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  • Essay / Creon and his views in Antigone

    Throughout Antigone, Creon maintains complete confidence in his belief that, to avoid anarchy and chaos, a king's rule must be obeyed even if it contradicts good morals and/or will. gods. The decisions he makes to uphold this belief ultimately lead to his downfall and the deaths of most of his family. Among the many opportunities given to him to withdraw his decree against the proper burial of Polyneices, the most significant are the dissent of Antigone, the suggestions of Haemon, and the prophecy of Tiresias. Through the use of repeated examples illustrating Creon's failure to change his mind, Sophocles demonstrates his own belief that a king who places his desires ahead of maintaining a moral position and the laws of the gods is ultimately corrupt and will inevitably face bitter consequences. no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Antigone's early rebellious actions in reaction to Creon's immoral decision directly show how her belief causes anarchy rather than prevent it. By denying Polynices the right to a proper burial, a right granted to all human beings at that time, Creon acts not only immorally, but also against the will of the gods. Antigone is the first in the play to realize her mistake and that it is her duty to break the king's rule, asserting "that this crime is holy" (192). Her use and attachment to the word "holy" depicts Antigone's loyalty to divinity, which constitutes the greatest contrast between her and Creon: their faith in the power of the gods. While one could argue that Creon believes his word is equal to, or even greater than, that of the gods, Antigone "would not transgress the laws of heaven" even if she were to act against the laws of the realm because she values life after death. over which the gods have immense control (228). Through this statement, she explains how the law of the gods must always prevail over the law of the kingdom, regardless of the circumstances. Yet his God-permitted dissent is not enough to sway Creon's stubborn mind, thus bringing out the objection from a new, more significant source: family. Creon's second fatal error is his rejection of his own son's request to spare Antigone's life. As Haemon fails to convince his father to change his mind, he becomes more and more disappointed in his father's stupidity. At first he simply suggests that “there are other men who can also reason; and their opinions might be useful” (218). Sophocles uses Haemon as a preacher of his own belief in the importance of understanding and even incorporating the ideas of others into one's own ideas. It is also important to notice Haemon's choice of words. Using vague language (“there are other men”) and the qualifier “could,” Haemon attempts to make a rational suggestion without offending Creon. However, the king remains stubborn, leaving Haemon no choice but to confront him directly. He even points out his father's fatal flaw, stating that "this is no reason to never yield to reason" (219). In this remark, Haemon criticizes his father for his stubbornness, particularly his inability to recognize the good judgment of others when he contradicts his own opinions. Through his remark, Haemon describes the type of leadership that should be expected not only from the king of Thebes, but also from the ruler of Athens. However, Creon's stubbornness is too strong as he states: “My voice is the only one that gives orders in this city! » (220), once again denying the existence of the power of..