Creon's Words In Antigone

Antigone’s first words in Antigone, “My own flesh and blood”, strongly indicates that the play’s concern with family relationships. “I admit I did it. I won’t deny that.”(line 500) Antigone is bold in her defiance, believes firmly that she is right, and at times seems eager to die for the cause of burying her brother. “I have longer to please the dead than please the living herein the kingdom down below I'll lie forever.” (line 90) Antigone believes the burial rituals are the unwritten rules of the gods, and must be obeyed regardless of a ruler's political whims.

Loyalty plays a big part in the play with the characters. Antigone’s words, actions, and ideas contrast with Creon’s character to the point of these two characters having conflicting

motivations. The conflicting motivations cause the characteristics of stubbornness, independence, and excessive pride are highlighted with Creon’s character. Both of their strong, aggressive, willful personalities are put to the test after Creon’s unfair decision comes to light.
Antigone independence is shown when she asked her sister, Ismene, to help her bury their brother corpse, Polyneices body “He’s to have no funeral or lament, but to be unburied and unwept, a sweet treasure for the birds to look at, for them to feed on to their heart’s content.”(line 30) Ismene was told that whether she decides to help her or not Antigone is going to bury their brother corpse. Creon independence is shown when his son Haemon told him he was not thinking straight, he didn’t bother to think about what he was doing, being that Antigone was suppose to be his Daughter-in-law, it may even be stubbornness. Creon was his own person and listens to noone now that he is the king. “Well, then, by Olympus, I’ll have you know you’ll be sorry for demeaning me with all these insults. Go bring her out that hateful creature, so she can die right here, with him present, before her bridegroom’s eyes.” (line 870) Creon did not care, and thought everyone was against him for his decision, which is quite true.
Antigone and Creon’s interactions throughout the story develops a ‘conflict and passion’ theme. “But my nature is to love. I cannot hate.”(line 590) Due to the fact that both of them are stubborn and their pride is so great, they don’t bring themselves to acknowledge that both of them were ever wrong until they realize that they both were in the wrong. “I’ll come to recognize that I’ve done wrong.” (line 1030) The opening events of the play quickly establish the central conflict. Antigone is the only one who will speak against Creon’s decree against Polyneices because he was not given a proper burial, and decree and insist on the sacredness of family.
In some respects Creon is seen as good but with others as bad.

A tragic hero is supposed to either have a character flaw or an error of judgment. In the play, Creon has two flaws. He has the character flaw of willful arrogance and his unyielding behavior and he has the flaw of making and error of judgment when he passes the proclamation. Along with a character flaw, a tragic hero must realize the fall. Creon truly realizes his fall when he states “Alas, how miserable I feel to look upon this second horror.” (line 1430-1440) The mistakes that he made are exemplified when Creon states, “Alas, my son, you died so young a death before your time.”(line 1410) He is feeling so much regret and disappointment in himself. This is the first part in the play where he realizes his mistake in passing an unjust proclamation and accepts responsibility for all that has happened. It is the first time that he has woken up to the realities of what he has done to his family. He had already taken the first step towards repentance of his wrong doing when he personally sees to it that the body of Polynices received a proper burial. However, he was too late to rescue Haemon, Antigone, or his wife. Creon is truly paying the consequences of being inflexible and

unreasonable.