Does the Outcome of the Antigone Suggest That Creon Was...

Sophocles Antigone is, at its simplest, a tragedy of conflict and misunderstandings. In the play, the laws of the gods are set up against the laws of man, and the two appear irreconcilable as the values are upheld by equally opposing characters, Creon and Antigone respectively. Indeed, Wilkins and Macleod decide that in Antigone `not only is there conflict, there is also a refusal even to recognise the others point of view (23). Thus Chorus significantly warn against the pursuit of extremes and sing about the need for men to reconcile human and divine law: When he weaves in the laws of the land, and the justice of the gods that binds his oaths together he and his city rise high (409-12) In this essay I intend to†¦show more content†¦Creon is brazenly pompous, informing the Chorus that `I now posses the throne and all its powers (193), believing that `the ship of state is safe in his hands if he keeps it protected from traitors, such as Antigones brother, Polynices. Creons claim that `whoever places a friend above the good of his own country, he is nothing (204-5) is uncompromisingly maintained throughout the play, steadfastly refusing to give in to Antigones pleas to bury Polynices, believing him a `traitor (585) of the state, who cannot be given the same funeral rites as his brother, Eteocles, the `patriot ( 585). Wilkins and Macleod acknowledge that the conflict between a friend/loved and the state was a live issue in the fifth century (31) but Sophocles presents Creon as having no qualms in placing the state over his blood-relatives, inflexibly refusing the burial of his nephew and insisting on sentencing his niece, Antigone. Creon is also clearly power mad, as he unashamedly and autocratically informed his son, Haemon, that `that man the city places in authority, his orders must be obeyed, large and small, right and wrong (748-751), showing no remorse for wanting all the citizens to obey his law forbidding burial for Polynices. Indeed, Mark Griffith in his book Sophocles Antigone states that `Many have found Kreon to be wholly at fault, his authority illegitimate, his edict impious and foolish, his behaviour and language intemperate and vindictive (28). SophoclesShow MoreRelatedThe Choices Of Antigone And Sophocles Antigone1560 Words   |  7 Pagesthat Antigone and Creon face in Sophocles’ Antigone differ, their decisions often end up pitted against each other’s, inviting comparison. Since I am juxtaposing the characters’ degrees of rightness, I believe that the rightness of the reasoning, not just their ultimate stances, should be examined. The entirety of his or her argument, not just the conclusion, must be taken into account. I’ll also note that my perspective of rightness could and does conflict with that of the gods in Antigone and SophoclesRead MoreElements of a Tragic Hero Found in Oedipus and Creon in Sophocless Oedipus the King869 Words   |  4 PagesOedipus and Creon Sophocles demonstrates Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero in his brilliant trilogy of plays, The Oedipus Cycle. Aristotle describes a tragic hero as a character of high status who experiences a fall from great social status. This character also exhibits a tragic flaw and takes responsibility for their actions and accepts the punishment. Oedipus, son of Laios, and the King of Thebes, tried to escape his fate of killing his father and marrying his mother, displays all of Aristotle’sRead MoreSophocles Antigone And Anouilh s Antigone : A Study Of Loyalty And Her Usefulness As A Character Essay2645 Words   |  11 PagesIsmene in Sophocles’ Antigone and Anouilh’s Antigone: a study in loyalty and her usefulness as a character Sophocles’ Antigone is a well-known Greek play, and Anouilh’s Antigone is a modern twentieth-century adaptation of it. Both deal with the aftermath of Antigone’s choice to go bury her brother Polyneices even though the king, Creon, has expressly forbidden the burial of the traitor brother. Antigone and Creon are of course the central characters, but Ismene, Antigone’s sister, is importantRead MoreThe Ancient Greek Of Ancient Greece1690 Words   |  7 Pagesacross the region. The ancient Greek plays were both entertaining and educative thus reflecting on the kind of life that this person lived (Hogan 11). Their settings can suggest a lot about the circumstances and conditions under which this play was performed. The dramatic presentations were crucial to Athenians, a fact that can be seen from the numerous and well- spread theatres across the city. The paper will focus on how the ancient playwrights utilized their respective stages and the personnel to he lp