Creon In Sophocles Antigone

Creon’s definition of a good leader is: a ruler who is just, that always makes the right decision no matter what. The newly appointed king Creon made a declaration that no one is to touch the dead body of the traitor Polycienes or there would be a huge amount of punishment. Antigone both the niece of Creon and the sister of Polycienes, buried her brother’s dead body. While in a conversation between Creon and his son Hameon, Creon still unsure what to do about Antigone. “I’ll suppose [Antigone will] please ‘family ties’...If I permit my own family to rebel,” Creon advocates, “How shall I earn the world’s obedience?”( Sophocles ll. 29-30 Emphasis Added). In the quote above, Creon is hesitant in what to do with Antigone because she is family and if he doesn’t punish her that will make him look like a bad leader. Furthermore, he emphasizes the idea that he wants to be a fair leader that make the right decision. “ Do …show more content…
More than anything else, he really emphasizes that he doesn’t want to look “weak” or “break his sworn word”. Thus, he wants to make the correct verdict even though she is is his niece. Creon later in his speech declares, “I’ll have no dealings with lawbreakers, critics of the government: Whoever is chosen to govern...must be obeyed.”(ll. 36-38 Emphasis Added). Despite his vague feelings, Creon starts to decide that he has “no dealings with lawbreakers”. Hence, this reveals that he will not follow his emotions, but instead make the just choice. “Good lives are made so discipline,” Creon then continues with, “We keep the laws then, and the law makers”(ll. 45-46 Emphasis added). Therefore, Creon finally made his decision, he is going to punish Antigone like she was anybody else. As a result, he shows that he is a good king by making the right decision not to show favoritism. Creon decides to be a fair king by punishing Antigone even though they are family. To conclude, over and over Creon shows by example what he thinks a good leader