Theme Of Self Image Of Creon And Okonkwo

Machiavelli’s The Prince serves as a guidebook for a lasting principality that centers around the ideas of public perception, cruel disposition, and the relationship between virtu and fortuna. Creon, the leader of Thebes in Sophocles’ Antigone, demonstrates harsh character towards his people and a willingness to make hard decisions for the benefit of his state., Creon displays good conduct as a prince because of his relationship with the people of Thebes and the actions he takes to defend his political agenda.

In the play Antigone, Creon starts off as the loyal king of Thebes. He is loyal to the gods and loyal to the welfare of Thebes. However, over the course of the play, Creon degenerates into a tyrant. His degeneration is showing his character development. Creon’s pride about the human law also develops throughout the play, creating conflict with the divine law. When Antigone rebels against his law, he becomes stubborn, and makes myopic decisions and grows into his hamartia. Besides his hamartia, Creon’s position as the king makes him a power hungry man. His power madness degenerates him into becoming a ruthless and vindictive man, even to his family. However, over the course of the play, Creon begins to see that because of the laws of men, he was being blinded of what’s

After Antigone is brought forth and accepts the punishment of her burying her brother, Creon sends her away. At this time, Ismene steps up to defend Antigone and tries to get creon to realize that Antigone is his son’s future bride. Creon answers by saying, “There are other field just as fertile” (26). In this quote, he displays that he cares for neither Antigone, nor his son, Haemon. . He explains that there are other women around that could be just as a promising wife as Antigone. He exemplifies the theme of pride here, by putting that everyone gets replaced and that he does not put his son’s life first. Power, a theme that is primarily exemplified by Creon, appears multiple times throughout his dialogue. While discussing Antigone’s punishment with Haemon, Creon says, “This city will tell me how I ought to rule it?” (40). In this quote, Creon represents the theme of power. He is trying to show Haemon that HE is the king of Thebes and that no one will tell him how to rule, especially the citizens. In relation to present time, there are countless politicians that share the same characteristics as Creon, someone who takes their power for granted and will use it to take advantage of everyone.

In Sophocles’ Antigone, a major conflict arose over Antigone’s and Creon’s beliefs on right and wrong. Antigone stands for the laws of the Gods and family morals. Creon chose to stand for the values of the state and his will to be king. Although one’s decisions appear to be more reasonable and sympathetic than the other, both characters’ decisions in society can be equally validated.

After appeasing the Chorus and the audience, Creon justifies his right to rule the state, legitimizing this takeover of power. He states that he “now possess(es) the throne and all its powers, as I [he] is closet kin to the dead.” Creon reiterates that his takeover was not due to individual reasons or his greed, but because of his divine rights. By putting his transferal of power due to the gods, the Chorus will be less likely to question his right to rule Thebes. Creon, as the new ruler from the gods, showcases his ability to rule by stating his principles as “a man in command of an entire city.” His political ideals largely consist of placing loyalty to polis over philos and structuring it before the justification of handing out such a proclamation seems to iterate that his proclamation was not due to his love of kin (philos) but due to his strict political approach and loyalty towards the city state (polis). Creon, as a prudent, astute politician, assigns such a structure to his speech and links the different contexts with discourse markers because in doing so, he first gains the trust and confidence of the Elders, a central party of Thebes, then justifies his power and his ability and finally provides an explanation of his proclamation regarding the diverse treatment provided to the

Throughout the play, Creon shows many examples of how he is imperfect. One example would be how he believes that the state is primary to his family and relationships, “If this is your pleasure, Creon, treating our city’s enemy and our friend this way … the power is yours, I suppose, to enforce it with the laws, both for the dead and all of us, the living,” this quotation said by the leader of the chorus describes how the elder people of Thebes respect their family more than the state, but they held back on their opinions, knowing of what Creon, the leader, wanted to hear (235-240). Another example of how Creon shows the audience of how he is imperfect is when, Creon meets with Haemon. Creon argues with Haemon about how people should act towards the country which they reside in, “But whoever steps out of line, violates the laws or presumes to hand out orders to his superiors, he’ll win no praise from me. But that man the city places in authority, his orders must be obeyed, large and small, right and wrong,” Creon believes since he has the highest throne in his country, that he should be obeyed whether the circumstance (745-751). Lastly, Creon demonstrates to the audience that he is imperfect by wanting to protect his country too much. This is visible when Creon sentences Antigone to a slow death, because of burying her brother, who was outcasted as a traitor. Creon put the state over his family which will lead to the complete

Even though Antigone exhibits a blamable pride and a hunger for glory, her disobedience is less serious than those of Creon. It is evident that Antigone’s actions are driven by a love for her brother, and a desire to please the gods. While Creon’s actions are

As Susan B. Anthony once said, “I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do, because I notice it always coincides with their own desires.” Sophocles presents Creon as a leader who thinks he knows what the gods want, but is making decisions for the good of himself. He disguises himself as a strong and trusting leader, but later reveals his real self to the citizens of Thebes. In “Antigone,” Sophocles uses the conflict between leaders and their people to expose the danger of trusting a strong leader.

To have “power” means that one has authority, and having authority gives you the right to control or command, but for many, receiving a surplus of power and authority strips them of their morals and corrupts them. Sophocles uses Creon in Antigone as an example of the side effects of gaining power. Due to an abundance of power, Creon’s character goes through a metamorphosis in which he becomes a corrupted person. Creon becomes unrecognizable after becoming King and his character transitions to personify all the evil that comes along with gaining a large amount of power. Sophocles uses Creon’s character to convey that power causes one to believe that they are above everyone and everything else, including the laws of the gods, and leads them to

Sophocles portrays Creon as an ineffective leader because in Antigone, he is seen as very stubborn. Creon does not take the advice that the Guard, Chorus, or even his own son, Haemon, gives to him. For example, Haemon tried to persuade his dad to be smart and make the right decision whether to spare Antigone’s life or to punish her. Creon then replied to Creon saying “What? Men of our age go to school again and take a lesson from a very boy?”. This is a perfect example that portrays Creon’s stubbornness because he does not listen to Haemon because Haemon is a boy and not of age to be listened to by a man. Someone who does not listen to another person because they

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

The bestowal of ruling legitimacy upon Creon sparks off the Greek tragedy. Polyneices and Eteocles, brothers of Antigone killed each other during their fateful battle for the Theban throne and Creon, as the closest surviving kinsman, rules as the Theban king. Creon then approaches the chorus of elders privately and pronounces his first speech, wishing to draw himself support from the group of elite elders to prevent further mutiny against his rule among the Theban public. Through declaring his legitimacy as a ruler, establishing his authority and outlining

In our two stories, The Epic of Gilgamesh and Antigone, the people are ruled by imposing monarchs: Gilgamesh and Creon, respectively, who each use their power in differing ways. While Gilgamesh has “arrogance [having] no bounds by day or night,” (62), Creon, king of Thebes and protagonist in Antigone, admits that his worthiness in leadership will only be proven in action (140-42). Creon wants to be an ideal ruler, stating that as “supreme guardian of the State” he will always put the common welfare above friendship, and consider those who do not help the country prosper to be enemies. Gilgamesh, who “sounds the tocsin [alarm bell] for his amusement” and takes virgins from their lovers (62, 68), is uncaring and

Jean Anouilh’s adaption of Sophocles’ Antigone published in 1994 garners the question whether or not the audience should deem Creon, the anointed king of Thebes, a tragic hero or villain? Notably, a Greek tragedy is distinguishable by the presence of a tragic villain. The role of which is to maintain awareness of their evil, yet unlike the hero remain static in terms of seeking resolution for their tragic flaw. Anouilh explores the way in which these attributes manifest themselves through Creon’s actions and dialogue in terms of his ability to uphold his authoritative political pragmatism ideals. Anouilh characterizes Creon through the iteration of his ideals concerning the role of an authority figure.

In the beginning of Antigone, Creon and his people firmly believe in the power of his authority and his leadership of the city of Thebes. When Creon argues with his son Haemon, he tells him “that man the city places in authority, his orders must be obeyed,” so much that “whoever places a friend above the good of his own country, he is nothing” (748-750, 203-204). The citizens place Creon in authority, so he urges his people to obey his edicts and orders because their compliance is essential to his position. In his opinion, authority is the most meaningful entity in Greek life, regardless of friendship or family ties. For example, even though Antigone is his son’s fiancée, Creon refuses to absolve her of her crimes because in his eyes, no one should be exempt from the law. The city-state agrees with Creon, illustrated when the chorus sings, “When he weaves in the laws of the