Paste your essay in here…Josh Gindi
Mrs. Orens
English 10H
26 October 2017
What makes tragic heroes different from an ordinary hero? A tragic hero is a character who is complex by nature, having the ability to give off distinctive impressions to different readers. Creon, king of Thebes, is the tragic hero in Sophocles’ “Antigone” who can be perceived as the antagonist on account of his behavior. One can say that Creon’s decision to prosecute Antigone for burying her brother made Creon look like the enemy. However, with further examination of the totality of his character, one can begin to understand that his seemingly immoral actions were not only justified, but rather also required of him. Although his behavior can create the impression that he is wicked, one can react sympathetically towards Creon because he had to take desperate measures for protecting the welfare of Thebes, he was forced into making difficult decisions, and he received a punishment that exceeded his crime.
Contrary to how he may seem, Creon was a king who acted solely for the benefit of his state. Before Creon took office, Thebes was faced with a terrible rebellion, which caused many deaths and left an enduring mark on the state. Once he became king, Creon sought to lay groundwork for a new, stronger government. In order to do so he set new, firmer rules, which, if successfully followed, could erase the sense of treason that filled the state. By disallowing a proper burial for Polyneices, the man who started the rebellion, Creon intended on setting an example for what would happen to a traitor. Creon clarified his motives saying, “As long as I am king, no traitor is going to be honored with the loyal man” (Sophocles, “Antigone”, 777, 49-50 ). This quote serves to show how he would not tolerate disloyalty in his days of office, and Polyneices’ punishment should illustrate this point. This philosophy would have proven successful had it not been for Antigone, Polyneices’ sister, who deliberately buried her brother, paying no regard to the law, which was supposed to help rebuild Thebes. The king then gave off the impression that he was evil when he sentenced Antigone to death for giving her brother a proper burial. When Creon asked Antigone if she knew about his previous promulgation, she replied, “It was public. Could I help hearing it?” (783, 63). Because Antigone knew he would have to execute her, one can imply that one of her intentions was to make Creon seem unjust. The king was forced to deal with being the “bad guy” for protecting the law, which he created for the best interest of the state. Creon explains this point when he says, “…I have nothing but contempt for the kind of Governor who is afraid…to follow the course that he knows is best for the state” (777, 21-23). Despite the harshness of his means, Creon’s intentions were to create a more effective government, which could ultimately succeed in helping the people. Given this perspective, one may begin to appreciate Creon’s devotion in restoring order in the Thebes. One can additionally feel sympathy for the desperate measures Creon had to take to protect the law. If even he didn't obey the law, who else would? Even though his methods gave him the reputation of being an immoral king, one can sympathize with Creon due to his unyielding concern for the welfare of Thebes.
A person of authority is almost always responsible for making decisions, which influence those which he has power over. This seems to be the case in “Antigone,” as Creon, king of Thebes, is in charge of choosing what is right not only for himself, but rather also for the citizens he rules over. The king was faced with a very unfair selection when he had to choose between listening to Haimon, his son, or himself. Haimon believed that Antigone should be freed, while Creon thought that he should be true to his law by executing her. Creon ultimately stood by his own opinion believing that he should protect the law he made. After Creon disagreed with his persuasions, Haimon became enraged and said, “…you will never see my face again” (795, 141). Creon’s decision to stick to his own opinion resulted in Haimon hating his father for the remainder of his short life. This illustrates that Creon would even sacrifice his relationship with his own son in order to stand by Thebes’ welfare. Creon explains his position by inquiring, “You think it right to stand up for an anarchist?” (794, 103). Creon questions his son’s judgement in this quote, believing that it is foolish of him to support one who opposes law. He thought that nothing short of trouble could arise from backing an anarchist. Had Creon chosen to follow the word of his son, the people of Thebes would have thought that he did not keep his word. From this potential realization, another rebellion could ensue. Because both arguments came with a cost, one can say that this decision was especially hard for Creon. Considering this outlook, one may begin to sympathize with Creon’s role as king. He was essentially left to choose between his state and his own blood. It is very difficult for anyone to decide something when every alternative will inevitably lead to a different kind of misfortune. Given this perspective, one can pity Creon due to his responsibility as king to make difficult decisions that affect his own life.
Among the many challenges Creon faced in his tragic journey, getting a punishment that exceeded his crime is one of the most unpleasant. Admittedly, Creon did have a hamartia, which led him to think that his judgment was superior compared to others. His zeal for making a firm set of laws blinded him from others’ opinions and views. Nevertheless, he did not nearly deserve the suffering that was inflicted on him at the end of the play. Throughout the play, Creon thought that he was making decisions which were most beneficial for his state. As a result, he never came to think that he was wrong; he simply did that which he thought was right. However, in the end, he was shown that he was indeed mistaken. As is in most Greek tragedies, he was too late to fix the mistake he made. Instead, his punishments seemed to cave in on him all at once. The king’s punishments started with Haimon, who was crying over Antigone’s now dead body, which was hanging from her own veil. Creon’s son, infuriated, attempted to murder his father, indicating that he blamed Creon for Antigone’s demise. Unsuccessful, Haimon “… drove the sword half its length into his own side” (806, 79-80). Haimon and Antigone taking their lives is symbolic of Creon’s utter defeat. The king’s inability to even express his sorrow to each of them is a punishment in and of itself. However, the fact that they both died for Creon’s crimes is unmistakably the aspect that will induce the most suffering in Creon, and the most sympathy in the reader. Despite the immense pain he has already felt, the king’s anguish did not end there. To Creon’s utmost horror, Eurydice, his wife, had taken her life as well. It is reasonable to assume that she did so because she would not bear to live without her only living son. To describe the way he felt after given his punishments the king said, “Surely a god has crushed me beneath the hugest weight of heaven…” (806, 103-104). These words are the only way to explain the grief Creon felt at the time. He had to carry the burden of not only Antigone’s but also his loved ones’ deaths. After observing the king’s past errors, one can get the impression that the punishments he received were not deserved at all. It can be implied that Creon’s suffering far exceeded his original mistakes. It would be fair for one to pity the pain Creon felt in losing the lives of three people who all died on account of his hubristic errors. One can additionally feel sympathetic towards the king’s lack of time to apologize to those who died. Even though Creon made detrimental mistakes, the severe punishments which Creon was given can induce much pity in the readers.
Creon’s actions throughout “Antigone” can give grounds for one to think he is immoral, however, one can feel pity for him because he sought to protect his state at any cost, he had to make tough decisions as king, and he was given a punishment that he did not nearly deserve. Creon’s actions throughout Sophocles’ play can be deemed unethical due to the hubris that blinded him. However, those who perceive Creon to be malicious by nature miss the bigger picture. The truth is that the king was not driven by evil intentions; he did not go out of his way to make the citizens of Thebes suffer. On the contrary, Creon was merely trying to rebuild Thebes after a damaging revolution. He ultimately failed considering he had not foreseen the potential impact of his actions. This concept of failure is one which any human can relate to because no human is immune to the dreads of defeat. This very concept could perhaps be the reason why the Greeks inserted “catharsis” in the tragic hero’s journey. This implementation goes to show that even if someone has made an unfavorable mistake, one can often be sympathetic towards the wrongdoer if his intent was favorable. In the modern day, people often believe that one should never be pitied if he has done something that caused suffering to others. However, this belief is indeed wrong because, as shown with Creon in “Antigone”, one’s actions do not determine his or her character. Rather, the basis by which one can truly judge another is through the knowledge of another’s original intent.