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Examples Of Creon In Antigone

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Is Creon truly a bad, cold hearted person or is it his position and desire for manhood that causes his actions to defeat him? In Antigone, written by Sophocles, Creon is the tragic hero, given that his tragic flaw causes his downfall. He constantly is letting his pride get in the way of doing what is right. After being told time and time again that he should reverse the mistakes he has made, he gives up on standing his ground. Creon learns fate cannot be escaped and he will suffer many sorrowful consequences. One could argue that Antigone is the tragic hero of the play. Creon creates a strict law that Polyneices should not be …show more content…

Creon's self-confidence overrides doing what is right, and causes him to make poor choices. Creon refuses to hear and consider the opinions and ideas of others. He is stubborn and convinced that he is doing what is right by killing Antigone and not burying Polyneices. He does not want to "show [himself] weak before the people or to break [his]sworn word" (iii.26). Creon cares more about his control and power over the people than his character. Creon refuses to lose the loyalty and respect of his people. He wants to be in control. Haemon tells his father, King Creon, "There are other men who can reason, too;and their opinions might be helpful. [He is] not in a position to know everything" (iii.55). Creon is creating an anarchy rather than a democracy. He will not listen to others because of his fear of losing his masculinity. The people of Thebes do not believe killing Antigone is right, and they lose respect for the King. Teiresias gets a sign from the gods that a terrible fate is coming, making Creon aware that he may suffer some dreadful consequences.

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