Examples Of Power In Antigone

The Tragedy of Power Antigone is a tragic classical-Greek drama written by Sophocles in 442 B.C. It depicts the struggle between Antigone and the king of the city that she resides in, Creon. Creon’s predecessors once ruled their city, but they ultimately ended up killing each other due to their differences. One of them was buried honorably, while the other was left to rot out in the open. Creon enforced this decree seriously, but Antigone openly challenged him. Sophocles’ Antigone demonstrates how power corrupts by the way that Creon treats the people that are close to him, his denial of reason, and the realization of his mistakes only when it is too late. Creon treats his subjects, even the ones close to him, like a power hungry dictator

Creon gives Eteocles the proper respect of a burial, but denies Polyneices the same in order to make an example of him. Even though he was an enemy of the state, most people would have given him the proper respect of a burial. However, Creon “demands complete obedience to his edict from all the citizens” (Epstein 33). His decision was final, and anyone who attempts to disobey will be met with certain death. This is a characteristic common among tyrants throughout history. When Creon learned of somebody trying to bury Polyneices, he became furious: “I swear by God and by the throne of God, the man who has done this thing shall pay for it” (1.127-128). The cruelty of

When accused by Creon for attempting to bury Polyneices, Antigone retorts that “I should have praise and honor for what I have done” (2.113). Antigone appeals to reason by stating that she was doing the right thing for giving respect to a deceased person. However, blinded by his own personal motives, Creon responds, “You are alone here in that opinion” (2.118). Creon feels as he is doing the right thing, and no one except for Antigone would dare challenge his opinion. Even Haimon questions Creon’s decision, but Creon asks him if it is “right to stand up for an anarchist” (3.103). Creon equates Antigone to an anarchist in this statement. The fact that Antigone would be an anarchist for paying the proper respect to the dead would seem absurd to most people. However, the failure to obey Creon’s order lends Antigone the title of anarchist even though his order was morally unjust. As king “he expects the kind of obedience that a father expects from his children, given out of trust and love, not self-conscious thought” (Epstein 33). At this point, it begins to become clear that Creon is not seeking to be correct. Rather, he is seeking to be obeyed, because obedience is required whether or not his laws are just. Despite his audacity towards everyone, Creon would soon realize that he was the wrong one all