How Does Creon Show Loyalty In Antigone

The conflict between allegiance to the ruler and faithfulness to family honor and the gods is a distressing problem for Creon and Antigone. They each express and are committed to extreme opposite views on where loyalties should be placed. Creon’s strict definition of citizenship calls for the ruler to come first, a commitment to the city’s laws that causes him to believe that Polyneices forfeits burial rights because he attacked the city. Antigone, however, is devoted to the gods and family above obedience to the ruler and believes loyalties to both gods and family outweigh loyalty to the city, and so disobeys Creon and buries her brother. It is the responsibility of all citizens to figure out whether Antigone is guilty or not guilty of the

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). It shows his strong sense of leadership which catches up with him in the end causing destruction.

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 also demonstrates loyalty as one of his defining characteristics; however, contrary to Beowulf, Creon's loyalty is not seen as virtuous. Rather, his staunchness is seen as extreme and harsh. His loyalty to himself and his own opinions on matters sets up quite a predicament with Antigone, who feels that his actions are a result of selfish loyalty, and therefore sinful (p228). The extreme measures that Creon takes to keep anyone from honoring the body of Polyneices shows that he feels the brother dishonored Creon's country. In Creon's eyes, this sin is

In the play Antigone, written by Greek playwright Sophocles, loyalty to family seems to be a recurring theme. We first see it when Antigone defies King Creon's order to keep her brother, Polynices, unburied as a punishment for his betrayal of their country Thebes. We also see how Antigone's sister, Ismene, accepts partial blame for the burial (even though she refused to actually do it) in an affectionate, loyal act. Creon is also family (their father's brother), but he, however, betrays this family trust and loyalty when he sentences Antigone to death for disobeying his law. There are, however, repercussions for this death sentence, that prove that there are two central tragic heroes in this play. She is

Sophocles symbolizes family over authority by using Antigone and Creon to conflict each other's core beliefs, showing that Antigone is willing to die to honor the love for her family, while Creon is willing to kill to honor and enforce his own authority at any cost. As we see in the story, when Antigone's brothers die, she chooses to bury Polyneices even though she knows this will cost her her life. In the play when Antigone tells her sister what she’s going to do, ismene says, ”But think of the danger! Think what Creon will do! ANTIGONE: Creon is not enough to stand in my way” This shows Antigone represents family for the great lengths she will go to to honor her brother. By contrast, Sophocles paints Creon to symbolize authority through murder of his own bloodline. In the play he plans to kill Antigone for choosing her love for her brother over his rule, and so he plans out her execution although she is family to Creon. The Choragos asks Creon “Do you really intend to steal this girl from your son?,” which then he responds by saying “No; Death will do that for me.” Which shows the reader that Creon is unsympathetic to who Antigone is in relation to him. He disregards the importance of family to uphold his authoritative values. By the end of the play the author has shown us Creon has come to realize his ways have cost him his family, and he regrets his decisions.

Sophocles’ play Antigone suggest that loyalty is the center of the decisions that the people make. There are two types of loyalty in the play: loyalty to the state and loyalty to religion. The conflict arises when loyalty to the state law interferes with the spiritual law. The king of Thebes, Creon, has decided that a man by the name of Polyneices shall not be given a proper burial due to the fact that he betrayed the state. His sister, Antigone, strongly disagrees with this logic and believes that the king should not be the one who decides whether his soul is accepted into the afterlife or not. The influence of loyalty when making decisions is shown when Antigone explains to her sister that she is going to bury her brother, through the conversation Antigone and Creon have after she is caught, and the argument that Creon has with his son about the burial of Polyneices.

In Sophocles play, Antigone, loyalty and to whom it is owed is a prominent theme. The characters show loyalty throughout the play through disobedient acts. Antigone shows her loyalty to her family by breaking the law to bury her brother Polyneices. Haemon shows his loyalty to Antigone by speaking against what his father tells him and eventually killing himself because of his fiance's death. Creon displays his loyalty to the state over family by choosing to treat Polyneices as a traitor as well as arrest Antigone and condemning her to death.

       In the play Creon makes the key decision to place a decree stating that Polyneices was to be left unburied for betraying his country and anyone that attempted to bury him will face punishment. “As long as I am King, no traitor is going to be honored with the loyal man” (Scene 1, Lines 174-178). This quote displays that Creon is a man of his word and is able to make key decisions. Creon says that a man who does good has his respect and a man that betrays his country will never be respected. Creon demonstrates the protagonist by not only making key decisions, but affecting the circumstances of the story.

Sometimes the reason you hate someone so much is because they are so much like you. Antigone is a play by Sophocles about a tragic family that is filled with betrayal, anger, regret, and sorrowness. I have come up with some ways that Antigone is like Creon. Throughout the story there are quotes that make Antigone act just like Creon.

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.

Antigone had one theme that I thought was very interesting. In the play, Creon had an issue with choosing the State over his family. Antigone feels that it is unfair to keep her brother, Polinices, from being buried; as a result, she decides to do what she thought was right by burying her brother (lines 14-35). Usually, having an improper burial meant that a person was a disgrace to his society based on the culture during that time. In contrast, having a proper burial meant that the people will honor those who serve well to his country. The modern day version of a proper burial is holding a funeral where the family and friends remember their lost love, burying their body in a beautiful casket with clothes. Creon made a decree that he will never honor the traitors of Thebes, whom he recall Polinices for betraying his country.

In Antigone by Sophocles, both Creon and Antigone think they are loyal, although they express their loyalty in different ways. Creon believes he is loyal because he protects Thebes and always puts the state before anything else, including his family. In Creon's first statement in the play he expresses that “No one values friendship more highly than I; but/we must remember that friends made at the risk of wrecking/our Ship are not real friends at all”(Sophocles I.i.30-33). At this point in his speech he is referencing the battle that had recently happened between Eteocles and Polyneices, where Polyneices became a traitor to Thebes.

Sophocles expresses his devotion to family throughout Creon’s actions in the play as well. Prior to Creon first deciding to let Antigone die, the choragus convinces him to release her. Creon, reluctant at first, listens to the choragus and says to them, “It is hard to deny the heart! ” (SceneV. 235). Creon, knowing in his heart, that he has finally done the right thing by letting Antigone have freedom. Although Creon wants Antigone to pay for defiance of his law, the family ties prove to be stronger than his devotion to authority. As Creon orders the choragus on what weapons to bring, Creon exclaims, “I buried her, I/ Will set her free”

In the play Creon rejects the burial of Polyneices but still seems to value family heavily. When Creon speaks with Haemon he expresses that he should listen to his father’s choice over anything else “Stand by your father’s ideas in all things.” (Page 37), showing that Creon values family honor. Sophocles shows moments of family love throughout the play, Creon knows letting Antigone go after burying her brother is the right thing to do so he makes the decision to let her go free for the action she performed “I myself, since my judgement has turned and seen better ways, I bound her up and I will go and release her.” (Page 54), this shows that Creon truly loves Antigone and chose family over authority by freeing her. As Haemon finds out Antigone has hanged herself, in