Creon, State Vs. Family the Term Paper

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Not following his own rules, in the end, would make him attractive to Thebes as he would stay close to the rules of Gods. Following his words, would have meant the despise of all Greece, something no political strategy would allow.

It could be said that his change of direction comes, therefore, from two causes. The first, and the immediate one, comes from the pressures the Chorus puts him to. It could be argued that the Chorus, in this case, is his political conscience that asks for admitting that his decision is detrimental for his rule. A leader that creates rules with effects that are opposing the beliefs of his people has little chance for a good reign, especially in the shadows of a civil war. A state with a fragile political and social system is vulnerable to exterior forces. The other cause of his decision to bury Polyneices and release Antigone is his son's request and arguments. The question of whether Creon changed his hierarchy of values remains. Did he decide to bury Polyneices and pardon Antigone due to his political strategy or due to realizing that it was not just and moral in the first place? Creon is proud and arrogant in many of the play's moments. He believes he has the power to create social norms and that morality is a business of the state. His pride and arrogance make him believe that he is more important than Thebes and that his words are all that matters. Therefore, by punishing Antigone who kept the tradition of the Gods, he puts himself in an antagonistic position with his community.

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A king, besides being strong or courageous, should also show compassion and be wise in his decisions.

Once he discovers the death of his son, his wife and Antigone, the king understands that his actions have had a tragic effect. His pride, as well as Antigone's, has lead to the death of what was truly important for him: family and moral values. The hard lesson that he learns is that sometimes a ruler has to carefully analyze the effects of any action he takes and, most importantly, to keep options opened and admit that his decisions can be wrong. Although seen as a negative character, Creon's can also be seen from a positive perspective. Even if his original decision turned out to have tragic effects, he was firm in respecting the law of the state and punished disobedience. His aim was to create a state in which rules were not to be broken, a state solid enough to face internal and external pressures. He failed in doing so by not respecting an important rule of leadership: paying attention to the needs and desires of the people his followers.

Sophocles creates a play with several meanings and lessons to be learned in democracy, rule of law and rule of people, family relations and the power to decide. In what regards Creon, the tragic end of his family created the necessary conditions for a leadership transformation, earning in a painful manner a quality that he lacked: to be wise. As in today's world, as in ancient Greece, firmness, determination and authority are as important as compassion, judiciousness….....

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