How to Murder Your Family: Creon's Edition

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Recommended: Antigones death and fate

A variety of characters are convinced they are living their lives the best way they can in the world as they see it. Virtually every character reaches a point where his or her sense of mortality conflicts with that of another character. Antigone, a mythological play written by Sophocles, revolves around King Creon’s undeterred pursuit of what he believes is right, which brings a series of catastrophes to his royal family. Creon had absolute certainty that Polyneices was a traitor and issues a proclamation that no one is to give him a proper burial, but Antigone disregards this law flagrantly which sends Creon into a fit of fury. He must determine whether and how to punish her. Creon decides to put her into a cave where she is to starve to death, for he believed, with his bigoted mind, that what he was doing was right. The gods showed discontentment with his choice, and relayed through Tiresias, a prophet, that if he does not change his mind and ways, there would be severe consequences. Through King Creon’s actions, this sorrowful story reveals that the proudest men will eventually succumb to despair and suffer costly losses, including deaths.
Granted, King Creon is an arrogant tyrant who opposes Antigone’s devotion to her family and to the gods. He himself said, “This girl, already versed in disrespect/ When she first disobeyed my law, now adds/ A second insult- vaunts it to my face./ I swear I hardly care if she be my sister’s child.../ She and her sister will not escape the direst penalty”(180). Creon is angered that Antigone, a “mere girl” would dare defy him, the ruler of Thebes. Antigone counters back that her actions were justified as her responsibility to the gods. Maddened, he vows to have her executed, which reveals that ...

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...hibits that how his unbending trait and pride ultimately capitulate to justice, as his those of his blood all dies.

Therefore, in the end, the proud will bow down and become wise, even if it means they have to lose everything. Creon sentenced Antigone to walk to her death, believing his verdict was righteous. He did not care to hear the opinions of the citizens, in fact, they dared not to say anything for they feared him. His close-mindedness brought to his downfall as his world collapses.“‘Where wisdom is, there happiness will crown/ A piety that nothing will corrode./ But high and mighty words and ways/ Are flogged to humbleness, till age,/ Beaten to its knees, at last is wise’” (210).

Work Cited
"Antigone." The Oedipus Plays of Sophocles; Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus, Antigone. Trans. Paul Roche. [New York]: New American Library, 1958. 161-210. Print.

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