Creon In The Burial At Thebes By Seamus Heaney

Creon’s belief in civic values The Burial at Thebes, by Seamus Heaney, tells the story of a defiant woman named Antigone, and a pompous king. Antigone has been sentenced to death by the king, Creon. Throughout the book Creon shows the characteristics of Hubris, by being arrogant, attempting to show authority to his family, and over exerting his power.Multiple of Creon’s family members die by exile or by suicide. This is due to the king’s Hubris and effort to prove to the people that no one is above the law. Creon’s unwavering approach to his own family, shows that he believed in civic values over family ones.
The first victim of Creon is Antigone, the niece of Creon. When Antigone attempts to bury Polynices, her brother, Creon hears of this and tells his guard to retrieve her. The guards capture Antigone and bring her in front of Creon where he sentences her to death by being trapped in a cave with no escape. When the time has come for Antigone to be banished from Thebes, she reminds the people of Creon’s strict civic values. Antigone says, “Now gods of Thebes, look down. Through my native streets and fields I’m being …show more content…
Haemon is outraged when he hears Creon has sentenced Antigone, his fiance, to death. Haemon proposes that he spare Antigone so that he can still marry her. Creon, however, thinks that Haemon should not have anything to do with her. Creon says, “Have nothing to do with her. If she needs a husband, let Hades find her one- for of this you can be certain: I won’t be making a liar of myself in front of the city. She and she alone, defied the order openly and deliberately, so she shall perish.” (42) Haemon responds with “Then she’ll have to die and another with her.”(46) These quotes show that Creon could care less what his son thinks and although Haemon wishes to marry Antigone, Creon’s civic values triumph over family ones once again. Creon’s approach leads to Haemon committing