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Creon, as the King of Thebes, has complete power over his territory and “[His] voice is the one voice giving orders in this city.” (962) During the tragedy his faults are revealed and finally his eminence is shattered. All the while he is only standing by his principles and sees no error in his actions. In the end he will come to know his wrongdoings and regret them for all the grief they’ve caused. These traits are the building blocks on which we base our argument that Creon is the tragic hero in Antigone. Creon causes fear in his subjects and when they say “The law is strong, we must give in to the law” (941) the law referred to is none other than Creon. With his appointment as absolute king comes absolute power and in that power his word is “the law.” The citizens subject themselves to him and trust his wisdom. “If that is your will, Creon son of Menoeceus”, the people say “You have the right to enforce it: we are yours.” (945) Without his laws and decrees there would be no tale of Antigone. His decisions regarding the burial of her brothers and his harsh punishment of her crime cause the conflict. Although Creon holds power over the city of Thebes, he is not faultless by any means. He is overconfident in himself and this trait, this hubris, causes him many problems. Creon is always sure he is right in all matters and most times he is deceiving himself. When the citizens suggest that the gods might have been the ones to bury Polyneices, he says “The gods! / Intolerable! / The gods favor this corpse? Why? How had he served them?” (947) He is certain he knows how the gods judge the mortals. Along with this fault, Creon is self-conscious about his image and the way the people he rules perceive him.
Approximate Word count = 1207
Approximate Pages = 4.8
(250 words per page double spaced)
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