Atlas Lewis
Mrs. Gray
Classical Literature
9 February 2023
With Great Power - Labeling the Source of Creon’s Downfall
Creon was a good person throughout Oedipus Rex, but suddenly he switched. In Sophocles’s works Oedipus Rex and Antigone, Creon changes from a fairly important supporting role to the villain of the trilogy. A change like that does not occur naturally in an earnest person. The sudden responsibility thrusted upon Creon on multiple occasions led to his harsh and corrupt nature.
When Creon is first introduced, he does not hold any major responsibilities. He is considerate, rational, and respectful toward Oedipus. When Oedipus first starts to search for Laius’s killer, Creon personally recommends that he seek out Tiresias, which,
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It has been a handful of years since the events of Oedipus Rex. He is declared king permanently this time. We see him become more erratic and violent, but not to his fullest extent. When dictating the treatment of Polynices’s body, he says, “Never shall evil men be held in higher honor than the just, at least by me; but he who bears good will towards this city will be honored by me equally in life and death” (Sophocles, Antigone 29.207-10). He is clearly still thinking rationally, but because of his paranoia around rebellion, he acted viciously and forgot the law of the gods, therefore damning himself.
In what could be called the rising action of his downfall, Creon immerses himself in his civil responsibilities to the point where he forgets his paternal ones. When Haimon confronts Creon about sentencing his soon-to-be bride to death, Creon responds by ridiculing him. He calls Haimon evil, a fool, and even threatens to kill Antigone in front of him, saying, “Bring out that loathsome creature so that she may die… before her bridegroom’s eyes” (51.760-1) Creon most certainly spurred Haimon’s suicide. At this moment, he regarded Haimon as a subject rather than a son and paid the price for