Category: Antigone

A tragic hero may be a character having heroic characteristics, like leadership, courage, or determination, including a tragic ending, generally death. These are not stories with ‘happily ever after’ endings that we tend to square measure acquainted with nowadays. Greek tragedies square measure several the foremost well-known stories with tragic heroes. The mythical being plays square measure several the foremost studied of the Greek tragedies, notably mythical being. mythical being ends in an exceedingly complete tragedy wherever mythical being is left alone since everybody else in his family has committed suicide. In mythical being there square measure 2 tragic heroes mythical being and mythical being.

Antigone is that the hero in Antigone. Prior to the beginning of this play, she remained by her dad’s perspective thinking about him until he kicked the bucket. She has seen her siblings battle about the honored position and slaughter each other in this battle. Family has always been important to Antigone, and the individual demonstrates at present and over again through her activities. In Antigone, legendary being is directly ruler and has requested that Eteocles must be constrained to be covered in distinctions for battling to protect Thebes, though Polyneices are advancing to be left unburied for battling against Thebes. thusly on respect their dead thus the god Hades, their dead should be covered.

I immovably trust Creon is the tragic hero of the play. Creon turns into the run of the mill fallen legend in Greek dramatization. He faces numerous contentions, inside and remotely, and experiences a considerable amount of agonizing feelings. One may state Antigone ought to get the title of being the deplorable saint, however Creon assumes a progressively huge job by learning his exercise the most difficult way possible and winding up as the exemplary awful legend who loses everything toward the finish of the emotional play.

Creon needs dutifulness in all that he chooses regardless of whether he is to blame. Creon gives the feeling that he feels that there is nothing more terrible than insubordination to power, regardless of whether the expert isn’t right. This further backing Creon’s conviction that everybody will stay loyal to him regardless of whether he governs unreasonably. Creon has overlooked that the ruler should do what is best for the city and its nationals. ‘Creon is under the feeling that he is constantly right in his decisions and his convictions,’. Before the sentry even clarifies the occasion that has happened, the sentry expresses that he is just an errand person and has not perpetrated the wrongdoing, Creon still blames the sentry for getting cash to do the wrongdoing and compromises to rebuff him.

A terrible saint could be an individual of respectable birth with gallant or most likely brave characteristics. This individual is certain by the Gods or by some otherworldly power to fate and annihilation or at least to pleasant anguish. anyway, the legend battles mightily against this destiny and this astronomical clash wins our deference. because of the unfortunate saint only can’t agree to a reduced read of oneself and since of some disposition imperfection, the legend falls flat amid this epic battle against destiny. This appalling dramatization includes choices (through and through freedom) and prompts a logical inconsistency in wording – Is it Fate or capability that is basically responsible for the enduring inside the legend’s life and in our lives in light-load of our very own catastrophes? though’ beyond any doubt the saint settles on choices that make his devastation.

Throughout the centuries, history has given society people whom one can call a hero. There are ongoing reasons why these heroes have been given a special title and looked upon: bravery, determination, agility, inspiration, or confidence. However, a tragic hero carries different characteristics and traits. Aristotle argued that tragic heroes meet five standards. In Sophocles’ Antigone, King Creon exemplifies all five qualities of a tragic hero. Although many might believe there are different tragic heroes seen in the Greek drama, Creon flawed in judgment, was blinded by hubris, experienced a reversal of fortune and discovered it was his fault, and lived through a fate that was more awful than deserved.

Putting the State as his priority and trying not to show weakness, Creon errored in judgment and let excessive pride get in his way. One can see this in many events throughout the play. For example, Creon’s decision about the burial of Polyneices was evident to everyone except himself. Polyneices, going against Thebes, was seen as a traitor in Creon’s perspective. Therefore, Creon denied the right to show honor to him and forbade any burial service. Furthermore, Creon also flawed in his decision to listen when Teiresias presented advice to him. Teiresias suggested that Creon let Antigone free, however, he abandoned Teiresias’ thoughts, and this led to a series of unfortunate events. Creon, through most of the play, was mentally held in captivity and made unpopular decisions because of his hubris. Many signal him that he is wrong about the denial of Polyneices’ burial, but Creon believes that, ‘Whoever is chosen to govern should be obeyed-must be obeyed, in all things, great and small, just and unjust!’ Creon’s excessive pride keeps him from listening to others. Misjudgment and arrogance are two factors that contribute to the fact that Creon is a tragic hero.

Creon also experiences a reversal of fortune due to his own error in judgment, and he later discovered that the reversal was brought about because of his own actions. In the beginning Creon had a pillar of pride but that suddenly turned into a bundle of humility. His pillar of pride included his family: Haimon, his son, Antigone, his daughter-in-law to be, and his wife, Eurydice. But, because of his flawed decision, they all died, and he was left with nothing. Creon later recognized that this ill-fated tragedy was his fault. Prior to this, he believes that everybody should obey him and not the higher moral law; later, he concludes that ‘The laws of the gods are mighty, and a man must serve them to the last day for this life!’ King Creon’s reversal of fortune and recognition that the reversal was his failing adds to his role as a tragic hero.

Lastly, Creon’s fate was more appalling than deserved. Alternative consequences before his family’s death would have been more suitable, such as rebuke from the gods or loss of power. In addition, Creon, along with his men, were on their way to free Antigone before knowing she had taken her own life. Creon wanted to fix his mistakes and release Antigone before the harsh consequences were apparent. Creon claims that “Fate has brought all my pride to a thought of dust.” His fate has taken everything that was important to him just because of one known error. Now Creon believes that he has nothing; he must live with the guilt of killing his family and Antigone. King Creon’s devastating fate is the last piece of criteria for considering him to be a tragic hero.

In summation, Greek tragedy portrays a story of a tragic hero. In Antigone, Creon meet all five of Aristotle’s criteria to be a tragic hero: his blindness in judgment, pride, fate, reversal of fortune and realization of the outcome that it was his fault. At the end of this Greek tragedy, once can clearly see that Creon is the tragic hero.

In Sophocles’ “Antigone,” the main character, Antigone, displayed strong determination and loyalty to her family and god. However, I sympathize more with Kreon because he was a man of his words and he refused to break social peace and state laws. Throughout the play, Kreon’s character exemplifies the traits of a tragic hero. Creon was suffering from his actions without knowing that he will be losing everything but the law. Compare to Antigone, Kreon regrets his decision and cannot alternate his past but to live on and suffer from his consequences.

Kreon was a man of his words, trying his best to preserve social peace and ensure his people to follow the state laws. “When the lives of mortals go aright, it is obedience to rule that keeps most bodies safe” (675-676). Pressured by previous cases of treason, Kreon cannot risk allowing more examples of rebellions to threaten the stability of his rule. If he allows one person to break the laws like Antigone, then it will risk the safety of the rest of the people that are living in the kingdom. “There is no greater evil than unruliness. It ruins cities and makes households desolate” (672-673). Antigone’s rebellious behavior challenges Kreon’s authority and forces him to make a decision. Therefore, in order to warn his people to not commit similar rebellious acts in the future, Kreon must heavily punish Antigone and set the punishment as an example.

Kreon’s first flaw arises when he assumes that all of his actions are well justified and fair, while all the other characters like Antigone, Ismene, Haimon, believed that his proclamations were too abusive and cruel. “Do not, then clothe yourself in just one attitude – that what you say, and only what you say is right” (705-706). His tragic flaw of stubbornness hinders his own sense of consideration for others, even for his very own niece, Antigone. Kreon reveals his second flaw when he asserts dominance over Antigone. He displays an abuse of power due to his societal position as a king and as a male, believing that he has the power to determine Antigone’s faith. Kreon’s last flaw was hypocrisy. Throughout the play, the king reinforces the importance of obeying laws, yet, Kreon, himself, was also not following the laws of the gods. He utilizes his excessive dignity to explain that he can break god’s laws but no one can break a king’s laws.

Aside from his flaws, Kreon’s character did demonstrate worthy traits. Kreon showed no bias when facing his own family members. Even though Antigone was his niece, Kreon did not hesitate to minimize her punishment or forgive her behavior. Beyond the relationship of uncle and niece, Antigone was also Haimon’s fiancée. Haimon visited his father to beg for Antigone to be released, but Kreon refuses to weaken his determination and explained to his son that this was for his own good.

Even though Kreon demonstrated many tragic flaws, I continue to sympathize with Kreon over Antigone because he had to live the remainder of his life with regrets and the pain of losing family members due to his own choices. “If it is lawful to say so, his doom was not caused by any outsider – he did wrong himself” (1259-1261). He cannot blame anyone else because it was his own actions that lead to the downfall of this tragedy. Creon started off the play as the new king of Thebes and ended off as a mistreating king that destroyed his own family. He had lost more than what was given. “Nowhere can I lean for support. All in my hands is warped, and from outside a crushing destiny has leapt down on my head” (1343-1348) Kreon had lost his family, his stability of ruling, and his own sense of self-pride, the faith in making any decisions. The sudden collapse of falling from being a respected king to being a hopeless man evokes my inner sympathetic emotions for him. The story implies that even Kreon, a king, the one with the highest authority, can fail and flounder through so much agony. As a king, Kreon’s duty of law was to preserve social order and justice in his kingdom. As a father and a husband, Kreon’s duty was to choose the right woman for his son and make sure that his son is happy. He was just searching the best for Haimon. But it was already too late when Kreon figure out that his actions did not help at all. He is now a worthless man because he had both let down the rule of a noble king and lost the role of a reliable father and husband.

Similar to Kreon, Antigone also suffered consequences from her actions. However, I do not sympathize with Antigone because she was determined about her decisions and held no regrets before her death. Antigone accomplished her job as a sister and her job as a god’s follower. She felt righteous to perform these tasks without any hesitation. “I know that I am pleasing those I should please most” (89). Antigone’s strong sense of determination lessens my sympathy for her because she acknowledges her actions and behaves with certainty. Even knowing that the ending result leads to heavy punishment, Antigone did not stop what she wanted to do. Antigone could have avoided punishments if she chooses not to bury her brother. Therefore, my pity for her decrease because she knew her upcoming consequences and continues to perform her act. “If this is viewed among the gods as something fine, I’ll find out, after suffering, that I was wrong; but if these men are wrong, may what they suffer to be as evil as the unjust they do to me” (925-928). In the end, Antigone was the one who took her own life. She did not allow others to control her because she believed that what she had done was right. Just like Kreon, Antigone also let her own stubbornness took over and decide for her.

In conclusion, my pity for Kreon is higher than for Antigone because although Antigone had lost her family, she is no longer suffering because she had accomplished her duties and left without any regrets. On the other hand, Kreon, who also lost his family had to live with the pain of losing loved ones and the pain of making bad decisions. The start of the punishment of Antigone marks the beginning of a chain of reactions that eventually influence Kreon to be the tragic character he is.

A single protagonist or antagonist is difficult to identify throughout the play Antigone. The author, Sophocles, allows the audience to see all sides of the same story by relying on the neutrality of the Elders who narrate the plot. Considering the time period of the writing, it is surprising that two characters who compete for the spotlight are women. Antigone and Ismene do not represent the stereotypes associated with women, but instead, they work against the expectations set for themselves. Kreon is extremely open about his animosity towards females. There are many instances where he makes a derogatory claim and those surrounding him do not blink their eyes at his statements. The play clearly depicts the inferior role of women during the time it was written through exaggerated characteristics, yet it implicitly inspires rebellion towards the female audience. Although, Antigone is such a complex story it is necessary to acknowledge the extent to which it is being examined.

Kreon makes remarks throughout the play that give the audience insight into his feelings toward females. Whether he is punishing Antigone and Ismene or he is in an argument with his son, Kreon does not fail to insult women. As Antigone and Kreon argue about whether it is honorable for Antigone to properly bury her brother, Kreon exclaims, “While I’m alive, no woman governs me” (Sophocles 570). From a simple line, Kreon reveals his thoughts that women are not worthy of power. He feels insecure about women being stronger than him in any sense. The choice of the word, “governs,” is also impactful because it implies that Kreon is under complete control with no consent. While Kreon is ordering his men to punish Antigone and Ismene, he says, “Make sure they behave/like women. Don’t let either slip away” (Sophocles, 624-625). Kreon is implying that a typical woman would not attempt to fight back when being punished. He thinks females are weak and would allow themselves to be wrongfully penalized whether they are confident in their choices or not. Kreon then uses his power to conceal his insecurity. He is aware of the power and strength of Antigone and Ismene and excessively punishes them. Furthermore, Kreon is intimidated by the sisters, so he must reassure himself that the guards do not let the girls break away. A fight between Kreon and Haimon also allows Kreon to display his disbelief in his son for siding with a female. “Look at yourself! A woman overpowers you” (Sophocles, 824), and “You are her slave” (Sophocles, 834), Kreon shouts at his son Haimon. Kreon is disappointed in his own son because Haimon cares for Antigone. The disgust in Kreon’s voice is evident and triggers Harmon’s anger. Kreon exemplifies his anger with a woman’s control over a man through the power of the word “slave.” Sophocles uses Kreon as an exaggeration of the men during their time. This encourages the female audience to dislike Kreon and look up to the female leads.

Despite the societal negativity towards women that Antigone faces daily, she does not allow it to stop her from fighting for her beliefs. “He’s got no right to keep me from what’s mine” (Sophocles, 57). Antigone is aware of the extreme punishment that Kreon has enforced if someone were to bury her brother’s body. Although she is aware, she confidently ignores the possibility of death. She is not afraid of Kreon and shows her courageousness and loyalty to her family. Antigone represents heroic qualities that are generally associated with males during the time period of the play. Antigone also exclaims, “When my strength is exhausted, I’ll quit” (Sophocles, 109), which represents another quality not often associated with women. Strength generally would not be something that a woman would reference because Antigone is supposed to be inferior to men. This quote is also comparable to modern-day feminism because women in today’s world push for strength and equality until they are unable. The ability to connect a quote from the play to modern-day opinions enforces that Sophocles wants the female readers to feel empowered. Also, while Antigone pleads guilty, she looks Kreon in the eyes and says, “I deny that your edicts—since you, a mere man, imposed them—have the force to trample on the gods’ unwritten and infallible laws” (Sophocles, 489-492). Antigone believes Kreon does not have power over herself or the unwritten laws simply because of his gender. She emphasizes that whatever gender someone is, especially a “mere man”, her honor to her deceased family trumps all other laws. Antigone’s character embodies the morals of Henry David Thoreau to a tee. “…but if it is of such a nature that it requires you to be the agent of injustice to another, then I say, break the law” (Thoreau). Antigone buries the body because she would have felt guilty if she did not, but she also breaks from being an agent of the injustice of gender stereotypes during the act. She could have succumbed to societal pressure and followed the law, but she breaks the gender norms and refuses to leave her brother’s body in the wild.

Ismene, on the other hand, does not represent independent women the same way Antigone does. Ismene often worries about the strength and power of the men over her own. “Remember, we’re women. How can we fight men? They’re stronger” (Sophocles, 75-76) Ismene groans to Antigone. Ismene is afraid that if Antigone continues with her plan to bury the body, the men will handle both of them easily because of the men’s excess strength. Ismene is insecure about her gender and feels restrained by men. Ismene also states, “I want the Spirits of the Dead to understand this: I’m not free.” (Sophocles, 78-79). She claims that she is not free because of her lack of independence as a woman. This enforces what Kreon wants women to feel – that they are powerless. Ismene fits the stereotype of women at the time the play was written. She is too afraid to follow through with the plan to properly bury the body because of the punishment from men, but Antigone is not. Antigone completes the act and when Ismene finds out, Ismene wants to take some of the credit. Ismene wants to feel as honorable as her sister but was too afraid to actually follow through with the act. Even though Ismene says things that oppose her sister’s modern feminism, her regret for not assisting in the act shows that Ismene wishes she could act similarly to her sister. Ismene also thinks women should be equal to men; she is just more fearful to be as bold as Antigone is. Ismene uses her sister as inspiration towards the end of the play to voice her own opinions more, no matter the gender of whom she is talking to. She finally gains the confidence to speak against Kreon and shame him for killing his son’s soon-to-be wife.

Antigone subliminally tells the audience that women should be more confident to speak out on their own behalf. Kreon, Antigone, and Ismene are all characters used as symbolism for the way society worked during their time period, and how Sophocles wanted to alter the gender roles. Kreon represents over-confident men who have the power they do not deserve. Men like this are not afraid to speak loudly about how they are more influential than the women around them, but these men also radiate insecurity near powerful women. Antigone represents the ideal strong-minded woman that all girls should aspire to be. She contains many inspirational characteristics such as bravery, loyalty, and strength, that are usually dealt to men in storytelling. Ismene depicts a regular woman who feels the societal pressures of being a woman from men similar to Kreon. She is insecure because she feels weaker than the men around her. Characters such as Antigone are set to inspire insecure women to speak their truth regardless of the situation they are in. Sophocles used these characters in hopes to open the audience’s eyes to the power of women in the real world. Antigone is such a complex story, though, it is necessary to acknowledge the extent to which it is being broken down.

Antigone by Sophocles

Antigone is convinced that she will be obeying the law of the gods by burying her brother, Polyneices, in honor, although against the command of King Creon. Antigone decides to disobey the King’s decree of leaving her brother’s body to rot, after he is killed by his own brother, Eteocles. Antigone argues that doing so would be dishonoring the gods. On the other hand, King Creon is irresolute as to whether he should follow the law and kill his son’s fiancée due to the disobedience, or overlook her disobedience and grant her the wish to bury her brother. The king and Antigone understand the consequences of disobedience to the law, but neither of them is willing to dishonor what they consider rightful. There are two laws that are at play in this ode – the king’s decrees and God’s laws. Subordination or lack thereof to laws causes tension between personal action and destiny and also has the potential to bring forth anarchy and tragedy. Antigone is a story about doing the right thing is more important than obeying unjust laws.

Antigone decides that she will give her brother a decent burial, irrespective of the King’s decree to let Polyneices’ body rot in the fields as punishment for his insubordination. The tragedy of Antigone follows other Sophocles’ tragedies whereby Antigone’s father, Oedipus, killed his own father and married his own mother, in his quest to flee from his foretold destiny. Creon takes over the throne after Oedipus’ death and the death of his two sons, Polyneices and Eteocles, who died fighting each other for the throne (Griffith 5). These previous tragedies are seen as the consequences of insubordination with the laws. Prince Polyneices and Eteocles had agreed to share in the leadership of the throne, one prince at a time. However, when Polyneices returns to assume his place as the King as outlined in the law, Eteocles refuses to step down, hence instigating the war between the two brothers. Insubordination with the laid-out laws on how to inherit the throne instigated the tragedy between the two princes.

As king, Creon decrees that one brother shall be buried with honor, while the other one should be left to rot in the fields for his insubordination. However, Antigone, one of the sisters to the princes, makes a decision to dishonor the king’s decree and buries her brother. Antigone mentions her intentions to her sister Ismene, who fails to accompany her to give their brother a proper burial. Ismene is afraid of the consequences that the insubordination by Antigone may have on herself and her sister. Ismene is so bedazzled by Antigone’s suggestion that she says, “Antigone, you are mad!” (Dudley & Robert 3). Part of her fear stems from the fact that she and Antigone are “only women”, who may not have a say in matters of leadership against the men in the patriarchal society. Ismene also asserts that “the law is strong; we must give in to the law” (Dudley & Robert 3). Ismene argues that she must yield to the authority and beg forgiveness from the dead.

Ismene is aware of the dire consequences that insubordination causes, and although she has the free will to decide whether to bury her brother or not, she is bound by the authority she considers highest. Although she admits the presence of the gods and their requirements to have mortals receive rituals after death, she is adamant and insists that she will ask for forgiveness from the dead. King Creon is another character who is conflicted as a result of the existing laws of the land, against those of the gods. Although the King acknowledges the presence of a higher authority from the god’s he believes that disobedience to the king’s decree is a graver crime.

King Creon justifies his decision to deny Polyneices a proper burial by saying that he was a traitor, unlike his brother Eteocles (Dudley & Robert 16). However, Antigone that Polyneices, just like Eteocles, should be accorded a decent burial, not only for their brotherhood but also for respect to the gods, as “there are honors due all the dead” (Dudley & Robert 16). Antigone’s insubordination prompted a series of events that would be the hallmark of the tragedy. Antigone takes her own life, instead of waiting to be immured in accordance with the King’s decree. Consequently, her fiancé, Haimon, stabs himself to death, and Eurydice kills herself by cutting her own throat.

The themes of tension and tragedy are evident in Sophocles’ Antigone. Insubordination leads to the death of the two princes and this instigates the primary tragedy in the narrative. Antigone does not obey King Creon’s declaration and enters her brother’s remains. Although her actions arouse conflict between her personal actions and fate, she obeys her personal choice. The King is also conflicted about whether to deny his son a chance at marriage with Antigone. The people of Thebes look up to the king to sustain law and order, and allowing his emotions to be swayed by a single action may arouse questions as to his stability as the king.

Works Cited

1. Dudley Fitts, and Robert Fitzgerald. Sophocles: Antigone English 1939. Oxford University Press, 1939.
2. Griffith, Mark, ed. Sophocles: Antigone. Cambridge University Press, 1999.

Antigone is a Greek tragedy by Sophocles, that centers around a young female, Antigone, after the deaths of her two brothers. Antigone’s two brothers, Eteocles and Polynices, were battling for the throne of Thebes. As the brothers were dueling against each other, they ended up defeating one another. Since Eteocles was the King of Thebes and was seen as defending his land, he was treated like a hero and given a proper burial. While Eteocles was treated like a hero, Polynices was not given the same fortune. Creon, who is now the King of Thebes and the soon-to-be father-in-law to Antigone, declares that Polynices would not be buried and that anyone who tries to bury him would be a criminal.

After that being said, Antigone was then caught multiple times trying to bury her brother even though it went against Creon’s wishes. Since Creon had declared that whoever buries polyneices is a criminal, Antigone would have to be sent to death for her actions. With her fate pretty much set, Antigone took her own life by hanging herself. This action then set forward a chain of suicides in Thebes. Haemon, Creon’s son who was set to marry Antigone, killed himself due to the loss of his soon-to-be wife.

Following that, Creon’s wife Eurydice finally finished her knitting and committed suicide as well, leaving Creon all alone. I believe that this Theban tragedy relates to the core themes of our class, “the good life” and “me against the world”.

One of our course’s core themes is “me against the world”, and this relates perfectly to Antigone. First of all, the character Antigone can be seen throughout the whole play exemplifying this theme through her actions and dialogue. First of all, Antigone is the only one trying to give her brother Polynices a proper burial, even though Creon had forbidden anyone from trying to do so. She is willing to break laws put in place by a kind in order to appease her personal wants. For example, Antigone said to her sister Ismene, “He forbids me, too. And now he’s strutting here to make it plain to those who haven’t heard-that if anyone does what he forbids he’ll have them publicly stoned to death” (Sophocles 4). Antigone had clearly known that what she was doing was more than likely going to lead to her death, but it was her against the world so to speak, and she was going to bury her brother no matter what. Her grief was stronger than the world’s political morality. She was willing to put herself ahead of the king’s rules and proves to be a very individualistic attitude. Along with Antigone, Creon behaved very similarly throughout the play.

After he was informed of Antigone attempting to bury Polynices, he sentenced her to death because she had forbidden him. However, he was warned by both his son Haemon and the prophet Teiresias. Haemon warns him that a majority of the citizens believe that it would be wrong for him to kill Antigone. Teiresias also warns him that killing Antigone would upset the gods and if he did not listen he told him that, “an ambush awaits you-slow, crippling avengers, furies sent by Hades and the gods above. You will be tangled in the net of your own crimes” (Sophocles 48). Creon showed the same him against the world personality, like Antigone, and obviously did not listen to them. He behaves according to his beliefs even if they don’t align with what others may believe to be true. If he would have taken their advice, his son and wife would not have killed themselves. In addition to “me against the world”, Antigone also relates to the theme of “the good life”.

It can be seen throughout this tragedy that it also relates to our other core theme of “the good life”. For the duration of this play, Antigone has the opportunity of choosing between two opposing moral conflicts. She had the first choice of sticking with her beliefs and the beliefs of the gods by giving her brother the burial he deserved. On the other hand, she had the option to go by the morals of the city and of Creon by not burying Polynices. For example, Creon declared that Polynices should receive, “No burial of any kind. No wailing, no public tears. Give him to the vultures, unwept, unburied” (Sophocles 5). I think that in Antigone’s eyes, the good life for her would be to honor both her brother and the gods by giving Polynices the proper burial that she thought he deserved. For instance, when Ismene was asking Antigone if she was going to go against the city’s law and bury Polynices, Antigone responded saying that, “But he is mine. And yours. Like it or not, he’s our brother. They’ll never catch me betraying him” (Sophocles 5). Antigone was willing to go as far as dying for this cause which both she and the gods thought was the morally right thing to do. This can be observed when Antigone says, “I will bury him. I will have a noble death and lie with him, a dear sister with a dear brother” (Sophocles 6). Despite Antigone reaching her “good life” and dying for the honor of her brother, it ultimately hindered Creon from reaching his. Creon thought he was doing the right thing by standing by his moral codes, but he should have listened to everyone else. His wrongdoings led to both his wife and son committing suicide, leaving him all alone. This clearly is not what Creon had envisioned his “good life” to be, and only has himself to blame.

Up until now, it is clear that the themes of “the good life” and “me against the world” have been focal points of all the literary works that we have read so far, especially in Antigone. These themes are highlighted throughout its dialogue and within the personalities of the characters, as well as their actions. When I think of what it means to have “the good life”, I think of a life where one lives with luxury and ease, enduring very few worries. Happiness protrudes from them. When looking at Antigone, it is evident that both Creon and Antigone are searching for this. However, both Creon and Antigone had a “me against the world” mentality for them to try to acquire their “good life”. Both characters did not adhere to the advice that was given to them throughout the play and had they listened it might not have ended so gruesomely for them. While both characters were searching for their “good life”, this play is ultimately a tragedy, and that it is how it ended. Even though Creon’s life ultimately ended in tragedy, I don’t think the same can be said for Antigone. Although she did end up taking her own life, I believe that she did get to her “good life” because she lived her life by her morals and by the morals of the gods till the day she died.

Works Cited

1. Meineck, Peter, and Paul Woodruff, translators. Theban Plays. Hackett Publishing Company, 2003.

The play is called Antigone not because Antigone suffers the most, but because she suffers at all. The tragedy is befallen by both Antigone and Creon, yet the circumstances upon which they arrive there is where their similarities end. Antigone’s character is built on such a morally strong basis of fraternal love and reverence to the gods that she ends up choosing to die to protect the principles she stands for, evident in passages such as: “I/Will bury him. I will have a noble death/And lie with him, a dear sister with a dear brother./Call it a crime of reverence, but I must be good to those/Who is below.”(71-75). This quote illustrates how Antigone is willing to die in order to pay reverence to the gods and her brother through burial rights.

Playing the other side of the god vs. state dichotomy, Creon is a character motivated to ensure civil prosperity. He is rigid, arrogant, and holds worldly law above that of the gods. His arrogance reaches a fever pitch when he declares to Antigone: “Go to Hades, then, and if you have to love, love someone dead./As long as I live, I will not be ruled by a woman.”(524-525). Unfortunately, blinded by arrogance and hubris, he attempts to uphold the values of the state by misrepresenting the will of the gods. He punishes Antigone for burying Polyneices under the pretense that his laws—the worldly laws—hold precedence over the godly laws.

The two characters clearly represent the conflict between worldly law and godly law, or alternatively the conflict between law (in the political sense) and justice. Antigone, seemingly unfazed defends her actions by referencing the laws of which she abides: “The gods below/Didn’t lay down this law for human use.”(452-453). By acting upon her principles—fully knowing the consequences—to abide by the laws of the gods and fulfill her moral and ethical duties to them, she illustrates free will in the face of Creon’s dictatorial reign.

Finally, at the end of the Fifth Stasimon when Antigone is already dead at the hands of Creon’s actions, it seems as if Creon faces far worse punishment with the death of not only his son but his wife as well. However, the reason that Antigone is the face of the tragedy revolves around the fact that Creon kills her for displaying her faith. She must pay homage to her brother, disregarding the laws of the state to satisfy the “… gods’ unfailing,/Unwritten laws.”(456-457). The point is, Antigone’s death is a true tragedy because she stayed true to her family and to the gods, choosing rather to die than abandon her principles. Creon’s punishment—what appears to be the “real” tragedy in the play—is justified by the chorus’s last speech, “Wisdom is supreme for a blessed life,/And reverence for the gods,/Must never cease./Great words, sprung from arrogance,/Are punished by great blows./So it is one learns, in old age, to be wise.”(1348-1353).

An expression that comes from the Bible reads, “Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” This expression illustrates the idea that when people possess too much pride and stubbornness, they will eventually make mistakes that can lead to complications and disaster. Although excessive pride is a sin that will inevitably bring about your downfall, many proud people realize this only when they are faced with a grave situation. The consequences of hubris and stubbornness are inspected in the tragedy, Antigone, written by Sophocles, when the king of Thebes, Creon, endures the suicide of his son and wife, as well as his niece, leading him to eventually end up defeated and alone. Because Creon is unable to make rational decisions as a result of his adamant personality and massive ego, he ends up generating suffering. Creon’s unwavering stubbornness along with his hubristic personality is accompanied by unforeseen repercussions seeing as he is persistent and punishes Antigone for her unwillingness to yield to his will, and is too proud to take advice from his eldest son, Haemon. This is important because it emphasizes that decisions driven by excessive pride and obstinacy can lead people to make impulsive and ignorant decisions, which often can result in dreadful and sometimes fatal consequences.

Creon’s stubbornness results in deadly consequences when he penalizes Antigone for disobeying his order disclosing that stubbornness can blind people from making logical and unbiased decisions. After catching Antigone burying the body of her deceased brother, Creon proceeds to humiliate and reprimand her. When Antigone admits to burying her brother’s body, Creon replies, “She gloats over her deed. But as I live, She shall not flout my orders with impunity. My sister’s child was she even nearer, Nearest and dearest, she should not escape Full punishment-she, and her sister too, Her partner, doubtless, in this burying” (Sophocles 139). When Antigone admits that she has disobeyed Creon, he obstinately and verbally attacks her for challenging his orders and refuses to see the situation from her perspective. He states that “she shall not flout my orders with impunity,” which can be interpreted as him saying that his orders and beliefs are absolute and cannot be altered. He is so iron-willed that he does not even stop for one moment to understand why Antigone did what she did, determining that his decision was justified. Furthermore, he even goes as far as to blindly blame Antigone’s sister, Ismene, for aiding her sister in burying Polyneices. He aimlessly points fingers, convinced that anyone who does not believe in the same thing he does is guilty. Creon is so hard-headed that he is willing to incriminate and punish one of his nieces for standing up and doing what she thinks is right while he wrongly accuses the other one. His decision to punish Antigone backfires on him when she ultimately decides to take her own life, just as he decides to release her. When the messenger heard Haemon shout in anguish, he rushed to Antigone’s prison to discover, “her hanging by the neck. The rope was of the woven linen of her dress” (159). The messenger describes how Antigone was “hanging by the neck,” showing that she had decided to take her own life rather than die agonizingly and alone from hunger. To elaborate, hanging is a form of punishment used in the 15th and 16th centuries to dispose of criminals. It is important to note that Sophocles has Antigone die by hanging rather than any other way, which, in a way, symbolizes that she died how a criminal would be sentenced to death, or in the modern world, how many people would take their lives. When Creon tries to comfort his son after he discovers his wife’s lifeless body he, “Spat in his face, and then without a word Drew sword and stuck out” (159). Haemon refuses his father’s comfort and sympathy and proceeds to spit in his father’s face showing his disgust for his father. Generally, spitting in anyone’s face is seen as a sign of disrespect or disobedience, which is exactly what Haemon shows. Haemon went from grief-stricken to angry and blames his father for the death of his bride-to-be. Additionally, Haemon “drew a sword and stuck out,” implying that he was ready to take his father’s life in vengeance for Antigone. At this point in the play, Haemon has lost all respect for his father even willing to slaughter him for his sins. Because Creon refused to acknowledge Antigone’s perspective and punished her for burying her brother, she ultimately took her own life, which in the process resulted in his son losing all respect for him. From this, readers are enlightened and shown how decisions made stubbornly and rashly can come with unfortunate and sometimes irreversible consequences.

Creon’s hubristic personality also causes tragic repercussions because, rather than heeding his son’s advice, he ignores him because of his age, demonstrating that excessive pride can blind people, leading them to make irrational decisions. After the Chorus declares that both Creon and Haemon have good points in their argument to decide Antigone’s fate, Creon angrily responds by saying, “Indeed! Am I to take lessons at my time of life From a fellow of his age?” (146). Too proud to listen to his son’s advice, Creon arrogantly tries to show his superiority by mentioning the age gap between them. He asks the Chorus why he should take lessons from “a fellow of his age,” signifying that he believes Haemon is too young to be advising Creon, who is older than him. The “indeed,” means that Creon might even agree with what his son is saying but he cannot bear to be enlightened by a mere young boy like him. Haemon proceeds to explain to his father that the people of Thebes have sided with Antigone and have no desire to participate in her execution. When asked if Antigone’s action was dishonorable, Haemon responds by saying, “The people of Thebes think not,” to which Creon retorts back by saying, “The people of Thebes! Since when do I take my orders from the people of Thebes?” (146). Oblivious of his pride, Creon snaps at anyone who questions his jurisdiction. As a king, Creon is supposed to listen to his people, but he refuses to do so based on the sole fact that he is too proud to admit that he was wrong to give Antigone such a harsh punishment. Furthermore, Creon accuses Creon of having, “No more will than a woman” (146). Instead of acknowledging different views on the same issue, Creon attacks his son and makes irrational claims because his mind is clouded by his pride. These actions, driven by excessive pride, eventually led to the death of not only his son but his wife as well. When Creon went to release Antigone, a while after, the Messenger came to announce that, “Haemon is dead slain by his own- His hand. His father’s act it was that drove him to it” (157). Creon’s determination to punish the enemy of the city, even when he is dead, directly causes the death of his youngest son. The messenger describes that Haemon had slain himself with “his hand,” which meant that he had purposely killed himself. This extreme decision to kill himself is a result of “his father’s act,” with the act being he sentenced Haemon’s bride-to-be to starve to death, causing her to take her own life instead. Haemon’s death, unfortunately for Creon, is quickly followed by the death of his wife, Eurydice. Upon hearing about the death of her beloved son, Eurydice, “with her hand she drove the sharp sword home into her heart” (161). Eurydice’s suicide is a result of Haemon killing himself over Antigone’s death, which all traces back to Creon. The messenger describes how Eurydice killed herself, to emphasize the fact that she decided to take her own life over the loss of her son. He also mentions how she “drove the sharp sword home into her heart,” to show readers how she felt. Eurydice felt a deep emotional wound in her heart over Haemon’s death, which is represented by a literal stab to the heart. The word home is used to describe a place where one lives, generally with other family members. The word home is used in the quote to signify how her son was her “home” but now that he was dead there was a crack in her home/heart. Creon is left alone and burdened with the deaths of three very close people to him. He grieves in solitude and finally realizes that all this suffering was of his own doing and could have been prevented had he acted more wisely. Because Creon’s suffering is a direct result of not listening to Haemon’s advice, readers are taught that too much pride can affect one’s ability to make rational decisions, and it is important to keep your pride in check when making important decisions.

Creon’s misfortunes come from his stubbornness and excessive pride. He attempted to harshly punish Antigone for going against his wishes and arrogantly refused to listen to his son’s suggestions when he had his best interests at heart. His obstinacy and hubris blind him from making good decisions which could have prevented his suffering that ultimately left him in solitude. Although Creon acknowledges his mistakes at the end of the play, it is too late as he is already burdened by the suicides of his spouse, son, and niece. Sophocles’ tragedy advises readers about the consequences of excessive pride and being pertinacious, and the suffering it can cause.  

Antigone is a Greek tragedy written by Sophocles and is essentially a continuation of Oedipus The King, focusing on his four children long after his and Jocasta’s deaths. As a brief recap, Oedipus was the former king of Thebes who unknowingly fulfilled a prophecy made before he was born that said he would kill his father and marry his mother. Antigone’s fierce loyalty and determination to honor her brother’s memory is what forms the spine of this play.

The tragedy focuses on the aftermath of a very brief battle between Antigone’s two eldest brothers, fighting for the kingship of Thebes. Polyneikes is described as the rebel who joined the Argive coalition against Thebes after exile and Eteokles, who has remained loyal to his city. During the attack on Thebes, the brothers end up killing each other, leaving their uncle Kreon to assume the throne. Kreon rewards Eteokles’ loyalty by following customs and burying him with honor while punishing Polyneikes, leaving him unburied outside the city gates and passing a law forbidding the city from mourning or burying him. Kreon’s choice to punish Polyneikes in this manner infuriates Antigone, so she decides to disobey the law to bury her brother. The law in itself carries a grim penalty, stating that anyone caught violating it would be stoned to death. She attempts to persuade her sister to help her with the task, which Ismene refuses to do for fear of punishment for disobeying Kreon’s law.

After Ismene rejected her plea for help, Antigone stormed off to take care of the ominous business of burying her brother by herself. She is caught in the act by Kreon’s guards, charged with the crime, and is taken back to the family’s palace to face her uncle’s penalty.

Not only does he decide to charge Antigone, but he also includes Ismene in the charge although she had no real part in the burial. His youngest son Haemon, who is engaged to Antigone, attempts to persuade him to change his mind about executing them which leads to an argument between the two. During the argument, Kreon accuses his son of going against him, instead supporting Antigone’s wrongdoing which doesn’t seem to be the case at all even though he does want to keep her alive. From the reader’s viewpoint, Haemon’s side of the argument appears to be that he is only trying to reason with his father, explaining to him why what he was doing was wrong. Kreon still refuses to listen and even threatens to have Antigone killed in front of Haemon for supposedly defying his father in favor of a woman’s love so he angrily informs Kreon that he would not stand for such an act and leaves. Kreon lets Ismene go, realizing that she is innocent, and proceeds to continue Antigone’sentencing despite the earlier argument with his son. They take her outside the city to a deserted hollow cave where they leave her with just enough food so that they don’t acquire any kind of “blood guilt” if she starves to death rather than taking her life.

Shortly after imprisoning her in the cave, Kreon is visited by the blind prophet Tiresias, whom we met previously in Oedipus The King. Tiresias tells him he is making a grave mistake in his decision to leave Polyneikes unburied and imprisoning Antigone, saying that the gods will no longer accept offerings from Thebes because their altars had been tainted by Polyneike’s rotting flesh that was carried off by dogs and birds. He also says the gods are being denied what is rightfully theirs, which is the maimed, un-mourned corpse of Polyneikes. Shortly after the visit with Tiresias, Kreon finally gives up and orders his men to bury the body according to their burial customs as well as giving orders to free Antigone from her imprisonment.

upon reaching the tomb, they are met with an unpleasant surprise…she had decided to hang herself, ready for death since attempting to bury her brother. Haemon is also there, hanging onto her lifeless body and sobbing. Upon realizing that his father has entered, he attempts to lunge at Kreon, full of rage and pain wanting to kill him but is unsuccessful. Instead, he spits in his face and turns his sword on himself, piercing his liver, causing him to die a slow painful death while clinging to Antigone’s body.

A messenger is sent back to the palace to deliver the news to the leader of the chorus when they see Eurydike, Kreon’s wife come into the courtyard from the house. She asks them what happened and they tell her Haemon has died, unable to cope with this news, she turns to go back in the house not saying another word. Kreon returns, carrying their son in his arms wrapped in cloth and grief-stricken, seeing the mistakes he made much too late only to be greeted by more bad news via the messenger and leader of the chorus. They inform him that Eurydike had killed herself after learning of Haemon’s death, incapable of handling another son’s death as they had already lost one when Polyneikes and the Argives attempted to take Thebes by force. The play ends with Kreon begging the gods to end his life and misery as he walks off towards the palace.

There are many themes and interpretations that one could take away from Antigone as mentioned by Rosanna Lauriola in her interpretation of the play (Lauriola, 389). The themes that make themselves quite obvious throughout the story are Antigone’s loyalty to her family, desire to uphold burial traditions because it was god’s will, and doing the right thing. To her, god’s will and laws take precedence over any laws or demands made by man and it is the argument she presents to Kreon upon being caught by his men attempting to bury her brother.

Another theme shows that Kreon and Antigone mirror one another despite their different stances. They share an archetypical case of self-ignorance. They share fault in that neither respect the claims of love by the people surrounding them, stubbornness, and mutual hatred (Minadeo, 154).

In conclusion of this summary, the tragedy is about wisdom and foolishness with the final lesson showing what it means to have good sense and acting on it rather than acting senselessly with a blind disregard of the consequences that may follow.

Works Cited

1. Lauriola, Rosanna. “Wisdom and Foolishness: A Further Point in the Interpretation of Sophocles’ Antigone.” Hermes, vol. 135, no. 4, 2007, pp. 389–405. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/40379138.
2. MINADEO, RICHARD W. “CHARACTERIZATION AND THEME IN THE ‘ANTIGONE.’” Arethusa, vol. 18, no. 2, 1985, pp. 133–154. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/44578150.

What makes a good leader? Is a good leader one that is virtuous or one that can do whatsoever is necessary to protect their territory? Niccolò Machiavelli in ‘The Prince’ provides a thorough guideline as to the qualities of a good leader (i.e., prince). I will be analyzing the behaviors and decisions made by Creon in Sophocles’ play ‘Antigone’ to determine whether Creon fits Machiavelli’s description of a good prince. Creon is the King of Thebes and an uncle to Antigone. Creon has forbidden his nephew, Polynices, from receiving a proper burial as he waged a war against his city. Antigone defies the orders of her uncle, the King of Thebes, and buries her brother out of honor to her family and the laws of the gods. In response, Creon sentences her to death. Creon’s son, Haemon who is Antigone’s fiancé, attempts to change his father’s mind, but to no avail. It is only later that Creon changes his mind, but by then Antigone has already committed suicide. In this essay, I defend the position that the character Creon in Sophocles’ play ‘Antigone’ does not meet Machiavelli’s characteristics of a good prince. I will present three arguments to strengthen my position that Creon is not representative of Machiavelli’s ideal prince. To begin with, Creon is unable to keep up an appearance of virtue. Secondly, Creon is abhorred by his citizens. Finally, Creon is unable to effectively use cruelty to keep the citizens compliant. Also, I will refute the counterargument that it is better to be feared than loved.

Creon cannot maintain an appearance of virtue. This is in direct opposition to Machiavelli’s requirement that a good prince be able to convince his citizens that he is virtuous even when he is not. Machiavelli states that “…a ruler need not have all the positive qualities I listed earlier, but he must seem to have them… So you should seem to be compassionate, trustworthy, sympathetic, honest, religious, and indeed, be all these things; but at the same time, you should be constantly prepared, so that, if these become liabilities, you are trained and ready to become their opposites” (Machiavelli, 1994, p.55). The ability to appear virtuous is more important than being truly virtuous if one is to be a good prince. It will be very difficult for a leader to maintain power if the populace is unhappy or dissatisfied. Haemon tells Creon: “The city mourns this girl. ‘No other woman’,/ So they are saying, ‘so undeservedly/ Has been condemned for such a glorious deed/ When her own brother had been slain in battle/ She would not let his body lie unburied/ To be devoured by dogs or birds of prey’” (Machiavelli, 1994, p.25). Creon is unyielding in his decision to punish his niece for defying his orders, even in the face of public discontent. He does not display any virtues to demonstrate his honor and integrity to the populace. Creon does not honor the laws of the gods, thus displaying to the populace his impiety. He places the laws of man above the laws of the gods, whilst at the same time disregarding his duties and obligations to his own family by failing to bury his nephew. Creon presents his immorality for all the citizens to witness when he really should have concealed that side of him for a situation that calls for it. A leader must have a positive public appearance and a good reputation to hold onto and maintain control of their principality.

Secondly, Creon is hated by the citizens of Thebes. Machiavelli requires a good prince to avoid the hatred and disdain of the people. He states that “…a ruler must take care… to avoid those things that will make him an object of hatred or contempt. As long as he avoids these he will have done what is required of him, and he will find having a reputation for any of the other vices will do him no harm at all” (Machiavelli, 1994, p.56). If a prince is hated, the citizens can turn on him and he runs the risk of losing his seat of power. It makes a prince vulnerable. Teiresias tells Creon: “Hatred for you is moving in those cities/ Whose mangled sons had funeral-rites from dogs” (Sophocles, 2009, p.37). The citizens of Thebes are displaying their discontent and disdain for Creon due to his decision to sentence Antigone to imprisonment in a tomb. The citizens do not view Antigone’s actions as deserving of punishment. They view Antigone as doing her moral duty to bury her brother, Polynices. Creon is seen as going against tradition; he breaks a cultural custom. Tradition and cultural customs form the basis of society. Creon ignores the laws of Heaven which are a crucial part of society in Thebes. By gaining the hatred of the populace, Creon has ensured that they are united not with him but against him. This is detrimental because in case a war breaks out, the people of Thebes will not be willing to fight for their King. This places Creon in a precarious position. His seat of power is threatened.

Incidentally, Creon obtained the throne of Thebes via a hereditary principle. Oedipus’s sons, Polynices and Eteocles, went to war against each other, brother against brother. As a result of this war between brothers, Polynices and Eteocles end up killing each other leaving Creon, Oedipus’s brother and an uncle to Polynices and Eteocles, next in line for the throne. Machiavelli states that it is much easier to hold onto a hereditary principality than it is to hold onto a newly acquired principality. He states that “all one has to do is preserve the structures established by one’s forebears… For, indeed, a hereditary ruler, if he is of no more than normal resourcefulness, will never lose his state unless some extraordinary and overwhelming force appears that can take it away from him” (Machiavelli, 1994, p.7). Creon is failing to live up to Machiavelli’s description of a good prince. He has acquired the hatred of the citizens, allowing a foreign invader to easily annex his territory. Creon simply has to be capable and competent at ruling his principality, but he managed to turn the populace against him. Creon’s poor decision-making has led him to be despised. Creon lacks the necessary skills and qualities of a good prince.

The third argument to be made is that Creon is unable to keep the citizens of Thebes compliant due to his inability to effectively use cruelty. Machiavelli requires a good prince to only use cruelty when it is absolutely necessary. Machiavelli declares that “an abuse of cruelty one may call those policies that, even if in the beginning they involve little bloodshed, lead to more rather than less as time goes by… Those who abuse [cruelty] cannot hope to retain power indefinitely” (Machiavelli, 1994, p.30). Creon must suppress conflict early on if he is to be a good prince, but he fails to do so. By the time he changes his mind about punishing Antigone, it is too late, she has already killed herself. Creon’s cruelty towards Antigone not only tarnishes his appearance of virtuousness but also garners the hatred of the populace towards him. Creon’s role in Antigone’s death has dire consequences for his propensity to hold onto his throne and kingdom. As a result of Creon’s actions, the citizens of Thebes will rise against him and put in his place a new ruler. Creon’s one act of cruelty will lead to multiple acts of cruelty; cruelty that Creon will commit against the citizens, as well as cruelty committed by the citizens against Creon’s control of Thebes. On the other hand, cruelty used well enables a ruler to protect his city and ensure the safety of his citizens for the future. Creon has ensured that the future of Thebes is left uncertain. Thebes is vulnerable to attacks by neighboring kingdoms as a result of a disunified populace. Creon failed to read the situation and act in an appropriate manner leading to his own downfall. According to Machiavelli, Creon is a bad prince.

An objection that could be raised in favor of Creon exemplifying an ideal prince as characterized by Machiavelli is that both Machiavelli and Creon agree that it is better to be feared than loved. Machiavelli states that “it is much safer to be feared than loved… [as people] are ungrateful, fickle, deceptive and deceiving, avoiders of danger, eager to gain. As long as you serve their interests, they are devoted to you… But as soon as you need help, they turn against you” (Machiavelli, 1994, pp.51-52). Fear is a more effective deterrent than love as love can be abused. A conversation between Antigone and Creon is as follows:

“ANTIGONE. Yet what could I have done to win renown / More glorious than giving burial / To my own brother? These men would say it, / Except that terror cows them into silence. A king has many a privilege: the greatest, / That he can say and do all he will.

CREON. You are the only one in Thebes to think it!

ANTIGONE. These think as I do-but they dare not speak.

CREON. Have you no shame, not to conform with others?” (Sophocles, 2009, p.18).

Creon would rather have the citizens of Thebes fear him and behave in a loyal and obedient manner than be in possession of their love and affection as their love is fickle. Fear will ensure that the citizens of Thebes are obedient and loyal to their king in both good and bad times. Love is based on an active choice made by the citizens to show affection and devotion to their leader, whereas fear is based on an active choice made by the leader to ensure the faithfulness and dependability of the populace. If a prince is loved by the populace, the populace is in control. If the prince is feared by the populace, the prince is in control. Fear motivates obedience to the laws of man. As Creon already has the citizens of Thebes in fear of him, Machiavelli would state that he is satisfying his role as a good prince. However, Creon has managed to obtain the hatred of his people. Machiavelli explicitly states that “a ruler should make himself feared in such a way that, if he does not inspire love, at least he does not provoke hatred” (Machiavelli, 1994, p.52). Creon’s decision to not bury Polynices and the proposed punishment for those that attempt to do so has roused fear in the citizens of Thebes. This declaration has also instilled hatred in the hearts of the citizens of Thebes as Creon goes against a core value of Theban society. Creon inspires fear in his citizens, but in so doing has also managed to get the citizens to hate him. Creon does not measure up to Machiavelli’s description of an ideal prince.

To conclude, this essay defends the perspective that Creon is not an ideal Machiavellian prince. I presented three assertions to defend my claim. Firstly, Creon cannot display to the citizens of Thebes an appearance of virtue. Secondly, the citizens of Thebes hate their king, Creon. Finally, Creon attempts to keep the populace in control via badly used cruelty. Creon threatens the stability of his rule based on the above three assertions. Nonetheless, there are some who raise the objection that Creon does indeed fit Machiavelli’s conception of an ideal prince. Despite both individuals believing it is better to be feared than loved, Creon gains the hatred of the citizens of Thebes which Machiavelli says to avoid. These lines of reasoning lead me to conclude that Machiavelli would view Creon as an ill-suited leader.