Relating to Characters in Sophocles' Plays

Being that Antigone is the protagonist, her character is important in the play. She made the decision to bury her brother knowing that it was against Creon’s law. Ismene refused to help Antigone, which left her angry, yet still determined to bury her brother. She knew that burying her brother could lead to her own death, but she continued to show courage, strength, and determination throughout her role. In the beginning, Antigone says, “Dear god, shout it from the rooftops. I’ll hate you all the more for silence/ tell the world!”(17,100-101). This was said to Ismene, when they were discussing burial plans and Ismene was telling Antigone that she was against the plan. Antigone’s dialogue shows that she is not worried about being punished or worried about who knows what she has done. It is clear that Antigone is sincere about honoring the gods, her actions show that she feels that she is pleasing the gods and that is all that matters to her. “These laws/ I was not about to break them, not out of fear of some man’s wounded pride, and face the retribution of the gods.”(30, 509-511). This demonstrates how she feels about man’s law vs. divine law. In the plot, there was not one time where Antigone denied

Creon is an antagonist of the play because he refuses to allow Antigone to bury her brother Polyneices, . The antagonist often shares some of the most notable traits as the protagonist, although for different reasons. Creon doesn’t listen to anyone. He is stubborn and his pride is so great, he can’t bring himself to acknowledge that he could ever be wrong. Creon knows that the only reasonable way to promote peace in Thebes is to be strict in his punishment of those who attacked Thebes. This includes Polyneices, since he was the one who led the attack against Thebes. The range of motives he can understand is limited, including “lust for power and greed for money”(Winnington 4). He believes he is on the only possible path and his goal is noble. He is the hero of his own story and wants something that he has thought about, considered and has decided to go after. Creon rejects the rules laid down

He is both logical and ethical. Creon is talking to his “people” and he says that he knows that no one will just follow a person around like a mindless drone. He says that his rules are the law and if you fight for your country you will die in honor and will be praised for it, but if you betray your country for another you will be left for the dogs and birds to feed on you. He says that, that is his command is a wise decision. “I am aware, of course, that no ruler can expect complete loyalty from his subjects until he has been tested in office.” “These are my principles, at any rate, and that is why I have made the following decision concerning the sons of Oedipus: 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 heroes die; but his brother Polyneices, who broke his exile to come back with fire and sword against his native city and the shrines of his fathers’ gods, whose one idea was to spill the blood of his blood and sell his own people into slavery–– Polyneices, I say, is to have no burial: no man is to touch him or say the least prayer for him; he shall lie on the plain, unburied; and the birds and the scavenging dogs can do with him whatever they like.This is my command, and you can see the wisdom behind it”(196). Creon is being logical. He is being logical because he is setting an example to the people of his country. His

For these reasons, his character is a feared leader. First of all, the fact that he issues that his nephew cannot be buried shows that- one, he demands loyalty, even over loyalty to the gods, and two, he defends his country over his family. He continues displaying his beliefs when he doesn’t revoke the edict even after his wife, and niece clearly disagree with it. Creon’s pride continues to take precedent when he begins falsely accusing

Antigone is very proud, liker her father Oedipus, who also happens to be a tragic hero; I guess it runs in the family. Pride ends up being their downfall. Antigone promises her brother, before he is killed, that she will give him a proper Theban burial, but Creon the King decreed that anyone who buries him will

This quote explains the main conflict of the play. Creon has ordered that Polynices, Antigone’s brother, cannot receive a proper burial because in Creon’s eyes he is a traitor. Polynices fought against his brother to claim the throne of Thebes, the pair ended up killing each other. Tiresias tries to tell Creon that he is wrong to do this because it is angering the gods that he is denying them a body. Tiresias even warns Creon not to be stubborn, “Stubborness/ brands you for stupidity-pride is a crime.” (1137-1138). Pride in Greek tragedies is most often the cause of a characters downfall and Creon is no exception.

As King of Thebes, Creon is forced to make difficult decisions. As a new ruler, he feels it is necessary to prove himself to his citizens, therefore he rules his state with a firm hand. He believes that Polyneices should not be buried because he was a traitor to his country and family. Creon knew this decision would be hard on some

Creon felt that Polynices was a traitor for fighting against his own town and this would be his punishment for doing so. In order to protect and honor his town Creon felt that it was necessary to not bury Polynices as a way to demonstrate that he would not stand for his town to be disrespected. Creon wanted to have control over every aspect of the town and its people so he believed that by denying burial right to Polynices he was taking control and this power developed into pride. Creons pride and belief that he is doing the right thing for the state is so strong that it blinds his sense of self.Creon lost his sense of wisdom because his loyalty to the state overpowered his mind and essentially his morals. As a Greek it was known that burials were the passageway for the deceased to pass on to the afterlife because it was the law of the Gods and no one dared to break it. However, Creons lack of wisdom, or inability to judge what is right and true made him completely disregard his beliefs.Creon states, “This cannot

Due to his unwavering pride and refusal to see through the eyes of others, Creon falls from his position of immense power and wealth which in the end doesn’t matter because all his loved ones and family are now dead.

Overall, Creon is genuinely a good person. But the act of not only someone but his niece, dare to go against his law of forbidding Polyneices burial. Causes his to result in a “bad person” and enforce cruel punishments to show that he is serious. The fact of her being family doesn’t exclude her from consequences of her actions.

It must seem inconceivable to Creon that the gods would ever want a traitor like Polynices buried, let alone with the same ceremony as his brother Eteocles. Creon believes in the gods of the country and he is sure that he is acting in the best interest of Thebes. If he had decided to bury Polynices it would show him and his country as being weak. It would send a message that Thebes is a country that honors its traitors. This could put the country in jeopardy of another attack.

Before advancing to the throne, Oedipus had unknowingly killed Laius, his father and the king of Thebes. Shortly after killing the king, he married the dead king’s wife, his mother. He had committed incest by marrying and having children with his own mother. As a result he became father of Polyneices, Eteocles, Antigone, and Ismene. Oedipus stabs his eyes out and his sons, Polyneices and Eteocles killed themselves in combat, over the power of the throne. Creon was in the process of reconstructing Thebes from the ruins that his own family created. He also had to make a name for himself, after all the chaos the past rulers had made. If Creon did not set an example for civilians they would simply rebel. Creon was to stand firm by his word because no one is above the law, no matter who committed the act. In other words Creon was not a villain; he was the antagonist of Antigone. Imagine how biased Creon would appear to the Theban population if he did not pursue the punishment that he himself had instituted. In agreement to his law, Creon’s intentions were just. There’s no doubt about it, Creon’s law was harsh but when truly analyzing the situation, Polyneices was a traitor because he allied with other cities and attacked his homeland. Creon’s strong and steadfast attitudes were to support Thebes. But unfortunately, he was a little too late to understand that his fierce dedication to his decree was an error on his part.

After killing his father, Creon, the new King of Thedes, uses his power to outlaw the burial of his son Polyneices. This example tells us a lot about Creon's

Creon's actions are guided by the ideal that states "man is the measure of all things." The chorus emphasizes this point during the play by stating that "There is nothing beyond (man's) power" (Sophocles page #). Creon believes that the good of man comes before the gods. Setting the example using Polynices' body left unburied is a symbol of Creon's belief. "No man who is his country's enemy shall call himself my friend" (Sophocles page #). 

1. What is Creon’s motivation for forbidding the burial of his own nephew Polyneicês? Why would he issue an edict that runs so contrary to his family obligations?