Oedipus And Creon In Sophocles Antigone

Oedipus, holding Creon by the collar, begging Creon to promise him to take care of his children while he would be gone; but little did Oedipus know, Creon would go against Oedipus’s promise and try to kill his own daughter to uphold his image as king. Creon continuously lies to Oedipus and the people of Thebes throughout the course of Antigone and Oedipus Rex. He claims he isn’t killing her and says he isn’t a liar, but in truth, he knows the he is disregarding his friend Oedipus’s wishes for his own purposes. In Sophocles' Theban Plays, Creon is not fulfilling his promise to Oedipus by protecting his two daughters because he is about to kill one of them which shows that he is not trustworthy or reliable. When Creon makes his command to kill Antigone, who had been locked in a chamber in his basement, he claims that “his hands are clean” meaning he should not be accused for her murder and that she brought it upon herself (pages 104 ll. 975). Creon is lying to himself when saying this because inside he knows that he is breaking the promise between him and Oedipus. If he can’t even be truthful to himself, he is just showing that he cannot be relied upon as king or as a friend.

Oedipus tells Creon that “[he] has to be the father” which means he has to take care of them and protect them with his life (pg. 249 ll. 1645 - 1646). Oedipus even tells Creon that “[He is his] only hope” and for him to “Promise [him], noble Creon” (pg. 249 ll. 1653-1654). Even after Creon agreed, he still eventually abandons the promise they had to enforce one of his rules to uphold his image. Creon is so self-centered that he would even break his promise with a dear friend and kill his daughter to make sure the city of Thebes liked him, making him