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Character development in antigone
Development of antigone in the play
Character Analysis Of Antigone In The Play Antigone
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It is important for citizens of the modern world to read Antigone because it acts as a cautionary tale to help people today avoid excessive pride causing suffering.
The downfalls of both Creon and Pete Rose demonstrate how excessive pride leads to suffering. Creon has a fatal flaw of pride that ultimately leads to his demise. Tiresias tells Creon, "All men make mistakes, but a good man yields when he knows his course if wrong and repairs evil. The only crime is pride" (Sophocles 716). This quote shows that Creon’s initial mistake of refusing to bury Polyneices is not the real “crime.” Creon’s selfish pride didn’t allow him to admit and correct his mistake before it became too late. That was the true crime. Because of Creon’s actions,
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multiple charterers, including himself, suffer greatly. Pete Rose serves as an example of a real world figure with this same problem of pride leading to his downfall. Pete Rose was an extremely talented baseball player, and then after his career, he became a manager. Rose gambled on baseball as a manager. This is an illegal crime against the game of baseball because a manager could manipulate the game to help win his bet. Rose denied this for fourteen years. Because of his inability to admit his mistake, Pete Rose was banned from the game of baseball, and he is not eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame. Rose was blinded by his own selfish pride; he chose to try and make an illegal profit out of the game. As a result, his wife divorced him, his son turned to drugs, and he is left all alone without any recognition for his Hall of Fame bound career. These examples show that excessive pride leads to great suffering and should be avoided at all costs by modern day readers of Antigone. Pride is the reason that both Creon and Pete Rose’s crimes outweigh their punishment, and this teaches citizens of the real world to admit their mistakes to avoid suffering. The Messenger describes Creon as a “dead man walking” (Sophocles 720). While Creon is physically alive, he is dead inside. He lost everything he had to live for because of his pride. If he had abandoned his pride sooner, a lot of his suffering could have been avoided. In this case, the punishment outweighs the crime. Creon did make a mistake, but no man deserves the tragic fate he receives. Pete Rose also parallels to this idea. Rose lost his wife, harmed his son, and was stripped away from the game he loved all because of one mistake. If Rose had come clean about his illegal gambling sooner, there might have been a less harsh punishment. Again, this shows how too much pride can lead to a sometimes undeserved fate of eternal suffering, and if a reader of Antigone realizes this sooner, he or she could avoid suffering. When both Creon and Pete Rose desert their pride, they understand the crime they have committed and grow from it; however, it is impossible to reverse the suffering.
Creon finally over comes his pride when he says, "My own blind heart has brought me from darkness to final darkness" (Sophocles 722). Creon’s “darkness” refers to his initial crime which was refusing to bury Polyneices and sentencing Antigone to death. The “final darkness” is the suffering that resulted because of his inability to fix the initial crime; this refers to Haemon, Antigone, and Eurydice dying, but mostly it refers to Creon’s eternal suffering. Creon says, “I alone am guilty” (Sophocles 723). This quote shows that Creon takes responsibility for his actions. Therefore, it shows Creon's ultimate "final darkness" is being forced to live knowing his pride is the reason why everyone he loved suffered so much that they killed themselves. Pete Rose also admitted his mistake even though it was fourteen years late. When asked if it was true that he bet on baseball, he said to reporters, "I did. That was my mistake for not coming clean a lot earlier" (USA Today). Rose finally overcame his pride and owned up to his mistakes. He even wrote a book entitled My Prison Without Bars about his gambling problem. This shows he has grown from his mistake and that he doesn't want others to make the same one. However, his flaw of pride had already made his fate inevitable. Rose is forced to suffer everyday
knowing that he could have been a baseball legend, but instead he is merely remembered as a mockery of the game. Both Creon and Pete Rose demonstrate that an abundance in pride leads to an abundance in suffering. By reading Antigone, people today are cautioned to not follow in this same path of selfish pride to avoid suffering.
In the beginning of the play Creon is portrayed as King and a leader unwilling to bend the rules in order to protect the city. The way Creon responds to Antigone, “While I’m alive, no woman is going to lord over me”, shows he is stubborn and also his pride. (593-594) While the play continues Creon’s pride grows, and he thinks he can never be wrong and punishes Antigone by locking her up in a cave. However, things turn a different way when the Prophet tells Creon that he must free Antigone or face the wrath of Gods. After hearing this Creon changes his mind, “I shackled her, I’ll set her free myself. I am afraid it’s best to keep the established laws…” (1236-1238) But, as Creon tries to set Antigone free, he is faced with suicides of Antigone and Haemon, and followed by the suicide of his wife, Eurydice. This moment in the play serves as the downfall of Creon. But unlike Antigone, Creon reaches anagnorisis, which is the moment in the play when the tragic character realizes his hubris has led to his downfall. “And the guilt is all mine- can never be fixed…god help me, I admit all!”(1441-1445) Ultimately, Creon is more of a proper tragic character than Antigone because of he has an epiphany, a moment when he realizes his hubris has caused conflicts and deaths in the
Sophocles play titled Antigone, embellishes the opposing conflicts between Antigone who stands for the values of family, and Creon who stands for the values of state. Sophocles explores the depths of Antigone’s morality and the duty based on consequence throughout the play, as well as the practical consequences of Creon who is passionate and close-minded. Although Antigone’s moral decisions appear to be more logical and favorable than Creon’s, a personal argument would be that both characters’ decisions in society can be equally justified.
The hubris resonating throughout the play, ‘Antigone’ is seen in the characters of Creon and Antigone. Their pride causes them to act impulsively, resulting in their individual downfalls. In his opening speech, Creon makes his motives clear, that “no man who is his country’s enemy shall call himself my friend.” This part of his declaration was kept to the letter, as he refused burial for his nephew, Polynices. However, when the situation arises where it is crucial that Creon takes advice, he neglects the part of the speech where he says “a king... unwilling to seek advice is damned.” This results in Creon’s tragic undoing.
The Deaths of Antigone and Creon Antigone and Creon are the main characters of the play Antigone written by Sophocles. Antigone is the daughter of Oedipus, who was a major figure in ancient Greek myth. Oedipus accidentally killed his father and married his mother. Because of that act, Oedipus ended up cursing his family and died a horrible death. After his death, his sons inherited his kingdom and in a power struggle ended up killing each other.
Creon's character possesses an infinite number of glitches in his personality, but his excessive pride was the root of his problems. His pride leads him to make accusations, before he considers the wise advice of others. Creon's pride also fills him not just as a king superior to the Gods, but also a man superior to women. The issue of Antigone being condemned to die becomes more than just a person who disobeys Creon; instead, the punishment is given even more eagerly, because it is a woman who disobeys a man. Creon's intelligent son warns Creon the people of Thebes sympathize with Antigone, but Creon accuses Haemon of being a "woman's slave" (line 756). Even though he is suppose to be loyal to the state and her citizens, he defensively questions if "the town [is] to tell [him] how [he] ought to rule?"(Line 734)The Theban king is too prideful to obey even the wisest of prophets, blind Teresias, insisting that "the whole crew of seers are money-mad" (line 1055). Creon finally puts his pride aside and listens to the Chorus' wise advice. It is difficult even then, and he obeys only because he fears the punishment that he might receive. "To yield [for Creon] is terrible" (line 1095) meaning to swallow his pride and admit that he is wrong is a very difficult thing for him to do. When Creon loses his wife and son, Creon's pride disappears, and he admits that he made a terrible mistake by not listening to anyone's advice.
Foley, Helene. Antigone as Moral Agent in Tragedy and the Tragic, edi. M. S. Silk. Oxford:
“There are two kinds of pride, both good and bad. ‘Good pride’ represents our dignity and self-respect. ‘Bad pride’ is the deadly sin of superiority that reeks of conceit and arrogance”-John C. Maxwell, American author. In Antigone by Sophocles, Creon, the king of Thebes, typifies the tragic hero and Maxwell’s quote. Initially, he makes a huge error in judgment that eventually leads to his downfall. Also, his pure arrogance caused to go against the will of the Gods. After he gets over his self-pride, his view shifts away from that of ignorance.
In the story of Antigone, which was written by Sophocles, the main characters of the story were Antigone and her uncle Creon. Despite that they were relatives, there were some conflicts between them. The story ended by the death of Antigone, haiemon her Fiancé and his mother, while Creon stayed alone after he had lost his son and wife. From the story no doubt there are some similarities and differences between Creon and Antigone.
In Antigone, The prophet Tiresias told Creon that “all men make mistakes, it is only human. But once the wrong is done a man can turn his back on folly, misfortune too” (Antigone-lines 1132-1134). All human beings hate being wrong, that is a fact, but it takes a lot for someone to realize and admit it. A lot pride can make one seem very ignorant, even though it may not be intentional. The prophet also told Creon how pride is a crime, but that apparently offended Creon because his response was “ No, Reverend old Tiresias, all men fall, it’s only human, but the wisest fall obscenely when they glorify obscene advice with rhetoric all for their own Gain” (Antigone- lines 1158-1161). Creon had numerous opportunities to realize he had too much pride, and that his pride was hurting himself and others, but he was too blind t...
Antigone’s strength allows her to defend her brother’s honor against Creon, who wants to make a statement about traitors. However, both Antigone and King Creon commit faults while trying to protect the things they love. Antigone should not have died for her beliefs as it puts her loved ones and community in danger, and Creon should not have forbidden the burial of Polyneices as it angers the Gods and causes him great suffering in the end.
To begin with, possessing power predisposes one to become pompous. In Antigone, Creon perpetually thought he was superior to everyone else. He believed that he was the best, and because of his authority, Creon thought everything revolved around him. For example, during one part of the play, Haimon informs Creon of his wrongdoing. He tells Creon how the entire state realizes Creon’s fault, and Creon should not punish Antigone for the burial of Polyneices. However, Creon does not succumb. Because of his arrogance and pride, he does not admit his blunder. Creon claims “My voice is the one voice giving orders in this City!” (Sophocles 220). This quote shows Creon’s egotistic character, as he understood the state to be entirely about himself. He never took the citizens’ interests or input into consideration, and always believed his ideas were right. Similarly, whenever so...
Some may argue that Creon does not fit the mold of a tragic hero. They believe this is so because Creon's punishment is not excessive. Perhaps they think that the death of Creon's family members and loss of his kingdom is well deserved due to his wrongdoings. Although it is true that Creon makes a mistake, he is excessively punished even though he isn't directly at fault. This is illustrated when Creon finds out from the messenger that his wife blames him for the death of her and her son. Creon exclaims, “I am nothing. I have no life./ Lead me away.../ That have killed unwittingly/ My son, my wife./ I know not where I should turn,/ Where look for help./ My hands have done amiss, my head is bowed/ With fate too heavy for me” (Sophocles lines 1119-1126). Creon has to agonize in guilt because he knows he is the reason his family members are no longer living. One can agree that this is extremely unfair because he does not intend to lose everyone that is impo...
Creon, after he learns of his mistake, intends to correct them. “I and my better judgement / have come round to this-I shackled her, / I’ll set her free myself.” (Sophocles, Antigone, 1234-1235). In comparison to Xerxes, Creon intends to “lay my pride bare to the blows of ruin” (1221). Creon’s reaction when he learns of the death of his niece, son and, and wife was one of intense grief: “herald of pain, more words, more grief? / I died once, you killed me again and again” (1414-1415). In these passages, Creon shows a willingness to have a perpeteia, or a reversal in action. Creon thought he had the authority to govern something only the gods could, and he attempted a perpeteia in this course, but ultimately was too late and was in a state of perpetual grief afterward. The people around Creon also sympathize with him: “for mortal men / there is no escape from the doom we must endure” (1457-1458) In this the leader of the chorus is identifying with Creon, in the acknowledgement of hubris and hamartei, a mistake in judgment, in life. However, a tragic heroes’ perpeteia sets them apart from a tyrant, in that the tyrant will continue to be hubris driven, whereas a tragic hero will have a moment of perpeteia and attempt to repent. The tragic hero will repent to prevent grief in his downfall, whereas a tyrant won’t even have a moment of
Antigone, by Sophocles, illustrates a character, King Creon, who is willing to give up his own family in order to show his authority. In this selection, it is witness how Antigone goes against her uncle’s laws and his blindness results in unfortunate events. King Creon tries to show the power he has to the city of Thebes, which leads him to make poor decisions. By the time he realizes the mistake he had done, it was too late. Through his stubbornness and arrogance, King Creon ignored reason that led to the deaths of Antigone, Haemon, and his wife Eurydice.
Brad Moore, a famous athlete once said, “Pride would be a lot easier to swallow if it didn’t taste so bad.” In Sophocles’ well known Greek tragedy, Antigone, the main character undergoes immense character development. Antigone transforms from being stubborn and underestimated to courageous and open-minded. In reality, it is Antigone’s insular persistence that leads to her ultimate decline in the play as well as others around her. After the death of her two brothers, Eteocles and Polynices, Creon becomes the new ruler of Thebes. With this, he grants Eteocles an honorable funeral service for his brave fighting. Claiming that Polynices was a traitor, he shows complete refusal to grant Polynices a respectable and worthy service. Clearly disagreeing with Creon’s inexcusable demands, Antigone declares she will bury Polynices herself so that his soul can be at peace. Entirely aware of the consequences and dangers of this action, which include death, she goes forward vowing her love for her family. Antigone shows strength and determination towards her brother. However, her growing sense of pride leads to her downfall as she sacrifices everything for her family. Antigone develops into an admirable character in which she portrays her defiance and courage, pride and open mindedness, and sense of moral righteousness to show vital character growth as the play progresses.