Similarities Between Antigone And Creon

Gandhi once said, “Anger is the enemy of non violence and pride is a monster that swallows it up.” Pride and honor meant a lot to ancient Greeks but in the play Antigone by Sophocles, the reader sees that too much pride can prove to be a fatal flaw. At the start of the play, both Antigone and Creon seem to be morally justified in their quests. Antigone simply wants to bury her brother, who had died in battle, but Creon demands that nobody touch the body because he had died fighting against Thebes. When Creon finds out Antigone buried the body, he punished her severely. But once Antigone gains the will of the people to her side, Creon grows prideful and paranoid, which will eventually lead to his downfall. While Antigone has some aspects of …show more content…
After both his son and wife commit suicide, Creon realizes his mistakes have led to lots of unnecessary pain and death. As Creon realizes the carnage he has caused he states that his depression has led to him “[having] neither life nor substance,” (Sophocles 244). Creon is heartbroken by the deaths of his wife and son, and the mourning king’s graceful fall is now complete as the once prideful king has been reduced to nothing. Soon after Creon’s rapid descent from riches to rags, he realizes the horrible errors that led him to his fate, “Fate has brought all my pride to a thought of dust,” (Sophocles 245). Creon sees that his pride has caused damage to himself and his family. However, his realization of his flaws comes much too late to prevent his reign from coming to a sudden end. Creon’s rapid yet graceful fall, coupled with his discovery of the mistakes that led to it, make him the ideal Greek tragic …show more content…
Antigone knows that the people have great respect for her choice to bury her brother when she proclaims “All these men would praise me/Were their lips not frozen shut in fear of you,” (Sophocles 210). Antigone is fearless and brash, but having the common man on her side makes her seem like a hero to the audience. However, in reality Antigone has selfish ulterior motives. Antigone wants to be remembered for her bravery “I am not afraid of danger if it means death/It may not be the worst of deaths--Death without/honor,” (Sophocles 193). Antigone does lover her brother, but she also wants to be a martyr who is remembered by Thebans for generations to come. Burying her brother was a convenient excuse for attracting attention and filling the craving Antigone has for fame. Antigone’s narrow mindedness, along with her brashness, are additional reasons why she is not a tragic hero. These qualities lead to Antigone never seeing her mistakes and therefore, Antigone never has an anagnorisis. Antigone takes her beliefs to the grave, and never regrets any of her choices. The last time that the audience hears Antigone speak she says, “What things I suffer, and at what men’s hands/Because I would not transgress the laws of heaven,” (Sophocles 228). Antigone still thinks the gods are on her side to the bitter end, therefore it is impossible