Robert F. Kennedy once quoted Aeschylus saying “we must suffer into truth” as the news of Martin Luther King Jr.’s tragic assassination became true. The play Antigone from the Theban Plays written by Sophocles, tells the story of a king, Creon, who must learn to “suffer into truth” and change. Likewise, in the film Michael Clayton directed by Tony Gilroy, shows a lawyer, Michael Clayton, and his journey to change. Although Michael Clayton and Creon both learn they must “suffer into truth,” Creon’s delayed action condemns his family, while Michael Clayton changes just in time. Both characters experience hubris, hamartia, anagnorisis, and catharsis. Hubris translates into “excessive pride” which is similar to cockiness and arrogance. With hubris a hamartia often happens. Hamartia means a tragic mistake. After this tragic mistake, an anagnorisis, or an eye opening …show more content…
Antigone wants to bury her brother, but Creon will not let her. Creon and Antigone argue back and forth, multiple times Creon would say that his rules are rules. He was arrogant about his kingship and would not allow to bury Antigone’s brother because of his own pride. His pride overruled any and all reasons that Antigone should be allowed to bury the body even if they were good reasons. As Creon is being introduced to the chorus he states that he will not bury Polynices, and he has brainwashed his court of public opinion so much they add to his overweening pride by saying “Your will is law” (132 Sophocles). He tells the public what he says is what goes. This is incredibly arrogant even as a king, but they continue to feed to him his hubirs. Michael Clayton considers himself a fixer or janitor. Early on His job is to fix and clean up anything and everything. He shows off his wealth from fixing so many cases by the fancy car and even the way he treats his clients. This excessive pride leads to hamartia which means a tragic