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Characteristics of creon in antigone
Character of creon in antigone
Creon character development in Antigone
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Nitpickers might argue, “No! Creon is really just a tyrant who rules the city for his own sake” while holding Creon’s words “Am I to rule this land for others—or myself?” (823) as evidence. However, they fail to realize that politicians are constantly presented with conundrums where people’s will contradicts what they think is right. Their job is to do the right and just thing, and not necessarily what people want.
His personality shows up in his argument. First, he has no clear evidence to support his thoughts and ideas. All he states is that he is the King of Thebes, so all his words are the law. “The State is the King,”(598) means that Creon firmly believes in the fact that everything he says and thinks is correct. He also talks like a sexist and says, “Let’s lose to a man, at least!
(Antigone 8). This quote shows that he wants everyone to obey him and anyone who disobeys him will get in trouble. The last support can be found when Creon said, “But he who crosses law, or forces it, or hopes to bring the ruler under him, shall never have a word of praise from me.” (Antigone 23). This means that Creon is “madly in love” with his power and thinks that he can do anything because he is the king.
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.
Creon does not hold democratic ideals, and thus the state that which he is loyal to is solely the government, which he is the embodiment of. Creon, oblivious to his own self-centered ideologies, does not believe that his loyalty is directed incorrectly. Although Creon pledges himself to the state, his actions in the story are driven by his
In the first scene of the play we meet Creon. The overly prideful power hungry King of the City of Thebes. His City has recently been met with terrible strife as his nephew Polyneices has attacked the former leader Eteocles. Being abruptly placed into power so soon after the city lost their previous leader, Creon needs to show his people that he is a strong trustworthy leader.
“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.
Creon was so dedicated to the law and punishing whoever breaks them, that he forgets about the needs of the Thebes. Creons pride is so high he doesn't care about what others think, unless you was close family. Although his son Haemon didn't agree of his use of power, he still tried to subjmit to him. The people needed a leader that was willing to listen to what they had to say and who was going to do right by the city as a whole. But Creon wouldn't let his pride down for nothing and Haemon told him it wouldn't hurt his image not one bit if he showed he cared more about the people than punishment.
He refuses to hear the counsel of others, even if it came from the gods. This is the last chance Creon had at potentially stopping the ensuing downfall that he will face later on in
He can act quite stubborn and overconfident in himself and his ruling, and he needs to see this situation from another point of view in order to prevent anarchy. We find Creon irritated and belligerent when speaking with Teiresias. TEIRESIAS. King, you will drive me to words that - CREON. Say them, say them!
Creon then replies to this saying, “The State is the King!” (221). Haimon tries to point out to Creon that a well run state needs to let other people have a say in what goes on, not just the king. Creon believes he is the only one making the decisions, and that his orders should not be questioned. This shows how Creon believes his is above all
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?
He is stubborn, and his pride is so great, he cannot bring himself to acknowledge that he could ever wrong. King Creon also possessed the character trait of being very strict and inflexible, even though his character may have brought protection, or a sense of safety among the Theban people, even when his. When Creon is talking to Teiresias, he thinks that he is being paid off. He does not want to believe he could be wrong about Antigone. Creon even says, “Whatever you say, you will not change my will.”
In Antigone by Sophocles, the purpose of Creon’s speech is to explain his new leadership. First, Creon wants to gain the loyalty from the citizens of Thebes. A great king would first need the trust of his state in order to rule effectively. Especially, Creon would need trust from his state after the tragic events that happened beforehand, which was Polyneices and Eteocles dying. He state this fact in his speech: “I am aware, of course, that no ruler can expect complete loyalty from his subjects until he has been tested in office.”
Despite Gilgamesh’s disrespect for the people, he is a man of deed, building walls to safeguard Uruk (Sandars 61). In addition, he destroys evil, Humbaba, who guards the forest, protecting the trees his people need, risking his life (71). In my opinion, Creon appears concerned with respect, the city, and the la. He demands respect, but he only honors those that obey the laws, the city, and his power.