The Villain Comparison: Creon in Antigone and Medea in Medea

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Villain or Not
Conclusion
Work Cited

Introduction

The two classics provide a comprehensive analysis of diverse roles of women. In Medea, for instance, the Medea employs figurative speech to explore the social injustices that repeatedly touches on the social aspects of women. From such a position the audience is allowed to examine the position of a woman in the society. The position in this case touches on woman subordination to man and this are inextricable from the innate features surrounding the social order during this period in Greece.

Villain or Not

Woman Role

Hence, in Medea, the audience is permitted to explore the suffering of a woman who has been rejected, twisted, and abused because of her gender. In essence, this demonstrates how woman was treated in the Greek society. What this signifies is that the woman is painted as a social misfit and this resulted in Medea going against the social prescription of a married woman.

However, when we examine the approaches employed by Antigone it becomes obvious that she Antigone was a reflection of a woman at home. However, the conflict that ensues between her and Creon provides a new dimension to the entire setting of the plot. Consider the fact that Creon is depicted as a tyrant in the play. This is testified in the manner he handles the issue regarding the burial of Polyneices, Antigones slain brother (Fagles 142).

Social Injustices

From a tragic perspective, his rigid stance on the social injustices makes him to be a villain. When Media is exiled one is left pondering what would it be for a woman to live as a villain. This concept paints Media as a heroine while in Antigone Creon is depicted as a ruthless villain.

All in all, despite their differences the two characters can be explored in a similar light. Consider the fact that Creon employed ruthless tactics to guard his position in the society. Equally, Medea utilized her personality to speak against the social injustices that touched on women affairs in the society.

Leaders

The way Medea is portrayed as submissive equally matches Creon’s persistence in protecting his position as the leader. Also, Medea stands out as the symbolism of early aspects of feminism. And this compares with Creon’s approach to the social life examined in Antigone. Looking at the two characters it is thus possible to argue there exists another angle of examining them both as being heroes rather than being villains in their respective social standings.

For instance, Creon handled Antigone and rejected the idea of her burying her brother for as a leader he considered doing so would encourage revolt against the ruling class, while on the other hand, Medea stood strong in conviction that being submissive gave her strength to live as a woman. Despite the contrast and the approach employed in both Greek tragedies, the two characters do share diverse but unique similarities (Fagles 154).

Conclusion

In both cases, justice is the core element that has been examined. Looking at the character depicted by Creon we find the crude power generated by greed while Medea reveals the strengths of being a woman despite the social challenges. In such a situation it becomes essential to assert that Creon symbolized evil and that is why he is depicted as a villain. However, he had a soft spot that made him to be a hero.

Work Cited

Fagles, Robert. The Three Theban Plays. New York: Penguin, 1999.

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