“When we know that those in power are morally wrong, do we break their laws, or do we collaborate with them by obeying?” (690). In Antigone, by Sophocles, free will and morals go against the established law and authority. Sophocles tells of the struggles of Antigone with the King of Thebes, Creon. Creon places a law that goes against the divine law of the gods, and Antigone obeys the divine law instead of listening to Creon and suffers unfair consequences because of his hubris. Creon’s arrogance causes most of his family’s deaths because they all feel betrayed. All of this makes the people of Thebes lose their trust in their leader, as the royal family falls apart. Creon’s hubris, arrogance and short temper, make him seem like a tyrant more
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Creon decrees Polyneices not be buried with military honors. Even though Polyneices fought the same war, for the same just reasons as Eteocles, they are not treated to be equal. This was one of Creon’s first signs of arrogance. When Creon finds out that Antigone tried to bury Polyneices, his temper is out of control and all he sentences her to death. The Sentry tries to get Creon to think about his actions and not act from his anger and Creon gets distressed at the Sentry’s voice. “‘Are you sure that it is my voice, and not your conscience?’” (Sophocles 704). The Sentry sees how Creon knows deep down what he decrees is wrong but ignores those feelings in his conscience. The Sentry tries to speak some sense into Creon by saying he is wrong. “‘How dreadful it is when the right judge judges wrong!’” (Sophocles 704). Here the Sentry describes how the person who punishes wrong doing is judging wrong and punishing the innocent. Creon is most arrogant right before Antigone is sent to her death. His son Haimon, who is enganged to Antigone, tries to speak to Creon and tell him not to be rash. Haimon tells Creon to think of his actions and make them right. “‘You have no right to trample on God’s right,’” (Sophocles ). He, like everyone else, knows Creon is lower than the gods yet still Creon does not see he is in the wrong. Haimon says how Antigone’s …show more content…
Creon’s downfall was all his own doing. He was arrogant and saw too late the wrong he was doing as king of Thebes. “‘That is the truth; but you were late in learning it’” (Sophocles 735). Creon realizes he was the fool and that all the tragic events that have happened are because of his stupid and selfish actions. He abused his power because he thought he could break the laws of the gods and not be punished for it. “‘Her curse is upon you for the deaths of both’” (Sophocles 736). Creon is being punished for all the deaths he caused by not being able to bring death upon him self when he has nothing left to live for. The changes and downfall of Thebes was caused by Creon’s stubbornness and his abuse of power. The downfall of Creon and the royal family and the overall consequences of Creon’s hubris cause the changes of the kingdom of Thebes. Antigone suffers ultimate consequences obeying the gods’ will, primarily because of Creon’s tyranny. Creon’s family all end up dead because of his inability to tell what is right from wrong making him arrogant as he makes his decisions as a ruler. The kingdom of Thebes loses trust in their leader because had become a tyrant as he overused his power as
Creon decrees Polyneices not be buried with military honors. Even though Polyneices fought the same war, for the same just reasons as Eteocles, they are not treated to be equal. This was one of Creon’s first signs of arrogance. When Creon finds out that Antigone tried to bury Polyneices, his temper is out of control and all he sentences her to death. The Sentry tries to get Creon to think about his actions and not act from his anger and Creon gets distressed at the Sentry’s voice. “‘Are you sure that it is my voice, and not your conscience?’” (Sophocles 704). The Sentry sees how Creon knows deep down what he decrees is wrong but ignores those feelings in his conscience. The Sentry tries to speak some sense into Creon by saying he is wrong. “‘How dreadful it is when the right judge judges wrong!’” (Sophocles 704). Here the Sentry describes how the person who punishes wrong doing is judging wrong and punishing the innocent. Creon is most arrogant right before Antigone is sent to her death. His son Haimon, who is enganged to Antigone, tries to speak to Creon and tell him not to be rash. Haimon tells Creon to think of his actions and make them right. “‘You have no right to trample on God’s right,’” (Sophocles ). He, like everyone else, knows Creon is lower than the gods yet still Creon does not see he is in the wrong. Haimon says how Antigone’s …show more content…
Creon’s downfall was all his own doing. He was arrogant and saw too late the wrong he was doing as king of Thebes. “‘That is the truth; but you were late in learning it’” (Sophocles 735). Creon realizes he was the fool and that all the tragic events that have happened are because of his stupid and selfish actions. He abused his power because he thought he could break the laws of the gods and not be punished for it. “‘Her curse is upon you for the deaths of both’” (Sophocles 736). Creon is being punished for all the deaths he caused by not being able to bring death upon him self when he has nothing left to live for. The changes and downfall of Thebes was caused by Creon’s stubbornness and his abuse of power. The downfall of Creon and the royal family and the overall consequences of Creon’s hubris cause the changes of the kingdom of Thebes. Antigone suffers ultimate consequences obeying the gods’ will, primarily because of Creon’s tyranny. Creon’s family all end up dead because of his inability to tell what is right from wrong making him arrogant as he makes his decisions as a ruler. The kingdom of Thebes loses trust in their leader because had become a tyrant as he overused his power as