Pride can do great things but it can also lead good people to make terrible decisions. In the play, Antigone buries her brother Polynices. Polynices was announced a traitor by her uncle Creon. Creon punishes Antigone; Creon ends up trying to take this back. It is too late, and Antigone is dead which leads to the death of Creon’s son and wife. In the play Antigone, pride plays as Creon’s hamartia. Creon’s pride leads him to make decisions he wishes he could take back, makes him do many things that he does not actually want to do, and losing many of his loved ones Creon’s pride leads him to do make many decisions that he later wishes he did not make and could take back. Soon after Creon finds out that his wife and son have died, he says, “ …show more content…
Soon after Creon hears the news that his son and wife are dead, he says, “Take me away, I beg you, out of sight. A rash indiscriminate fool! I murdered you, my son, against my will- you too, my wife.”(Sophocles 1459-62). Even though Creon did not mean for his son and wife to die, he actions are what brought them to kill themselves. Creon is Shocked with the deaths of his wife and son and says, “Oh no, another, a second loss to break of heart. What next, what fate still waits for me? I just held my son in my arms and now, look, a new corpse rising before my eyes- wretched, helpless mother-O my son.” (Sophocles 1420-25). Creon begins to see how his pride lead him to this and sees how it could affect even more and starts to wonder what else his actions will do to him. The decision to punish Antigone he sees was not worth the death of his family. To conclude, Creon 's pride was his hamartia in many ways. It causes him to make decisions he wishes he didn 't. It leads him to do things that he does not actually want to do. Most importantly it leads to the death of three of his family members. Creon’s pride throughout Antigone can help others see that pride can lead to the downfall of even the
I have known it and I say.” Creon showed his loyalty to his city when he admitted his wrongdoing and how his pride got to him. After he did so his whole life fell apart and everyone he loved died. In Antigone by Paul Woodruff it is clearly conveyed that with loyalty comes bad outcomes to characters in the play.
In the short story titled “Antigone,” the author portrays Creon as a tragic hero by displaying flaws in Creon's character shown throughout the story. Creon’s character contains many flaws which lead to many problems. His decisions end up deciding the fates of his son, his wife, and Antigone. Creon finally realizes that what he has done is sinful to the gods. He has put his own pride over the appreciation of the gods.
Her Life is over./ I have no desire my son should have an evil wife. ”(Sophocles Pg 22, 23) Creon has so much pride that he would actually kill his son's bride himself.
In his fury of her “pridefulness,” he gives her the worst kind of punishment which is death. He makes a rash decision based on how Antigone acted towards him and that really affected the story. Like other tragic heroes, Creon made a regretful decision thinking he was doing what was right even if it would change everything dramatically. It also contributes to the theme of wisdom in the play because Creon was not so wise making these decisions. He made a decision based on Antigone’s actions and no one could convince him to change it because of his stubborn
Creon’s interaction with Antigone exposes his pride and leads to his eventually misfortune. The continued rift further distances him from his family and village which leaves him
His pride keeps him from admitting that his actions against Antigone and her brother went against the customs of the gods and were wrong. Upon hearing about the death of his son and wife, he mourns by taking responsibility for their deaths, explaining himself as “the frantic man who killed my son, against my meaning, and you too, my wife”(Ant.1340-1). Through all of his grief and suffering, not once does he acknowledge or make it known that this was all brought about because of his refusal to lay aside his pride and follow the laws of the gods. Creon is in denial about the underlying consequences of his prideful
In the past prideful rulers have caused more destruction and downfall than anything. Having pride may be good, but having to much can be the downfall of man. In the play Antigone, King Creon being overyly prideful ultimately leads to the death of himself emotionally. Creon shows a couple of occasions when he has way to much pride; when Antigone and he sister are condemned to death for trying to give burial rights to their brother, but Creon has them arrested and does not care even though he is related to them.
In the play Antigone by Sophocles one central idea behind the play is the guilt that Creon's life has put him at. In the beginning, Creon is shown to be a horrible, stubborn, and ignorant king to his citizens in Thebes, but over the course of the ply one can tell that he has a made a big impact to his peers and he’s realized what he has done is wrong in the world. Antigone, who is a strong, power, young girl, stood up to someone of a higher power of her and she stood up for what she thought was right; Creon didn’t budge and listened to himself, ignoring other opinions. By not taking in any opinions into consideration something bad was going to come, Creon was indulging Antigone in making the choice about whether state laws come first, over family. By the end of the play it
Creon regretfully says “I have killed my son and my wife. I look for comfort; my comfort lies here dead. Whatever my hands have touched has come to nothing. Fate has brought all my pride to a thought of dust” (Exodos). Creon comes to his senses when it was too late.
In the classic play by Sophocles, Antigone is a tragic story of the bold Antigone who defied her uncle, King Creonʻs, edict by burying her brother, Polyneices, who died attacking the city of Thebes, trying to take the power away from their brother, Eteocles, who refused to share the throne with Polyneices. Even though Antigone knew that going against Creon and burying her brother would not end well for her, she still choose to risk her life to do what is right. After being caught breaking the law, Antigone is appointed to be locked away, isolated in a cave until she dies, but she hangs herself at the end. At the same time, things for Creon are not looking good, as everyone around him seems to be against him in his decision for punishing Antigone. Everyone Creon cares about kills themselves from a curse that is put on Creon for not following the Godsʻ laws.
Fate has brought all my pride to a thought of dust”(Sophocles 1.5 142-146). Creon’s destruction resulted because of his misdeeds in having too much pride. His pride and his personal instability were the worst combination of possible qualities he could have. Creon’s past sins have built up and eventually burst and gave this man the worst punishment of all the characters in the play. In Antigone by Sophocles, Creon displayed many failing qualities as a king; most notably having displayed a giant ego by not accepting help from others, which warns the audience of the dangers
Against the warning of others, Creon goes on with his plan to essentially sentence Antigone to her death. Creon continually ignores what others counsel him to do because he believes that just because he is king, everything he does is right. It is this thinking that ultimately leads to the death of not only Antigone, but also Creon’s son and wife as well. All tragic heroes suffer from a tragic flaw that leads to their downfall. Creon suffers from two tragic flaws, pride and stubbornness.
Creon in the deepest moment of desparity, shouts “Lead me away. I have been rash and foolish. I have killed my son and my wife”(Exodus 145). Creon’s fateful flaws had now become apparent through his tragedy. The deaths of Creon’s family had to occur in order for Creon to truly see
In contrast to this, in Antigone, Creon is a tyrant-like leader who lacked empathy and care for others. This can be seen as he forbid the burial of Polynices, which defied Greek custom. This act results in the death of Antigone, his son Haemon and his wife Eurydice (“Play Summary Antigone”). Contrary to Oedipus, Creon’s Hubris lead to a series of conscious actions that negatively affect the characters in the story. In the end, Creon can be seen to have learnt his lesson as the chorus states: “Of happiness the crown
Creon was completely blinded by his pride and power that he lost those closest to him. Starting with his son... “Then she’ll die-- and in her death kill someone else. ”(Haemon; line 859). Creon thinks that his son is threatening him, and doesn’t pay attention to what his son is feeling towards Antigone.