Antigone By Creon Character Analysis

Improved Essays
“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 …show more content…
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

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    In the play Antigone by Sophocles, Creon has recently been appointed as king of Thebes due to the recent deaths of his nephews, Polyneices and Eteocles. Although he is new to the throne, he proves himself to be an extraordinarily well rounded king, simultaneously being reasonable, fair, and good to the City of Thebes, as well as his own family. Through his actions and words it is as clear that he wants simply the best for those around him. He also makes decisions for the interest of not only himself, but others. Creon is a good, reasonable, and fair king to his family and the City of Thebes by not sentencing Antigone to death, not allowing Polyneices to be buried, and imprisoning Antigone despite her being family.…

    • 864 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Creon’s Prophecy Sophocles’ tragedy Antigone is a play that shows how a king’s power is blinded by his own fate. Creon is the King of Thebes, and he governs with political and social order. He is arrogant and shows no sympathy for others’ opinion because it is basically his way or the highway. Creon proclaimed an order throughout the city regarding one of the two-sister’s brother, Polyneices.…

    • 1212 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In Antigone, Creon’s tyrannical rule inspires Antigone to seek democracy. Creon forbids anyone from burying Polynices. Creon views obedience to his orders as imperative, and rules tyrannically over the city. Creon tells the Leader to, “See that [he] never sides with those who break [his] orders (Sophocles 69).”…

    • 736 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    As Ismene predicted Antigone’s extreme stubborn loyalty leads to her blindness to the importance of Creon’s laws which ultimately brings tragedy to her, Creon and Thebes. Even though Creon went against the laws of gods, he did what was best for the state during a period of civil…

    • 1285 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Creon Sacrifice

    • 664 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Why does death tend to gravitate around Creon? What is it that attracts so much death to the life of Creon? In the play Antigone Sophocles presents Creon as a stubborn, overruling, power craving man. Creon is the King of Thebes, and is presented as the Tragic Hero.…

    • 664 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    It is Antigone’s loyally to her brother and the gods that leads causes her death, but the fact that Creon is overcome by power until it is to late also needs to…

    • 1325 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    During the conversation between Creon and Tiresias, the blind prophet, Creon is told that he fallaciously condemned Antigone: “O my son, These are no trifles! Think: all men make mistakes, But a good man yields when he knows his course is…

    • 666 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Pride, indeed, undergirds the primary conflicts in Antigone, and Creon realizes that his abuse of authority and power as a result of his hubris emerges as a source of self-destruction rather than strength. Indeed, both Haimon and Antigone take their own lives, which is what causes Creon to have an epiphany and see the errors of his ways. Creon proves unable to shed his hubris and empathize with Antigone, as he cannot see the world through the eyes of others. He falls from a position of great wealth and immense power by standing up for what he believes in despite what the…

    • 732 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the play “Antigone,” Sophocles manifests Creon and Antigone's distinct conflicting values to address the issue of government authority over the people. Creon’s regard for the laws of the city causes him to abandon all other believes and therefore, he feels that all of the citizens should obey the laws set forth by him, even if other beliefs, moral or religious, state otherwise. On the other hand, Antigone holds the belief of the gods in high reverence which is proven when she states, “A sinless sinner, banned a while on earth, But by the dead commended; and with them I shall abide for ever. As for thee, Scorn, if thou wilt, the eternal laws of Heaven” (Antigone 9; Act 1). Antigone elevates religious law over the law of the state which causes her to neglect the king’s will and bury her brother’s body.…

    • 523 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Example Of Disobedience In Antigone

    • 895 Words
    • 4 Pages
    • 1 Works Cited

    Creon believes that since the gods ordained him to be king that his words should be equal to the gods, because the gods would never let someone rule in a way that they did not approve of. Creon, full of rage by this incredible insult, confronts Antigone about her disobedience: “And did you dare to disobey that law?” (493). Antigone, still very much happy and content with her decision to bury Polyneices and follow the law of the gods, answers very passionately and assertively: “Yes, it was not Zeus that made the proclamation; / nor did Justice, which lives with those…

    • 895 Words
    • 4 Pages
    • 1 Works Cited
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Great rulers only come once in Greek lifetime. Oedipus and Creon were both good rulers for Thebes, yet at the same time were men tragic of ill created fates and downfall. Oedipus was swift with action and had courage that could last a life time, while Creon was simplistic in nature and had a good head on his shoulders. Both kings, however had character flaws of stubbornness, as one tried to change and outrun his fate, while the other could not see past his nose, unable to make the right changes at the right time. As both were unable to change their ways in time, it led to the end of their legacies, one with death, and another with a life of loneliness.…

    • 1361 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    An example of this is when he gets into an argument with his son Haimon regarding Antigone. When Haimon suggests that Antigone might be correct in her dismissal of the law, Creon rejects the idea saying “You consider it right for a man of my years and experience to go to school to a boy?” (362). Throughout the play, Creon is stubborn, even arrogant at times and refuses to listen to anyone else’s reasoning or opinion. Because both Creon and Antigone are steadfast in their position and unwilling to waiver, there is absolute certainty that this will end in destruction.…

    • 1098 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    It may be overlooked if the play is not read carefully, on the other hand it is very evident that hubris is Creon’s largest flaw. It can be seen in multiple instances based on his own actions and the words from other characters. Throughout the entire play, Creon does not take anyone else’s words seriously. He believes that as the king, his word is final which means he fails to even consider the fact that his decisions may be wrong. When the sentry suggests that “this could possibly be the work of gods”, Creon is quick to dismiss the idea that the gods would care about a traitor who attacked the city.…

    • 827 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The German philosopher Hegel construed the play “Antigone” as “the tragic collision of right against right, with both sides equally justified.” This play was written by Sophocles, a Greek playwright, around 441 BC and gives us insight into his mindset on society and culture. The central conflict rises from the clash of the main character, Antigone, and her uncle, King Creon, over the role of man’s laws and god’s laws in society. Antigone’s two brothers Polyneices and Eteocles had slain each other in battle over the throne. King Creon, who was loyal to Eteocles, rendered Polyneices a traitor and decreed that his body shall not receive a burial.…

    • 1573 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Sophocles cleverly links Creon and Antigone together to stress the duality between the divine laws and Creon’s laws; exposing how Creon will abuse his power in anyway to ensure his laws are obeyed. He then ensures the audience recognizes how severe his abuse of power is getting by causing his supporters, the chorus and his own family to desire to rebel against him. Finally, to assure the audience recognized his abuse of power, Sophocles makes it Creon’s tragic flaw and forces him to admit it stating that “it’s best to keep the established laws to the very day we die” (Antigone.…

    • 1590 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays

Related Topics