A tragedy is supposed to be a drama where the main character has a tragic flaw which causes him or her to suffer from certain consequences. Antigone is a real tragedy because the characters portrayed in it have tragic flaws. Antigone for one is too outspoken for the time period. She would be better off living in today’s society. However, as a woman during this time, they have no say in the society; to purposely go against the laws of “man” would be asking for death. Although the title says Antigone which should imply that the drama is about Antigone who is the tragic hero, it seems that it is in fact Creon who best fits this role.
Creon tries to demonstrate his newly found power over Thebes by eliminating the rights to bury Polyneices even though he is his own nephew. Because it is Antigone who buries him, he has no other choice but to follow through on his words by giving her death. His tragic flaw is that he is too hasty in his decision making which causes him to be rash. However, he has to think about the kingdom and the people, whose population surpasses the family by perhaps thousands. What is more important, one person who just happens to be related to you, or the people in the city in which you have to protect? Maybe being a ruler is too much of a responsibility for him. Another problem is that people who have power must cater and listen to the needs of others. Nobody believes that it is wrong to bury Polynieces. They are just living in fear and therefore do not say anything to go against Creon. Those who have no fear, for example Antigone and his son Haemon, both tell him he is wrong. As a ruler, who is suppose to be unselfish and all giving, should have at least taken into consideration what his fellow subjects say.
Do you think that Creon was too caught up in his own ego?
He could have done something different to ascertain his power, what would be your solution?
In response to your first question, I do not think that Creon is too caught up in his own ego. I mean, after all, he is the rightful heir to the throne and the direct ruler of Thebes. I think it takes a lot of cojones in the first place to assume that position, and it takes bigger cojones to rule over a trembling city state after a war.
I think Creon acts too rashly at times in order to maintain a resemblance of order in Thebes. He wanted things to be his way or the high way; and he didn’t take into consideration the consequence of his actions. Is that ego? I don’t think so… I think it’s just another virus that all authoritarian rulers get once they get the fame and the power.
And for your second questions, what could Creon do to ascertain his power? I think he should:
1) Hear Antigone out.
2) Hear his son Haemon out.
3) Listen to what the blind prophet has to say.
4) Still be firm in his decision but he has to provide a plausible explanation for doing so.
5) Let them eat cake.
By the way, the let them eat cake part was written just for fun. And through this whole commenting process, all I could think about is Beyonce’s song “Ego.”
I think Creon’s ego influenced his decisions once he came to power. He believed that a king owns the land and the people living there have to blindly follow the orders of the ruler. He passed a law that restrained anyone from burying his own nephew’s body. Creon tried to prove that by ignoring family relations he gave more importance to law and order in Thebes. However, the death of Haemon showed Creon’s true character and how he used other family members as scapegoats to demonstrate his greatness. The loss of his own blood faded the ego and shrewdness.
Only if Creon had acted wisely his son and wife would have been alive. He could have thought carefully before passing laws regarding the burial of Polynices’s body and Antigone’s death. Creon carelessly ignored Haemon’s love for Antigone and declared a death sentence for her. His ego caused him more damage than he intended to cause others.