Throughout history, there are many leaders worldwide. Some are leaders of small organizations, and others of a whole country. There are fantastic leaders, and then there are substandard ones. Today's leaders and the future’s must learn from the previous leader’s mistakes to make their rule even better. There are many qualities a leader must obtain to be respected. In Oedipus and Antigone, Oedipus and Creon, who are both kings from the play, rules with distinct leadership traits. Some are effective and somewhere are not. Unfortunately, they both have ineffective traits that brings their downfall. Based on Henry S. Givray's, 12 Distinguishing Qualities that Define True Leaders, Oedipus and Creon both share the same traits of determination and …show more content…
loyalty, but differentiate in the traits of serving others and self awareness. (or this: these are traits that apply to Oedipus, Creon, or both, and if they were effective or ineffective.) A good leader should be determined to get problems and situations solved. Henry S. Givray says, “If they don't solve problems right away, they can become cancerous” (Givray). This can be shown through both stories. In Oedipus, Oedipus says, “I’ll find the hand that brought Death to Labdakos’ and Polydoros’ child…” (Sophocles, "Oedipus" 73). The city is in anguish from the plague. During this time of the play, people believe that a famine or plague means that they displeased the gods. Oedipus is first determined to find out what they did wrong, and then determined to find out that the killer of Laius must be found. If he does not try to solve the problem right away, the city will continue to suffer from the plague that has taken over them. In Antigone, Creon says, “...if you fail to produce the criminals for me, you'll swear your dirty money brought you pain” (Sophocles, "Antigone" 26). Here, Creon is insistent to find the person who buried Polyneices after he made a decree that whoever would try to bury him would be killed. If Creon does not try to solve this problem, the people will see that he does not live up to his words. By finding and punishing the criminal, it will be an example to the people to not mess with his laws. Both Oedipus and Creon were set on finding the source of their problem. Another trait of a leader Oedipus and Creon both share is loyalty.
A leader must be loyal and trusting to their followers or they are no leader at all. “Trust is foundational to building strong relationships and achieving results” (Givray). In the beginning of both of the plays, Oedipus and Creon reassure the people that everything will be okay. It can be seen that both kings care for the city they rule. For example, in the beginning of Oedipus, Oedipus says, “You shall see how I stand by you, as I should, To avenge the city and the city’s god, And not as though it were for some distant friend...” (Sophocles, "Oedipus" 71). Oedipus will do anything to rid his city from suffering. He tells the people of Thebes not to worry, and that he is their friend and hero that will save them. Oedipus says he will get rid of everything that is harming the city. In Antigone, Creon says to the Chorus, “I could never stand by silent, watching destruction march against our city…” (Sophocles, "Antigone" 22). Creon wants to protect his city. He says it would hurt him to see devastation upon the city while he is in control. Creon tells the Chorus that he would never be able to stay still if the city was ever in trouble. He is giving the Chorus confidence that he is the leader they want to rule over them. Creon is making them trust in him and showing that he is a loyal king who cares. In conclusion, both Oedipus and Creon both have the leadership traits of …show more content…
loyalty. Even with these similarities, Oedipus and Creon also differ in certain leadership qualities.
Oedipus has the leadership quality of serving others. “...Service to others is the highest honor and greatest obligation of a true leader” (Givray 2). The whole point of being a leader is to lead over the people. Everything a leader does should be for the greater good. Oedipus puts the people’s needs before his. An example from the story is, “My spirit groans for the city and myself and you at once” (Sophocles, "Oedipus" 70). Oedipus listens to the needs of the people and makes a decision based on that. However, Creon is not like this. He is more private and does not make decisions based on what they people think. In the story of Antigone, Creon usually only speaks to the Chorus, whereas Oedipus spoke to all the people that were there. Creon does what he thinks is right. Creon’s leadership quality that Oedipus does not have is that he possesses self-awareness. Self-awareness means knowing your own motives. (quote where creon says he has to kill antigone as an example). He is aware that he can save Antigone, his son’s fiancé. However, he needs to kill her so the people will know that he is serious, or else the city will not take him seriously when he gives special treatment out. These are traits that distinguish Oedipus and
Creon. Each of these traits are important. Some are effective while others are ineffective. Determination in this story is an ineffective trait. Oedipus and Creon are able to find the cause of their problems by being determined. However, it both leads to their downfall because they ended up somehow being part of it. They both lost something they held precious. Oedipus lost his wife and mother, Jocasta. She even warns him earlier to stop prying for answers and leaves angry saying that he will never find out the truth. When she dies, Oedipus punishes himself by gouging his eyes out and by exiling himself. Creon lost his son and wife because they killed themselves. Haemon, his son, killed himself because his fiancé, Antigone, killed herself. Creon’s wife killed herself because she was extremely upset about hearing the death of her son. (54-55). He realizes that it was his fault that they all died, and that if he just buried Polynices or let Antigone free, he would still have his family. Creon makes the decision that he should be sent away. This is all caused because of the two king’s determination. The second trait is loyalty, which is an effective trait. By being loyal to the city people respects and trusts Oedipus and Creon. In the beginning of Oedipus, the Chorus is on Oedipus’ side and believes that Teiresias, the blind prophet is a liar. In the beginning of Antigone, the Chorus’ faith for Creon grows when he says his speech that he will never let terrible things happen to the city. Also, the Chorus is able to believe that Creon follows the rules of the gods because Creon is showing his loyalty. The next way a person can be a good leader is by serving the people and this is an effective trait in Oedipus. By serving the people, the people…… (add) The last trait is self awareness, and this is ineffective for Creon. Creon knows what he is thinking and knows that Antigone will die if he puts her in a confined area with little food. Unfortunately, Antigone kills herself and that leads to the death of Creon’s son and wife. He lost everything. Therefore, self awareness for Creon was not an effective trait for him. Throughout both stories, readers can see how these two kings had similarities and differences. Oedipus and Creon are both determined and loyal. Being determined does not help either of them, but being loyal did. Oedipus also serves the people, whereas Creon does everything by himself. Serving others helped Oedipus to gain trust from his people. Creon’s trait that Oedipus does not have is self awareness. However, this does not help him because he ends up losing everyone he holds close to his heart. Although, Oedipus and Creon had similar and different leadership traits, some helps them and others do not.
Creon's noble quality is his caring for Antigone and Ismene when their father was persecuted. Creon is a very authoritative person and demands control of others. When talking to the Chorus, Creon does not ask them to agree with the decree but demands that they follow it. Creon expects loyalty from others. It is apparent that Creon is very dominating and wants to be in control. "The man the city sets up in authority must be obeyed in small things and in just but also in their opposites"(717-719). Through this quote the reader realizes that Creon wants obedience in everything he decides even if he is at fault. "There is nothing worse than disobedience to authority" (723-724). Further supporting Creon's belief that everyone shall remain faithful to him even if he rules unfairly. This is proved true when Creon says, "Should the city tell me how I am to rule them?" (790).
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.
Creon, who is Iocasta’s brother, claims in Oedipus the King that he does not wish to have the power and responsibility of being king. Towards the beginning of Oedipus the King, Oedipus has announced that Creon is to be banished from Thebes. Oedipus was exiling Creon because he said that Creon and Tiresias were trying to overthrow his power. Creon, being innocent of these accusations says that he has no desire to be king. He says, “Would any sane man prefer power, with al a king’s anxieties, To that same power and the grace of sleep? Certainly not I. I have never longed for the king’s power – only his rights.” (Oedipus, Scene II, L68-71) Oedipus, Creon, and Iocasta had the same amount of power in Thebes. The only difference was that Oedipus was the king. Creon said he was perfectly content with having the power without all the worries. Oedipus had the power but also had the people to worry about, Creon just had the power. By the end of Oedipus the King, it is revealed that Oedipus had killed the former King Laius and Iocasta is found dead. Creon decides to exile Oedipus, revealing that he may actually want to be king.
Creon starts off being reasonable and understanding with the power he holds. For example, when Oedipus accuses him of trying to steal his crown, he said " If you discover I laid any plot together with the seen kill me, I say not only by your vote but my own." (Sophocles 136). This shows his understanding. Creon is comfortable with his power, people always greet Creon with respect, which demonstrates his power amongst the general population, for example, Creon said, “Now every man 's my pleasure; every man greets me." (Sophocles 136). Illustrates his relationship with the people of Thebes. Moreover, Creon is shown to be valuable towards the citizens of Thebes, when he said " I 'll go, you have not known me, but they have, and they have known my innocence." (Sophocles 140). This shows the trust citizens have towards Creon. Creon shows that he does not care for ruling Thebes, he states to Oedipus that "Now those who are your suiters fawn me, - success for them depends upon my favour. Why should I let all this go to win that?"(Sophocles 136). Creon eventually discovers that power is all he wants, leading towards King Oedipus ' exile. An example, is Creon said " Do not seek to be master in everything, for the things you mastered did not follow you throughout your life." (Sophocles 176), which explains that he manipulates with an intent that people mistake for honesty. Furthermore, this shows the end
Many great rulers have been tempted by the authority of absolute power. In Antigone, by Sophocles, Creon, the Theban king, will do anything in order to earn this absolute power. Creon’s prideful attitude, disregard of the authority of the gods, and failure to listen cause him to fail as a statesman, demonstrating the nature of kingship in Sophocles’s Antigone.
As Oedipus himself describes it, Creon comes “not to take [Oedipus] home, but to dump me out on the frontier to protect Thebes from fighting a war against Athens” (Oedipus at Colonus, 783-786). Creon seeks not to help Oedipus as he claims, but to use his divine power with no regard for Oedipus’s peace or happiness. It’s impossible to be sure whether Creon would have been more genuine had Oedipus not thrown Creon under the bus himself, but it seems that way to me. More importantly, Oedipus prolongs the curse that afflicts the city as the murderer remains unexposed. This works directly against Oedipus, because he is responsible for Thebes’s well-being. By pridefully insisting he could have nothing to do with Laius’s death, despite knowing that he had killed several unidentified people, he neglects his city and lets it suffer. Socrates would have Oedipus search his life for wrongdoing and immorality, but he instead chooses to shove blame onto others, and it’s clear from the events mentioned above that he only postpones the consequences of guilt, and makes them worse to
Another example of Oedipus’ presumptuous temperament is when he immediately assumes that Creon is trying to take his power from him. Creon sends Tiresias to Oedipus to help him solve the crime of the plague, and when Tiresias reveals that Oedipus must die in order to save the people of Thebes, Oedipus assumes Creon is trying to take his throne. Creon even tells Oedipus, “…if you think crude, mindless stubbornness such a gift, you’ve lost your sense of balance” (Meyer 1438). Oedipus’ impulsive nature leads him to discovering the truth and reveals that he has indeed fulfilled the prophecy he was running from.
Creon does not learn a lesson from Oedipus' accusatory behavior. Instead he adapts this bad personality trait. Throughout Antigone, he accuses everyone who tries to give him advice of betraying him. Whereas, in Oedipus, he is falsely accused by Oedipus of trying to take over the throne. This paper will compare and contrast his behavior and evaluate if he learned anything from one play to the next.
A leader is someone who leads or commands a group, organization, or country, in Antigone Creon is a good leader. Creon leads the city of Thebes as a ruler, he is very powerful as a leader and takes his job seriously, while some of the decisions he made were not the best he was a good leader because of his qualities. Creon had punishments for the laws that were broken and Creon didn't want the laws that he made broken. Creon also understands that to be a good leader he had to prove himeself and there will always be setbacks in leadership that cause you too need a backbone. You can’t just walk into a country as a leader and tell everyone what to do and they would trust you. Finally Creon had a lot of pride and while this pride is for himself it also helps the county and
In Oedipus at Colonus (OC), one sees the beginning of Creon's decline. Creon has now come to occupy the throne that once belonged to Oedipus. It soon becomes apparent that his vision of the proper role of a king has changed to accommodate his new-found position. The emphasis shifts from that of a king who must rule wisely to one who must rule unyieldingly. The kingship becomes a selfserving instrument for Creon in his attempt to secure the return of Oedipus and the good fortune prophesied to accompany him. Creon's notion of justice is severely distorted in OC. He becomes monomaniacal - conducting his affairs with tyranny and belligerence. For example, he threatens to harm Oedipus' daughters if the blind beggar does not return to Thebes. His view of rightness and fairness is no longer in line with that of his subjects.
In the opening of the play, we learn that Creon has been proclaimed king. We expect Creon to be the same rational man as we saw him to be in Oedipus the King who stood up for justice and defended the right deeds. However, later on we can clearly see that this is not the same Creon. Creon, the King, has been corrupted by the power bestowed upon him.
Aristoteles’s “Theory of Tragedy” suggests that the tragic flaw in Sophocles’ play Oedipus is the King’s “self-destructive actions taken in blindness,” but a worse flaw is his arrogance. There are a few opposing views that stray from Oedipus being fully arrogant. First is that he took actions to save himself from further pain. Second, by putting himself in charge was the right thing to do as the leader of his people. Third, Oedipus never tried to outwit the gods but used the prophecy as a warning to leave Corinth.
Sophocles, following the Greek standard of tragedy, casts Creon as the tragic hero plagued by his own pride, inflexibility and power. Creon believes his authority to be twofold, both as the king and as the head of his family. He claims that the throne is the source of all power, saying ?whoever is chosen to govern should be obeyed ? must be obeyed, in all things, great and small, just and unjust? (Sophocles 217), and he demands the utmost allegiance from his son, bidding him to ?subordinate everything else?to [his] father?s will? (Sophocles 216). Creon is filled with hubris, and he rejects any solution that might compromise his image. For instance, when the guards escort Antigone to the palace, he demands of the Choragos, ?Who is the man...
This essay will illustrate the types of characters depicted in Sophocles’ tragic drama, Oedipus Rex, whether static or dynamic, flat or round, and whether protrayed through the showing or telling technique.
Oedipus loses all trust for Creon and thinks that he is plotting to kill him and steal the thrown. This, however, is not true at all. Creon even says that he would rather not be king. He is equal in all decision making with Oedipus and Jocasta. So why would he want the extra hassle of actually having to be the king. Oedipus doesn’t listen and wants to have Creon banished or killed.