Preview

Oedipus Vs Creon Essay

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
856 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Oedipus Vs Creon Essay
How Oedipus delivered tragedy to others in his life
In Ancient Thebes Oedipus and Creon are both appointed to be kings of Thebes at two different times. These men were both once great and highly respected rulers, but both make mistakes that cause them to have tragedy in their life. These leaders both contributed to the unfortunate events in their lives, but one of them for the disasters that meet them. Oedipus is more responsible than Creon for the tragedies in his life because of his quick temper, poor judgment, and his imperiousness that leads to destruction.
Oedipus’ quick temper leads him to have dreadful interactions with others that end up leaving some people no more. While Oedipus was on the road traveling away from his home city, he has a confrontation and scuffle with a man, and in the
…show more content…
People began to get irritated with Oedipus and think differently about him when he acts sing-minded. One man was trying to help Oedipus figure something out, and Oedipus was not wanting to hear of his wrongs the man said to him:”You blame my mood and see not your own Which overcomes you; no, you’re bothering me”(lines 347-348). What is spoken to Oedipus shows how the one speaking, is irritated that Oedipus is blaming everything on others and not considering of what he could be doing mistakenly. Oedipus did not like to hear people's opinions on matters of his life; he only wanted people to believe what he thought to be true. While speaking to Oedipus a man says: “Your words, O king, are ill-spoken” (Oedipus The King 334) By saying this, he is doing his best but struggling to show Oedipus how ignorant he is being and how he is breaking up relationships with other by not listening to what people have to say about him. Oedipus is not intentionally trying to ruin his relationships with others, but his pride keeps him from repenting from his wretched

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    The question you ask is between Antigone and Creon, who has the most credibility? I believe that Antigone clearly has full credibility for what she has done. She followed her heart to not only prove that she was going to do what was right but to do what would make herself and hopefully Polyneices happy.…

    • 478 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    As each story unfolds, we notice many similar qualities being shown through the rule of Oedipus and the rule of Creon. Creon and Oedipus both portray rage and how impetuous they are at many times throughout these stories as they struggle with issues that they face as rulers. One example of this is when Oedipus encounters a chariot on the highway which pushes him off the road. Oedipus "struck him in [his] rage […] [and] killed him" (Scene II. 283-288). This plus the fact show that the man he strikes down is actually his father, shows how impulsive and driven-by-rage Oedipus' actions are. Creon's harsh judgments against Antigone show his rage rashness as he sentences her to be buried alive. Another way their impulsiveness is shown is how both characters disregard what Teiresias tells them and Oedipus even fail to heed the warning from the Gods about the events that are destined to happen. Pride is what drives both characters to their ultimate demise, blinding them from seeing the evils that are occurring right before their very eyes. This pride prevents Oedipus from seeing the very fact that he is the murderer of King Laius which he has invested so much time and energy into finding. When Creon and his son, Haimon argue over principles of wisdom and rule, Haimon states that any man who thinks…

    • 1306 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    A.Creon is not prideful and has a main focus on the city while oedipus is hubris and care about personal conflicts. 3. How is Oedipus humbled at the end of the play? He realized that he is not the man he believed himself to be and realized what he has he actually has a cursed life 4.…

    • 511 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Creon had to face his niece, son and wife all dead as a catastrophe at the end of the story for enforcing the laws of execution upon Antigone. “O horrible… Is there no sword for me, To end this mister?” (Sophocles 16) This quote represent great magnitude and the result after the catastrophe of the death of his son and wife. It shows the feelings of Creon and how terrible he felt, to the point where he felt to commit suicide. Oedipus faced catastrophe but did not face the same amount of magnitude as Creon. Oedipus tried his best to avoid outcome of the prophet and tried to escape his fate my leaving his city, little did he know that they man he killed as the crossroads was his father. “At last the whole, terrible truth had come out. All the oracles had been right: Laius had been murdered by his own son.” (Bennet 2) When he found this out, they also realized that his wife was actually his mother causing her to kill herself. The catastrophe is really tragic though he abandons his kids and Creon faced greater…

    • 864 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Born with a prophecy claiming he would one day kill his father and marry his mother, King Oedipus is immediately set up for failure. However, this does by no means make him an incompetent ruler. Quite the opposite in fact. Oedipus proves to be a man renowned for his intellect which is exemplified when he solves the riddle of the sphinx, a supernatural mythological being who held the city of Thebes captive. Furthermore, his is a man of swift action and great insight. This is perhaps best represented with his response to the priest’s complaint, he responds adeptly, “But I have not been idle; one thing I have already done – The only thing that promised hope. My kinsman Creon… has been sent to the Pythian house of Apollo.” Oedipus is indeed one that is faithful and compassionate to his people, this is further exemplified as he orders Creon to…

    • 961 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Oedipus Vs Creon Analysis

    • 605 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Creon compares himself to Oedipus. They were loyal to him so they should be loyal to Creon “You never hesitated in your duty to our late ruler Oedipus[…] and I as in the next in blood have succeeded to the full power of the throne…until he has been tested in office” (196).…

    • 605 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Sophocles’, a playwright and Greek tragedian often wrote plays that displayed moral lessons and difficult situations that shift the entire atmosphere of the setting. In his play Antigone, written around 422 CE, it is the second of The Three Theban Plays. It follows Two brothers, Eteocles and Polynices warring for kingship, who eventually end up killing each other. And the new hereditary ruler becomes their uncle, Creon. He declares that Eteocles should be buried honorably, while Polynices’ body should lay unburied on the battlefield. One of the main characters, Antigone strongly opposes the declaration of her brother’s unjustful burial and believes it's the law of the Greek gods to bury people. While, Creon, the new ruler, upholds his law…

    • 1006 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Antigone Vs Creon Essay

    • 514 Words
    • 3 Pages

    “I did not think anything which you proclaimed strong enough to let a mortal override the gods and their unwritten and unchanging laws,” (lines 510-513) proclaims Antigone, once again asserting her opinion on whose laws she is justified to follow. Antigone’s persona contrasts with Creon’s character ultimately due to their conflicting motivations about which laws should be followed: the word of the gods, or the laws of man.These conflicting motivations the characteristics of unreasonableness, anger, and disrespect to be highlighted within Creon’s character. In the end, these conflicting motivations develop Creon as a tragic hero by ensuing his stubbornness, and damaging his pride.…

    • 514 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “Oh, I fled from there, I measure out the stars to put all of heaven in between the land of Corinth and such a damned destiny," Oedipus shouted ferociously. Perhaps the most significant example of Oedipus’s flaw of pride occurs when he hears of Polybus’s death. When the messenger from Corinth tells Oedipus the news, joy consumes Oedipus. Although his father is dead Oedipus now believes that he is free of the curse of the gods. “Aha, my wife! So we are done with delving into Pythian oracles, this jangled mongering with birds on high, which foretold—yes, had it all arranged—that I should kill my father. Ha! He’s dead,” Oedipus exclaims with great joy. The messenger tells Oedipus that he came to bring him home, but Oedipus will not go home because he is scared of the curse. Oedipus tells the messenger the curse, and that he will not go home because his mother is still alive. The messenger is surprised because he knows that Merope and Polybus are not his real parents. The messenger then goes on to tell Oedipus that he received him as a baby from a shepherd, and he gave Oedipus to the king and queen of…

    • 511 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Some one once appropriately said Temper get you in trouble but pride keeps you there. What does this have to do with Oedipus? Well Pride is an attribute which Oedipus has in surplus. Another word for excessive pride is Hubris. It is well known and established that hubris is Oedipuss tragic flaw. Oedipus shows that he has a great sense pride and confidence concerning his abilities as a leader but when Theriases attempts to indicated to Oedipus that he is the one who murdered Lauis his real father, instead of seeing the honesty in Teiresiass words or considering both sides of the spectrum Oedipus thinks that Teiresias is his enemy and is making this accusations in an act of jealousy He says Ah, riches and royalty, and wit matched against wit In the race of life, must they always be mated with envy (Sophocles, 36). According to Greek Law Any…

    • 1559 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Creon Tragic Hero Essay

    • 1460 Words
    • 6 Pages

    In Sophocles ' Antigone, the question of who the tragic hero has been the subject of debate for years. It is uncommon for there to be two tragic heroes in a Greek tragedy, therefore there can be only be one in Antigone. Although Creon possesses some of the characteristics that constitute a tragic hero, he does not have all of the necessary qualities. Antigone, however, possesses all of the traits that are required for her to be the tragic hero. According to Aristotle, there are four major characteristics, which the tragic hero is required to have. The character must be a good, upstanding person, they must focus on becoming a better person, they must be believable, and they must be consistent in his or her behavior. Due to the fact that…

    • 1460 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Creon

    • 746 Words
    • 2 Pages

    In Antigone, Sophocles portrays Creon is as a leader, but as most Greek tragedies evolve, nothing remains the same for long. As shown in the play, Oedipus the King, Oedipus comes to power when he solves the riddle of the sphinx. His reign ends with a catastrophic death. After Oedipus’ death, his two sons, Polyneices and Etoeocles, tragically kill each other in battle. As a result Creon ascends to the throne. In Sophocles’ Antigone, Creon represents the tragic hero due to the tragic flaw, hubris, which he shares with Oedipus.…

    • 746 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Sophocles’ Oedipus Cycle, Oedipus’s uncle and brother-in-law, Creon, has more lines than Oedipus. The story of the deterioration and eventual loss of Creon’s family is a plot point emphasized more in the final play of the Oedipus Cycle, Antigone, than in the latter two plays, Creon’s deterioration, however, is brought about by the same cause that triggers Oedipus’s downfall: his hubris. Though Creon is the voice of reason in Oedipus Rex, his hubris in the latter two plays causes his deterioration and eventual downfall.…

    • 1188 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    When Was Oedipus Angry

    • 514 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Oedipus first became angry before he accepted the truth. He was angry at Teiresias by insulting him. “It has-but not for you; no, not for you, shameless and brainless, sightless, senseless sot!” (36) Teiresias told him what the truth is and Oedipus reply with insults. So, Oedipus got angry at Teiresias because of his truth. He immediately became angrier because of his comments. When Oedipus requests the shepherd to tell their stories, he refuses because if he told something that Oedipus doesn’t like to hear then they will be killed. “Answer! If I must speak again, you die!” (58) The shepherd knew if Oedipus doesn’t get his answer, he would kill him. Eventually, Oedipus finds out what happened to King Luis. Oedipus became angry with the truth that when the bad news was told from the others.…

    • 514 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Oedipus Essay

    • 775 Words
    • 4 Pages

    rule of thebes: "What is it that walks on 4 feet and 2 feet and 3 feet…

    • 775 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays

Related Topics