Creon prevents the people in Thebes to bury Polynices by saying that anyone who tries to bury him will be sentenced to death. This law may be harsh, but Polynices is a traitor who attacks his homeland. Creon makes no exceptions to the rule even when he realizes Antigone, his niece, tries to bury Polynices. It is easy for Creon to let Antigone get away with her crime, but he does what he thinks is right by starving Antigone. If he lets Antigone get away with burying her brother, it will make him seem weak, and the government corrupt.
Antigone's downfall is the result of her own doing. She refuses to listen to Creon because she is Polynesis' brother and wants him to be buried and suffers the consequences of disobeying the king. Antigone's death is not deserved for the crime she did. Creon sentenced her to death because he was threatened for his thrown. The readers are saddened because Antigone should not have died and she should be the queen of the kingdom instead of Creon.
Creon which was Antigone's uncle became the official ruler of Thebes. Creon buried Eteocles's body with honor. But because the other brother was perceived as a traitor, Polynices's body was left to rot, however, leaving human remains unburied and exposed to the elements was an affront to the Greek Gods. So, at the play's beginning, Antigone decides to defy Creon's laws. She gives her brother a proper funeral.
Creon’s tragic flaw is that he is to prideful. Creon insists on killing Antigone because she disobeyed his decree. When Haimon questions his decision, Creon replies by saying,” I’ll have no dealing with law breakers” (792, 35-36). Creon is explaining to Haimon that he will not deal with any rule breakers and that Antigone will be put to die along with her traitor of a brother. Creon’s pride is what leads to the death of Haimon, his son, and the Queen, his wife.
She will be the man here” (519). This quote explains Kreon’s irritation on Antigone. The very moment Antigone buries her be loving brother’s body Kreon wants to take action with killing her because she disobeyed his law also Antigone’s sister, Ismene, because Kreon believes she was part of it too. Kreon believes if he does not kill Antigone he will no longer be one of the best rulers that people will look up too. This quote is important because it explains how Kreon begins to commit hubris.
In addition to excessive pride, both fate and love play a role in the causes of the deaths of loved ones. These deaths were a result of contrasting beliefs; Antigone stood for what she believed in, and died for what she felt was right, whilst Creon, the powerful King of Thebes, established a law prohibiting the burial of Polyneices. This conflicted with Antigone’s beliefs, therefore challenging her uncle Creon, and showing disregard for his ruling of Polyneices denial of burial rites. This in turn, consequently resulted in the death of Creon’s son, Haemon, and his wife Eurydice. Throughout the play, conflict of dissimilarity develops between the two protagonists, Antigone and Creon.
Throughout the play Romeo and Juliet, countless losses of loved ones were seen from both of the feuding families, the Capulets and Montagues. Many could say that fate was the cause of numerous deaths over the course of the play. However, free will is the main cause of these deaths. Every choice has resulted in different effects in the play. In this tragedy by William Shakespeare, multiple deaths occur due to the decisions made by Romeo, Friar Lawrence, and Lord Capulet.
Antigone ends up defying Creon (and therefore the state) after several instances of attempting to change Creon's decision, claiming how her brother had earned a proper burial, and eventually going so far as to bury him herself (which is again revealed through dialogue as opposed to external action) – an act which would eventually cause her death. Antigone's greatest fault lays in her stubbornness to give up on her desires; as noble as her intentions were, it was her inability to concede her desires that led to her ultimate
Antigone is more heroic than Creon, she takes risks and she is brave. When her own blood brother is sentenced to eternal suffering by being denied a burial, Antigone decides to break the law and risk her own life for her brother; “But I will bury him; and if I must die” (1.55) said Antigone, all for the sake of Polynesis’s eternal rest. Creon, on the other hand has no heroic traits apart from wanting the best for the people; he humiliates Antigone and her sister in public. This value and importance Creon has for the people’s opinion is destroyed when the people protest Antigone’s death, and he does not decide to follow what the people believe. Gentlemen, I beg you to observe these girls: One has just now lost her mind; the other, It seems has never had a mind at all (1.150) said Creon.
Antigone explains that the new ruler, Creon, has given a proper burial to Eteocleos; however, Polyneices will not receive a proper burial because he was a traitor. Creon decrees that anyone who buries or mourns Polyneices will be punished to death by public stoning. Antigone ignores Ismene's warning, giving Polyneices a proper burial by sprinkling dust over his body and performing ritual rites. A guard sees that someone has buried Polyneices body and reports the news to Creon. An enraged Creon threatens the guard's life if the culprit is not found and orders that Polyneices body to be dug up.