Creon's Motives In Antigone

Why do people do things? Why are laws created, laws broken, and crimes committed? Behind every action is a motive. In Sophocles’ work of art Antigone, there are many possible motives for the character’s actions. Creon forbids Polyneices burial, sentences Antigone to death, locks Antigone in a stone chamber, and decides to free Antigone because his motives are to be a liked by the Greek Gods and the people of Thebes. Creon says, “but his brother Polyneices, who broke his exile to come back with fire and sword against his native city and the shrines of his father’s gods, whose one idea was to sill the blood and sell his own people into slavery – Polyneices, I say, is to have no burial: no man is to touch him or say the least prayer for him;

Creon orders whoever did this to be brought to him. A sentry then brings Creon’s niece Antigone to him. Creon asks Antigone if she confesses to these things and she responds, “I do. I deny nothing. (2. 352). Creon asks Antigone if she heard his decree stating that Polynecies should not be buried. Antigone then says, “It was public. Could I help hearing it?” (2. 355). Creon sentences Antigone to death because she knowingly breaks Creon’s decree and makes Creon look like a fool when he questions her about it. Creon says, “Who is the man here, she or I, if this crime goes unpunished” (2. 83-84). Creon punishes Antigone to show the kingdom that he cannot be bossed

He informs him that the people do not believe his ruling against Antigone is fair. The people say, “She covered her brother’s body. Is this indecent? She kept him from dogs and vultures. I this a crime? Death? – She should have all the honor that we can give her!” (3. 556-558). Because Creon wants the people to like him, Creon takes this into consideration. For a new punishment for Antigone, Creon says, “I will carry her far away out there in the wilderness, and lock her living in a vault of stone” (4. 632-634). Locking Antigone inside of a stone vault is Creon’s compromise for a punishment. Inside of the vault, she will be able to live as the people want her to and still pay for breaking a decree. Creon’s actions show that he can still be respectable and that he listens to the