Ignorance And Hubris In Creon

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Ignorance and hubris, Creon’s tragic flaws, lead to his calamitous downfall. Due to Creon’s persistent hubris to the gods, he disrespects them on multiple occasions. For example, he does not properly bury Polyneices, which is considered a major offense to the gods. Creon makes it illegal to bury him, and leaves his carcass out in the open to rot and be mauled by wild animals. Also, Creon mockingly buries Antigone alive, forcing her to die without honors and her actions to be forgotten. Both of these situations utterly displease the gods. Furthermore, in scene two, Antigone is accused and found guilty of burying her brother Polyneices. Although she knows there will be a heavy consequence, she does not deny burying Polyneices even as she is being led to her conviction. Antigone explains to Creon that God’s law is higher than any law. He refuses to listen and still punishes Antigone by theoretically burying her alive. Concerning this, disrespecting the gods was dangerous and considered fatal in the time of ancient Greece. Antigone’s character displays the importance to have the gods’ admiration. Creon’s scornful actions towards the gods foreshadowed his negative consequences. Additionally, Creon makes numerous mistakes throughout Antigone. Many people attempt to help Creon recover from his errors, but he refuses to listen. These people include Teiresias, the sentry, Haimon, and choragos. Teiresias, the blind prophet, comes to tell Creon how he is making a mistake and should respect the gods. Instead of listening to the wise man, Creon says:
“It seems that prophets have made me their especial province. / All my life long / I have been a kind of butt for the dull arrows / Of doddering fortunetellers! / No, Teiresias: / If your birds-if...

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...ish / I have killed my own son and wife / I look for comfort; my comfort lies here dead. / Whatever my hands have touched has come to nothing. / Fate has brought all my pride to a thought of dust.” (Exodus. 142-146). Fate takes control and Creon’s family is dead. He grieves and wants to die with his family because he sees no purpose of living. This is when the readers experience a catharsis. Creon’s tragic flaw, ignorance and disrespect, indicates Antigone’s catastrophic outcome.
Creon has attributes such as ignorance, hubris, and self knowledge that distinguish him as being the tragic hero of Antigone. Creon’s presumptuous personality lead to his pitiful downfall. Creon’s qualities such as nobility and self knowledge show the positive aspects of being a tragic hero as well. Using a mix of these characteristics, Creon accurately exhibits the tragic hero of Antigone.

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