In Sophocle’s “Antigone”, Creon, the king in the story, condemns a young girl for attempting to give her brother, who was an enemy of the King, a proper burial. Throughout the story, Creon’s excessive pride blinds him from preventing his downfall and the suicidal death of his wife and son. With that and many other instances-he becomes the tragic hero. Creon’s desire to display his power keeps him from seeing and considering the view points other than his own.
Creon initially asserts that he is equal to the state as a whole when he says on page 687 and line 107, “The State is the King.” This statement conspicuously demonstrates the extent of his pride, which later transforms into haughtiness and arrogance. He considers the state to be of equal value as him, rather than being equal to an individual. The comparison he constantly makes between the state and himself allows the extremity of his pride to become evident. Eventually hubris became the cause of his down fall thus, proving one of Creon’s main tragic flaws within the story. Creon not only looks down upon his people, but he also expresses tension towards them, when his god-like status is questioned. The king makes it clear that he is either of or almost of God’s level of higher authority by ordering the execution of those he finds “guilty” of his so-called “just” laws.
As evident on page 687 and lines 110-113, he is pretentious, in that he expects others to believe he has the right to determine one’s fate. His pride allows him to misinterpret his monarchial power as God’s. For instance, when Creon understands his method of punishing one for the “crimes” they commit, in his mind-instantly be moral and just. This illusory image he projects to the public comes to no advantage, and eventually brings about his downfall and his family’s suicidal death.
The Term Paper on Ancient Greek Stories God World
Genesis v. Theogony: A Comparison of the Christian and Ancient Greek Cultures Most Christians (or those religions that follow the basic principles of the Bible) believe in the stories told in the Bible. In fact, these stories are usually regarded not only as mere stories, but also as actual historical accounts of important people, events, and concepts of the Christian faith. However, stories of ...
