The Similarities Between Oedipus Rex And Creon

Hubris: the tragic flaw of arrogance and pride, often leading to the downfall of characters. Rulers often fall victim to the temptation of power and egotism because of their authority. In Sophocles’ plays Oedipus Rex and Antigone, kings Oedipus and Creon, respectively, are characterized by the tragic flaw of hubris because of their inability to overlook their pride for the better of the people. Oedipus and Creon prioritized their desires over the Theban people for selfish and prideful reasons, leading to the suffering of their subjects. Sophocles, in his Theban Plays trilogy, illustrates the repercussions of hubristic rulers through paralleled scenes in which Creon replicates previously made mistakes by Oedipus. Oedipus’ arrogant attitude toward Tiresias’ visions ultimately hinders the solution for the plague in Thebes because of his inability to admit his faults. When Oedipus summons Tiresias for his seeing ability, Tiresias claims

The Chorus’ fear is amplified when Creon declares that Antigone must be arrested and executed. When Antigone defends her crimes as glorious, she proclaims: “ANTIGONE: These citizens here would all agree, / they would praise me too / if their lips weren’t locked in fear” (Antigone 563-5). Creon’s absolute ruling of Thebes forces the Chorus to have their lips “locked in fear” of punishment like Antigone’s. She claims the Chorus would have understood and not persecuted her for her crimes against Creon’s rule because her actions were under the obedience of the Gods. Creon’s severe actions characterize him as an arrogant, absolute ruler because he rejects the Gods’, and hence, the Chorus’, wants. He desires complete submission from the Theban people and actively disobeys the Gods due to his arrogance. Therefore, Creon’s hubristic inability to settle for anything less than absolute power leads to the suffering of the Chorus’ voice and