Kreon Sacrifice In Antigone

Sympathizing with Antigone Very few things in life are entirely one-sided, with the clear and unbiased result being obvious. Life in general is much more complex, with multiple viewpoints and intricacies being required in order to have a grasp on the reality of a situation. In Sophocles’s Antigone this fact still holds true. Antigone and Kreon are locked in an argument over the burial of her brother, Polyneices, with Antigone going against the law set up by Kreon and burying her brother. Both have their views and reasons for the way they act. Despite this, Antigone deserves more sympathy for her actions. She bases her actions on honor and dignity, while Kreon appears to play the role of an overbearing and cruel leader. Antigone is by no means a flawless character. She’s often rash and overdramatic. She is essentially what prompts the main conflict of the play
When Teiresias, a wise old prophet, arrives to convince Kreon to leave both Antigone alive and Polyneices buried Kreon decides to argue and question his wisdom. (1033-1063) Many cultures worldwide show distinguished respect for elders and praise their wisdom. Kreon had already demonstrated his lack of respect for elders when he argued with the Chorus, but his argument with Teiresias holds far more weight. Teiresias is a known and proven prophet, and Kreon’s initial unwillingness to listen to his reasoning is confirmation of his own lack of wisdom and judgement, and hence, he is directly responsible for the deaths of not only Antigone and Ismene, but also of his son and wife. In the end, even he blames himself for the tragedy of the situation, stating, “To me, to no other mortal, this responsibility will cling forever.” (1318-1319) He understands that it was his own negligence and inability to reason that left him with such abhorrent consequences. The only sympathy he deserves is for the horribly depressing situation his own actions have led him