Disagreeing with my Father “Father, the gods instill good sense in men the greatest of all the things which we possess. (page 280 Line 776) What Haemon is trying to tell his father is that the gods treat all men with good and that even if Polynecies attacked the city of Thebes, he should be treated by the gods and be buried. “And Men my age-are we then going to learn what wise from men as young as him?” Creon does not like what Haemon is saying to him and is saying he is the higher up, he’s older he won’t learn anything from him as he’s his older son. Haemon’s words, actions and ideas contrast with Creon’s character to the point of these two character having conflicting motivations. These Conflicting motivations cause Creon to become more angry, disrespectful and cause Fear. When Haemon tells Creon “Then She’ll die and in her death kill someone else”(page 283 line 855) Meaning that if he kills Antigone he will kill Creon or kill himself because he loves Antigone and wants to marry her. Creon gets scared and Asks “Are you so insolent you threaten me?” (page283 line 858) …show more content…
Haemon said to his father “Now you’re talking like someone far too young. Don’t you see that?” (Page280 Line 835) Creon tells Haemon he will never marry Antigone as long as he’s king, Which Cause Haemon to storm off and leave the
Haemon stated that his father had dishonored the gods by sending Antigone off to her death, but Creon responded by saying, “You, you soul of corruption, rotten through-/ woman’s accomplice!” (836-37) Creon refused to acknowledge his son’s point, therefore, not changing his mind on Antigone’s fate. In another scene, Creon showed his independence by refusing to listen to Tiresias’ prophecy. Knowing that Tiresias’ prophecies were never wrong, Creon still ignored him. Creon stated, “You and the whole breed of seers are mad for money!” (1171) He claimed that Tiresias was wrong, and he was doing the right thing. In this scene Creon showed his independence in a cruel manner by disrespecting Tiresias. Antigone and Creon both showed that they wanted to be independent. Antigone’s will to be independent ultimately caused her death, and Creon’s caused him to lose his son, niece, and wife.
In Sophocles' Antigone, Haemon delivers a well thought out speech and uses countless rhetorical devices, such as humility and empowering the audience, in order to pressure his father, Creon, into not killing Antigone. After Creon speaks to Haemon about how Antigone has betrayed Thebes, Haemon appeals to Creon’s religion by stating that "only the gods endow a man with reason," and that Creon doesn't have wisdom and should not kill Antigone. Haemon continues to discuss Creon's morality by explaining how Creon should not "watch... or find [things] to criticize" in others, similar to how Haemon think Creon should not judge Antigone for burying her brother and father. By telling Creon how "the man on the street… deserves a glowing crown of gold"
However, Haemon speculates otherwise by stating relevant inferences that Creon tends to be blinded from. For instance, after Creon declares his cruel opinions, Haemon suggests, “You are not in position to know everything / That people say or do, or what they feel: / Your temper terrifies themeveryone” (990). This reveals how Haemon is trying to advise his father about his improper regulations toward the people and how most are too afraid to overcome him. He also offers the idea of everybody having diverse viewpoints can result beneficially. Another example that displays his eagerness to change Creon’s mindset is when he states, “In flood time you can see how some trees bend, / And because they bend, even their twigs are safe, / While stubborn trees are torn up, roots and all” (991). In this passage, Haemon uses figurative language toward his father in order avoid further controversy. So, Haemon finds a softer tone of voice and uses this metaphor to state his position. The metaphor reveals how Haemon believes Antigone should have the right to bury her brother, since this is what the Gods wanted her to do. Creon
Haemon serves as a foil for Creon’s character by highlighting Creon’s unreasonableness, anger, and disrespect. (Line 832-33) Haemon says, “ The people of Thebes all say the same- they deny she is.” Then Creon says, “ So the city now will instruct how I am to govern?” Haemon says that he should listen to the people. The people won’t say anything because they’re scared to say anything. Creon is asking if he should let the people tell him how to rule.
So he tried to tell convince creon that his decision was irrational and that the people of the towns people were talking about Antigone and how she did the right thing. But the king didn't want to listen and followed through with his plan of killing here except in a different way. He said that he will lock her up in a cell and leave her some food to live of off a little while but eventually will die of starvation. knowing this antigone killed herself by hanging herself with the vile of her wedding dress. When Haemon found out that his wife killed herself he stabbed creon and
Creon’s son Haemon does not want his wife to be to be put to death and pleads with his father. “ I see my father offending justice wrong. That she’ll die but her death will kill another.”(1287) Haemon reveals to the his father that if he continues with killing his wife to be he will flee his presence and kill himself for his love Antigone. In the end Creon realizes that his pride has lead to the destruction of his life and his kingdom. “ I know it myself- I’m shaken, torn. It’s a dreadful thing to yield…but resist now? Lay my pride bare to the blows of ruin? That’s dreadful too.” (1296) King Creon realizes to little to late and because of his pride he loses his son, wife, and daughter in law. “And the guilt is all mine- can never be fixed on another man, no escape for me.
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
Haemon asks Creon to let Antigone go, because he said he heard that “the city
Haemon shows his love to Antigone by revolting his father 's authority and committing suicide. Haemon is the son of Creon and Eurydice and is engaged to Antigone. He always respects and obeys Creon, taking Creon for a model. However, the decree of killing Antigone causes his violent controversy with his father because he is afraid of losing his fiancé—Antigone. Haemon defends the moral behavior of Antigone and reasons with Creon to change
Haemon disregarded the declarations and that was seen as the height of disrespect against Creon, but in the eyes of the civilians Creon is entirely in the wrong. The greatest iniquity committed by Haemon is the fact that he did not believe Antigone was guilty or deserved to be put in a tomb to die. Engulfed in all his power, Creon did not realize he was the only one that felt it was right to punish Antigone for performing a proper burial. Although it is not popularity but respect that he is searching for by sentencing Antigone to death, he is still putting himself before his country’s well being. Haemon is indirectly saying that a government should be based on democracy, public opinion, and have laws established for the betterment of the
Full of drama and tragedy, Antigone can be used to relate to current conflicts. One such conflict is that between Haemon and his father Creon. Haemon looks up to Creon with honor and pride, but as conflict arises, that relation is disassociated and new feelings grow. The first conversation between them is what initiates the downfall of their bond. While it seems that Creon is the most important person in Haemon’s life, Antigone is in fact the one that has won Haemon over.
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.
He then states he (Creon) alone can’t be right and “other men who can reason, too; and their opinions might be helpful. You are not in a position to know everything” (Sophocles 218). By jogging Creon’s memory that he can’t have an overview of everything, Haemon is endeavoring to help Creon reason and to be open mind. In haemon’s next assertion he describes how, “she kept him from dogs and vultures. Is this a crime? Death- she should have all the honor that we can give her!” this tells the readers that if she would have died it would be unjust to die in shame for what was an act of glory, justice and that she should deserve a crown of gold and glory(218). At the end Haemon uses a plan to make threats against his father, after his father says Antigone must die, Haemon responded with an ultimatum answer “then she must die, but her death will cause another” (222). As Haemon dashing off in anger, Creon knows that if Antigone were to be executed, so will his son. Having no choose but Creon didn’t want Haemon to save Antigone so he carried Antigone into a living tomb (the cave) all locked up and supplied her with food just enough food to clear of its guilt of
In the play, Haemon is brought to his father to be informed off the news of his soon to be wife. In the discussion between Creon and Haemon, they speak of Haemon's obedience and Antigone's disobedience to Creon. Creon says, "So I must guard the men who yield to order, not let myself be beaten by a woman. Better, if it must happen that a man should overset me. I won't be called weaker than womankind" (Sophocles 211). Creon makes it clear that his reasoning relies on sexism and not what is truly just. Women are often downgraded to the status of a secondary role as shown in the story.
They don’t agree with what I have decreed.”(Sophocles). When Haemon defied him, it was like a rude awakening, like ‘wow, not everyone is blindly faithful’. This showed how oblivious Creon was. He was so greedy and blinded by power that he didn’t think of how his decisions affected his people.