Creon is the tragic hero of the play, Antigone, by Sophocles, and suffers the greatest downfall. It all begins when he maes his public announcment as the new king. He states his message loud and clearly to everyone, that if anyone feels the need to bury the body od Polyneices, they will be going against the law and will be sentenced to death. In this powerful speech, he shows the need for control and order in the way he plans to rule. At the same time, he is showing arrogance in the way he insures all of his choices in judgement are correct.…
Creon was a man who was bound to his pride like a child to their mother. Born into nobility,he became indulged by his authority and was viewed as a tyrant by the citizens of Thebes for his actions. Imprisoning Antigone and causing the deaths of her,his wife Eurdice,and his own son,Haimon,shows he was at fault and couldn’t undo his actions. Creon’s birth into nobility,his irreversible actions,and his pride show exactly how the king we saw in Antigone is a perfect example of a Tragic Hero.…
A man with many flaws or weaknesses Creon, he has no bigger one than that of his quick-temper. In his heated encounter we see with Haemon he instantly attacks and throws his rage onto Haemon as soon as he feels his son is threatening his judgment. “You’ll never marry her while she’s alive.” (Line 858) Creon announces to Haemon, this is what ultimately pushes Haemon over the edge as he replies back “Then she’ll die—and in her death kill someone else.” (Line 859) Here Creon instantly thinking Haemon is referring to killing him but is actually foreshadowing a threat on his own life if Antigone is killed. At the end of Antigone when the king goes to retrieve Antigone from her stony grave Haemon is already there. When they discover her limp body hanging from her own torn shreds of clothing that is when Haemon takes his own life. This moment is when Creon becomes this tragic hero realizing his mistakes “Aaiii-mistakes made by a foolish mind, cruel mistakes that bring on death.” (Lines 1406-1407) Creon cries out realizing his mistakes and the damages his foolish mind has caused locking in his spot as a tragic…
One of Creon’s flaws as a leader was immediately shown in the beginning when he informs his counselors "There is no art that teaches us to know the temper, mind or spirit of any man until he has been proved by government and lawgiving." (Antigone page 8) ironically he has no idea that he is speaking about himself by simply saying that a man is never truly understood until he has ruled individuals and become a lawmaking official. Accompanying his very arrogance in the beginning was his blindness to believing that a man would be committing a crime like that not a woman. He clearly states “His father's city and his father's gods, and glut his vengeance with his kinsmen's blood. Or drag them captive at his chariot wheels for Polyneices 'tis ordained that none shall give him burial or make mourn for him. But leave his corpse unburied, to be meat for dogs and carrion crows, a ghastly sight. So am I purposed; never by my will shall miscreants take precedence of true men, but all good patriots, alive or dead,…
As the play opens one becomes acquainted with King Creon as the head of his society. This in itself meets one of Aristotle's criteria for being a tragic hero, yet as one reads further into the play it becomes obvious that Creon possesses the tragic flaw of arrogance. He refuses to admit that he is wrong in his judgment over Antigone. When Creon refuses to yield with his order for Antigone to die he exemplifies his own tragic flaw. Creon refuses to admit he is wrong because he believes within himself that he is right. This weakness can be compared to Romeo, in the famous play by William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, who is impulsive and unyielding in his certitude. When Haemon comes to his father after hearing the news of Antigone's plight he pleads with Creon to be reasonable. Haemon compares Creon to trees in a flood. "You've seen trees by a raging winter torrent. How many sway with the flood and salvage every twig, but not the stubborn-they're ripped out." (Lines 797-799) Haemon wants his father to see that this ruling he has made is unwise and rash and yet Creon ignores his advice because he believes that what he has done is for the greater good of the kingdom, and therefore honors the gods of his people. Creon cannot afford to think…
Creon’s thirst for power illuminates how humans strive to be in control and the destruction that these desires may bring. Once Creon took over Oedipus throne, when his sons had died, he became greedy for power. When Creon learns that Antigone and Ismene (in a sense) had disregarded his decree he jumps to conclusions assuming that they are aiming to take his throne. Creon says to Ismene “Snake in my ordered house, sucking my blood stealthily – and all the time I never knew that these two sisters were aiming at my throne!” (pg. 212) Creon had gone from a wise and honorable advisor of King Oedipus but when the chance to take the role as king arose, he was eager to claim power and authority. Creon made a decree that disobeyed the god’s orders and when someone stood up to him, he takes it as a threat. Creon was so…
The reader first notices Creon’s excessive pride when he speaks of his rule as superior to the gods. Creon exclaims, “Am I to rule this land by other judgment than mine own?” signifying his complete disregard for the gods’ superior rule over his own (Sophocles). By highlighting his own pride in his rule and disregarding that of the gods, Creon presents himself with a certain god-like superiority. The reader further sees Creon’s self-infatuation when he corrects the prophet, Teiresias, claiming, “Well, the prophet-tribe was ever fond of money,” suggesting that Tiresias prophesizes falsely only in pursuit of money out of arrogance and pride that he was wiser than the prophet himself (Sophocles). Creon’s excessive pride is finally confronted by the gods’ powerful control over Creon’s life. In taking his own wife and son, the gods put Creon in his place exhibiting their superiority over him and exposing Creon’s own human weakness despite his intense pride. “Woe, woe!” Creon cries. “I thrill with dread. Is there none to strike me to the heart with two-edged sword? O miserable that I am, and steeped in miserable anguish! (Sophocles)”. In Creon’s anguish, human weakness is exposed as well as the faulty security in excessive human…
“I admit I did it. I won’t deny that.”(Line 500) Antigone’s views are a direct polar opposite of Creon. The motivations of Antigone conflict with Creon highlight his characteristics of self pride, views of laws, and rudeness towards women. Each of these characteristics brings Creon out as a tragic hero as soon as the play begins and his role is ginormous throughout the play Antigone.…
Creon and Antigone both have the characteristics of tragic heroes but demonstrate those characteristics in different ways. Both Antigone and Creon have belief in their freedom, Antigone believes that her stature to decide what’s right should not be compromised because of the fact that she is a woman; While Creon believes he has the freedom to do whatever is necessary to assert his authority. Creon and Anitgone exhibit extreme pride or “hubris” in which Creon believes that his power over rides the power of the gods and Antigone is willing to give up her own life just to ensure her pride that she would do whatever it takes to honor her brother.…
King Creon believes that fighting for his kingdom shows true power and courage. Creon’s main goal is to seek justice for his kingdom and in doing so he deemed Polynices, Antigone’s brother, a traitor. Power blinds him and he sentences Antigone to life on a deserted island for going against his wishes. Creon comes to his senses a little too late, losing his family in the process. On the other hand Antigone feels that if the state is going against the law of God by Creon not giving proper burial honors to Polynices, then a person has the right to take matters into their own hands. When Antigone is caught by the sentries it didn’t surprise her, she is expecting punishment for her actions but is willing to accept a form of it for her family. Antigone’s courageous stand against the State shows her personal morals are of the…
This shows Creon’s pride and narcissism. He will not have anyone rule him, especially a woman. He believes that even the toughest will, like that of Antigone, can be broken.…
Throughout the story, Haimon is saying many dishonorable and downgrading things about his father, making the audience dislike Creon. “Your temper terrifies them-everyone” (Antigone, scene 3, Line 62). This quote shows that Creon is an openly angry person, a tyrant king that many are afraid of. Haimon goes on to describe how Antigone should not be punished for burying her brother, but Creon disagrees and wishes to kill her. “…no woman has ever, so unreasonably, Died so shameful a death for a generous act” (Antigone, Scene 3, Lines 66-67). This quote makes the audience feel sympathy towards Antigone. She’s being given the ultimate punishment for wanting to pay respect to her brother, someone that she loved. In addition, it helps establish a general understanding that Creon is a ‘bad’ person.…
King Creon is a cruel, heartless man, who didn’t care about anyone else but himself. In the story, Antigone and her sister Ismene planned to bury their brother Polynieces. However, King Creon ordered that Polynieces’ body must remain un- buried, so it would rot and animals would use it as food. He soon said if anyone disobeyed his orders, they would be sentenced to death. Creon found out that Antigone buried Polynieces, and abandoned Antigone in a secluded area so she could die alone. But, little did he know that was his fate all along. Creon deserves his fate, because he left Polynieces un- buried, he locked Antigone away, and his pride and arrogance was cruel to the people in his kingdom.…
Throughout the whole play Creon exhibits that he is imperfect. Creon is very stubborn as well as ignorant, which results in his many problems all through the play. In his dispute with Haemon over the fate of Antigone he says, % --show me a greater crime in all the earth! She, she destroys cities, rips up houses, breaks the ranks of spearmen into headlong rout. But the ones who last it out, the great mass of them owe their lives to discipline. Therefore we must defend the men who live by law, never let some woman triumph over us. Better to fall from power, if fall we must, at the hands of a man--never be rated inferior to a woman, never (lines 751-761 page 94)." The word % " basically means…
Creon and his closest family, even if his ruthless ideas earn him obedience from his subjects.…