the Gods. In opposition to that, Creon believes that the actions he had taken were in fact the right ones, because he believed that Polyneices was a traitor to the land, and that anyone who should give him a proper burial would suffer the penalty of death. So, the actions that were taken by both of them individually were the right ones, in their own minds at least.<br><br>Antigone, in her plan to give her brother Polyneices a proper burial, kept in mind the consequences that she would suffer for having followed through with the plan. This doesn't necessarily mean that Antigone does not obey the human law that is set up by King Creon, it just means that this particular rule conflicted with the law of the Gods, something that Antigone believes highly in obeying, especially when it deals with her family. Antigone disregards the Olympian Justice that governs the land and also presides over the set laws that make civilized life attainable (Segal "Antigone" 172).<br><br>Antigone goes up against human law, by burying her brother Polyneices, knowing well that she will have to sacrifice her own life. She does this only because it is morally and ethically right, and this is why she stakes her life based upon her strong beliefs (Segal

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

Being the leader of Thebes, Creon wants order and loyalty to the city. After the death of Eteocles and Polyneices, Creon makes it known that anyone who acts against the city is an enemy. Creon decides that Polyneices would not receive a burial because he sees him as a traitor. Not burying the dead is uncommon for many since it went against religious beliefs. Antigone saw the wrong that was being done, as did other citizens. Creon says that “for quite a while some people in the

Many believe that the divine word holds more power than man, Antigone is one of these people and hold the divines laws higher than man's laws. On the other hand, Creon believes that holding power is the way of life and tries to uphold his laws over the deity laws. Creon does this when the brothers Polyneices and Eteocles kill each other and Polyneices is designated as a traitor. Creon decides to prohibit the people from burying Polyneices properly and follow the god's law to prevent more rebellions. Antigone on the other hand believes that a Creon's law holds no power over her from giving a proper burial. As Antigone is talking to Ismene she states "No one shall say I failed him! I will bury my brother -- and yours too, if you will not"( Sophocles ). This statement shows

Antigone decides to bury her brother because she knows that he’s good, and that his soul deserves to rest in peace. Creon believes that Polyneices is a traitor, and that he has a negative spirit which doesn’t deserve peace so “[Creon] will condemn to death anyone who attempts to bury Polyneices.” (37-38). Creon, passes a law that says no one must touch the ‘traitor’s body’ which infuriates Antigone because her brothers mistake does not define him as a person. Burying Polyneices is the right thing to do because he is a simple human being that made an error, that caused conflict, but Creon would argue that he is a traitor “[and] to bury him is a crime, not an act of grace.”

In order to be an influential leader they need to inspire and the only way that will be possible is if they listen to the people around them. Furthermore, Sophocles’ purpose in writing about leadership was to convey that as a leader, they must know what their true values are, because it will help them make decisions easier, help them listen to those around them and it will help them maintain their position as an impactful leader. Creon needed to get a hold on what he truly valued. There were improvements that needed to be made but he was ignorant. His son, the leader, and Tiresias tried to advise him but Creon failed to communicate well with

Creon, the leader who wanted to kill his niece, because she wanted to bury her brother. Antigone will bury her brother, although she knows that Creon’s laws must be obeyed. Creon doesn’t see women strong enough to stand against him. Creon said,“ Whoever is chosen to govern should be obeyed, must be obeyed in all things, great and small, just and unjust “. Creon rejects the rules laid down by the gods. Creon decided to punish everyone who will not obey his law, even if it means having his own niece killed for

An important ideal in Ancient Greece was the belief that the government was to have no control in matters concerning religious beliefs. In Antigone's eyes, Creon betrayed that ideal by not allowing her to properly bury her brother, Polynices. She believed that the burial was a religious ceremony, and Creon did not have the power to deny Polynices that right.

Antigone chose to give her brother Polyneices a proper burial even though it was against the king’s law. She tried talking her sister Ismene to join her on her quest because Polyneices was both of their brothers, but Ismene did not want to disobey Kreon’s order (Blondell 19-24). This left Antigone to handle this on her own, which takes a lot of courage and dedication to what she believes in. Antigone went on with her plan to bury Polyneices and his body was eventually found by a guard (Blondell 30). When the guard brought the news to Kreon he was furious and the Chorus had suggested it was a Gods doing, which led me to believe that they did not think anyone one else was willing to risk it all by not listening to their kings orders (Blondell 32). A good lesson to learn from Antigone is that even if you break the law you have to admit your doing especially when you know what you did was morally right and what you stand for as an individual. When Antigone was accused of breaking the law and burying Polyneices she did not even hesitate saying, “I don’t deny it; I admit the deed was mine.” (Blondell 38). She even goes on to tell King Kreon that his choice to not allow the burial of Polyneices is morally wrong and how he is disobeying the God Zeus who is offended by improper treatment of a corpse (Blondell 38). Though Antigone knows the consequence for disobeying the king, she continues to fight for her brother’s honor and makes sure to point out the king’s foolish decision. Even in her last words she questions what kind of men can make suffer and then gives her respects to the town, gods, and rulers.

Creon is characterized as an authoritarian tyrannical ruler. He created the law stating that nobody was to bury the body of Polynices because he betrayed the city of Thebes. Creon was right to make his law because Polynices was a turncoat and died on Theban soil. Although his law was harsh, he believed that he was in the right because a villain such as Polynices did not deserve a proper burial. Creon was especially enraged when Antigone disregarded his law because Polynices was her brother, “Oh but I hate it more / when a traitor, caught red-handed, / tries to glorify his crimes (Creon 552-554).”

In the text, Antigone wants to bury her brother, Polynices, after hearing about what occurred with their brother, Eteocles. Polynices and Eteocles had an argument over who should be the king and they ended up slaughtering each other to death in a battle for the throne. Polynices is looked at as a traitor. Antigone did not care and still wanted to bury him. The obstacle in the way her uncle Creon. Creon was the king and he proclaimed that the body of Polynices shall not be buried. Both Antigone and Creon followed separate rules and laws. That causes the difference in viewpoints between the two. With Antigone, she believes that it would be right to bury him, so she did. Once Creon found out, he was very angry. With the body of Polynices being banned due to the proclamation

Creon believes that authority rests with the king and no one else, because the gods have favored him and have given him his kingly authority. In fact, he wants everyone to follow his laws, no matter how stupid or unfair they may seem. As an example, Creon announces his authority before the city, saying, “Now I hold sole power and the throne, because I am the closest relative of the fallen” (Ant. lines 173-175). Creon is stating that his laws must be obeyed because he is the only one with the authority to make such laws. Creon continues to cling to his authority, even when his own son questions him and tells him that the people of Thebes are against him. Creon responds with several rhetorical questions, such as, “…The city will tell me how I ought to rule it?...Should I rule this land for myself or for others?…Isn’t the city thought to be her ruler’s” (lines 745-754). Clearly, Creon believes that his authority should overrule everyone’s and expects his son Haemon to understand that and remain loyal to him.

The main conflict in Antigone focuses on an unjust law promulgated by Creon. After Creon’s nephew Polyneices attempts to take power (resulting in his death), the king decrees that Polyneices is not allowed to be buried. In ancient Greek culture, this would