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Examples Of Leadership In Antigone

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Leadership in Antigone

Lao Tzu once said, "To lead people, walk behind them." A good leader is one who understands and wants the best for their people. They will listen and guide but not dictate and order around. In the play Antigone, written by Sophocles, Creon is created to show a clearly evident difference between a good leader and a bad leader. Sophocles explores the nature of leadership by making Creon a ruler who rules out of fear, demands complete devotion no matter the circumstance, and is unable to accept advice. These flaws in his character will evidently leave him bemoaning his decisions at the end of the play. Creon's ideology of ruling out of fear is prevalent in the first few pages of the play. In the beginning, Creon proclaims his edict by saying Etocles will have a proper burial but because Polynices fought on the opposing army he will be left for, "birds in search of …show more content…

In the beginning of the story Creon said, "I have even less esteem for a man who deems a friend more important than his fatherland" (L. 176). No matter the circumstance Creon wants loyalty. When Antigone buries her brother she disobeys Creon and does not give him the devotion he thinks he deserves. To Creon, he comes before family and that is a major character flaw. A good leader understands and shows compassion, Creon does not. The inability to accept advice is a defect that can hurt a character. In Antigone, Tiresias foreshadows an event through a prophet he tells Creon that leads to his downfall. "You will have to offer as a corpse one sprung from your own loins, a death in exchange for a death" ( L.1025-1017). Tiresias goes to Creon and tells him, "you must obey the prophet" ( L.950) Creon agrees but in turn he does not. This results in the loss of his son Haemon who kills himself after he sees Antigone dead. If Creon listened to the advice things could have turned out

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Lexi Nguyen Mr. Palko Period 8 27 October 2022 Haemons Speech In Antigone, Haemon uses figurative language and appeals to pride to argue that Creon must be a good leader and learn to take criticism by other people, encouraging Creon to forgive Antigone and let her be free. In Antigone, Haemon uses Figurative language to argue that a good leader can take others' criticism. In his speech to his father in the palace he argues that a leader can listen to the citizens' opinions, in order to make a better decision to free Antigone.

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1143 Words | 5 Pages

One such example is in the prologue when Antigone says, “I am not afraid of the danger; if it means death, It will not be the worst of deaths-death without honor,” (Sophocles, 80-81). This shows in the very beginning of the play that

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1391 Words | 6 Pages

This contributed to the fact that he was mentally lost. He had clouded judgment because of his idea of what is right for the city is the only way he would rule. As Burt describes “Creon remains adamant, and his judgment on Antigone and Ismene, along with his subsequent argument with his son, Haemon, reveals that Creon's principles are self-centered, contradictory, and compromised by his own pride, fears, and anxieties. ”(Burt). Creon can only think in his mindset and any other view to him is impossible to understand.

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686 Words | 3 Pages

Ironically, he states that “the mind that is most rigid stumbles soonest,” which would lead one to assume that his leadership style would be flexible (473-474). Creon has the correct intentions by attempting to follow the established law, yet contradicts his statement on a rigid mindset by allowing no exception in Antigone’s case. Creon is in a difficult position

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644 Words | 3 Pages

“A city which belongs to just one man is no true city.” (lines 838-39) Throughout the play, Antigone, written by Sophocles, the character Haemon constantly tries to persuade his father, Creon, to listen to the people of his city and to become a more humble leader. Haemon’s words, actions, and ideas contrast with Creon’s character. Which results in the two characters having continual conflicting motivations.

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814 Words | 4 Pages

Creon’s argument only rests on his idea that the leader should always be obeyed whether they’re right or wrong. Both Antigone and Creon lose their temper with each other, which weakens their arguments, but the issue comes down to ethics verses logic.

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After reading the tragedy of Antigone by Sophocles, one is left to wonder who the protagonist of this play is. Is it Creon or is it Antigone? To answer this question, one must define what a protagonist is. By definition, a protagonist is a leading actor or a character. Creon fits this description because not only do his actions lead into the whole tragedy, but his character shows a great development and the values he teaches to the readers.

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In Sophocles’ play Antigone, Creon, the king of Thebes, best represents a tragic hero. Creon demonstrates goodness in his intentions for Thebes as well as his fragile state due to the fact that he recently lost several family members. Creon, newly named king, finds himself as highest ranking official around, showing superiority. Creon often acts stubborn and prideful, his tragic flaw. And lastly, he must come to terms with the fact that he caused the death of his wife, son, and niece.

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270 Words | 2 Pages

Sophocles addresses the issue of government authority over the people of Antigone through his incorporation of continuous unsuccessful as well as unjustifiable acts of power. Throughout the tragedy, Sophocles strongly exposes the lack of political authority at the time through his depiction of what he advocates as a corrupt monarchy. Considering Creon’s unceasing disregard for the opinions and desires of those around him, including his son Haemon when it came to Antigone's situation, his known brutality caused his citizens to obey him strictly out of fear of the potential consequences, such as when Ismene's obeys his edict is because she fears death. In addition, Sophocles addresses the issue of government authority by including the role

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1017 Words | 5 Pages

“Humble yourself or life will do it for you,” is a common quote used by many. This idea of being humble to avoid consequences applies well to the book Antigone by Sophocles. It shows how if one has too much pride, they will be humbled in one way or another. In Antigone, Creon had tunnel vision, not listening to anyone. His fatal flaw was hubris, ultimately leading to the downfall of him.

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As demonstrated throughout the Greek tragedy Antigone, Creon’s tragic flaw is hubris which causes his downfall . The downfall begins when Creon refuses to give Polyneices, the son of Oedipus and the brother of Antigone, a burial. Creon believes that Polyneices did not die an honorable death as he broke exile and raised the sword against his home city, Thebes, so in return he will not receive a burial. Creon’s pride takes over and so he believes he is a man not only superior to women , but a king superior to the gods. He claims, Go out of your heads entirely?

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545 Words | 3 Pages

In the play Antigone by Sophocles one central idea behind the play is the guilt that Creon's life has put him at. In the beginning, Creon is shown to be a horrible, stubborn, and ignorant king to his citizens in Thebes, but over the course of the ply one can tell that he has a made a big impact to his peers and he’s realized what he has done is wrong in the world. Antigone, who is a strong, power, young girl, stood up to someone of a higher power of her and she stood up for what she thought was right; Creon didn’t budge and listened to himself, ignoring other opinions. By not taking in any opinions into consideration something bad was going to come, Creon was indulging Antigone in making the choice about whether state laws come first, over family. By the end of the play it

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882 Words | 4 Pages

In lines 599 to 601, Creon’s states that, due to his selfishness and stubbornness, he will not allow a woman, that woman being Antigone, to change his mind and defy his judgement. He declares that, if Antigone chooses to not change her ways, she will be killed, as to not waver from his own decree. Antigone therefore dies as a result of Creon’s insufferable and ignorant ruling, causing her to suffer at Creon’s hand. Creon’s ruling for the murder of Antigone also causes Haemon to suffer. Creon finds Haemon, in his last moments, mourning the loss of Antigone, “now among the dead, his father’s work,” as described by the messenger in line 1364.

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489 Words | 2 Pages

In Sophocles's epic play Antigone, Creon is a leader who is too prideful and his hubris is the reason of his downfall. Creon’s fatal flaw is his hubris. Creon’s downfall includes the loss of his family and losing the trust from the people of Thebes. Pride will always be a problem.

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757 Words | 4 Pages

Creon was completely blinded by his pride and power that he lost those closest to him. Starting with his son... “Then she’ll die-- and in her death kill someone else. ”(Haemon; line 859). Creon thinks that his son is threatening him, and doesn’t pay attention to what his son is feeling towards Antigone.

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