Creon As a Tragic Hero Essay

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Creon as a Tragic Hero

Antigone, a play written by Sophocles consisted of three main themes, all of which play a significant role in the portrayal and understanding of the play. These themes comprise of love, fate, and pride. To begin with, Oedipus has murdered his father, who was the king of Thebes, unaware that it was his father. Subsequent to this, he took over and became the king of Thebes. What is more, Oedipus ended up marrying the reigning queen of Thebes, who was his mother and bore four children. Antigone is one of the children that was born out of this relationship. In the end, when Oedipus came to the realization of what he had actually done, he went on to move away and cut out his eyes. Subsequent to all of this, it is Creon that ended up taking over as the king of Thebes. The sense of pride and guilt of his actions eventually caused Creon to die a tragic hero.

Body

To start with, Creon has caused Eteocles and Polyneices who were the two sons of Oedipus to become adversaries of one another and the ended up killing each other. What is more, Creon made the decision to and proclaimed that Polyneices would not be given a proper burial. Creon made this declaration because to him Polyneices was his enemy. It is at this point that the play commences. It is pertinent to point out that it is fate that has gotten the family and household of Oedipus to the situation at which the play commences. It is fate that caused Oedipus to murder his father, marry his mother, have a relationship and bear children with her, and eventually come to the realization of it all.

The actions undertaken by Antigone are a result of the influence of the society as the play can be perceived to encompass a distinct battle between human law and fundamental law which are contradictory notions of law. This can be depicted correctly since Creon repeatedly confirms all the way through the course of the play that his power would not be challenged devoid of dreadful significances joining whoever is the blundering civilian.

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The declaration that Polynices should not be buried is Creon's initial sanctioned statement in force and, under the conditions, it would be assumed if he asserts it is imperious to allow adherents of the kingly household and the whole populaces understand that his instructions are not to be trodden upon (Owoeye 4). A deeper exploration into Creon's outlook and an intellectual evaluation of his actions would reveal that a pronounced number of matrimonial and emotional deliberations form the foundation of this decision and his succeeding activities in the play. These influences cause the demise of the characters.

It was destiny that Creon would end up losing his entire family and live the rest of his life knowing that all sequences of such activities were his fault. In the culmination of the play, Creon asserts that "Nobody else to share the blame. Just me ... I killed you. I killed you my dear." On the other hand, the theme of love comes in with Antigone and her brother Haemon. Antigone's love for her brother was so paramount, to the extent that she sacrificed her own life in order to grant him a respectful burial that he deserved. More so, it is imperative to point out that it was Haemon's love for Antigone that had made him kill himself when he found her dead body. On the other hand, Creon's wife killed herself owing to her love for Haemon and as a consequence of his death. Ultimately, it is Creon who loses it all as he ends up being denied love.

Evidence

It is pride that has driven Creon to an eventual life of complete disarray. In fact, Creon's level of pride was so immense that, despite all that had taken place, he still could not admit that perhaps he was wrong. For instance, while conversing with Haemon, his son, Creon pointed out that, "Am I to stand here and be lectured to….....

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