A Double-Edged Sword In Sophocles Antigone

A Double-Edged Sword

“The only true wisdom is knowing you know nothing” (Socrates). Regarding many ancient Greek tales, tragic heroes with growing egos who determine that they are all-knowing often face downfall because of their hubris. In the ancient Greek play Antigone, Sophocles writes about the tragic hero, Creon, an unmerciful ruler who refuses to acknowledge the opinions of others. After a blood bath between two royal brothers which leads to their own deaths, Creon imposes a law stating whoever buried the traitorous brother Polyneices, is sentenced to death. Despite the law, Antigone, the audacious sister to the two brothers, perilously buries Polyneices. To much objection, Creon sentences the passionate Antigone to death imposing

Creon’s overbearing stubbornness was sharp enough to stab himself in the back. Creon wouldn’t have noticed his faults were a double-edged sword until he had a wound. The king was advised numerous times of his actions getting back to him, but his blindness to his pride also made him deaf to his warnings. Teiresias the prophet visits the unfavorable ruler with a dismal message. “The time is not far off when you shall pay back corpse for corpse, flesh of your own flesh”(Sophocles 5.75). To no surprise, the king ignores the foreseeing prophet’s report and remains adamant. Nevertheless, Creon paid back the death of Antigone with the death of his son and his wife. It was their deaths that lifted the veil off Creon’s eyes and he accepted his faults. In the end the king proclaims his erroneous ways and falls to the foot of his destruction. Creon in the deepest moment of desparity, shouts “Lead me away. I have been rash and foolish. I have killed my son and my wife”(Exodus 145). Creon’s fateful flaws had now become apparent through his tragedy. The deaths of Creon’s family had to occur in order for Creon to truly see his

Creon in the end, however, came to recognize his stuborness at the foot of his destruction after several warnings. After Antigone’s punishment was declared, many tried to persuade Creon to change his mind. One of his counsels came from his own son. “I beg you do not be unchangeable: do not believe that you alone can be right” (3.77). Despite this, Creon in fact is unchangeable. When Creon hears of his son’s advice he becomes enraged. He refuses to “go to school to a boy”(3.99). Creon is blind to his improper conviction that he alone is right and no one younger than him, or no one at all rather, can advise him on his decisions. Further, his rank in society corrupts his thoughts and he refuses to listen to others, even when he is at fault. Creon’s title as ruler undoubtedly has impacted his pride. Creon displays a contemptuous belief that his way is the only way. Teiresias the phrophet yet again forwarns Creon on his fateful mistake to punish Antigone. “Think: all men make mistakes, but a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong, and repaired the evil”(5.77). Creon doesn’t realize his misguided course until his moment of absolute disparity. People realizing their course is wearing long after they have made a faulty trek unfolds in many occurrences. For instance, in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, The Capulets and Montagues don't realize the effect of their battles until their precious heirs take