Sophocles Antigone: Creons Character Analysis

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Sophocles’ stories are full of moral and life lessons through a tragic downfall. With clever choice of words, he uses his characters’ personalities and relationships to lay out his lessons and teachings. In one of Sophocles plays Antigone, he dramatizes the pragmatism of Creons’ ego as well as the passions of his unconsciously mind and the causes and effects of his egos’ quest for divine power. In Antigone, Creon obtains power after the death of his two nephews; however he becomes consumed by the notion of being king. He acknowledges his new status as he says “I have succeeded the full power of the throne” (1.1). Creon not only inherited the throne, but also a tragic flaw - ego. There is evidence throughout Antigone that convey how Creons’ ego strengthens from inheriting the highest position in society. From the start of his reign, Creon wants to prove that he has power by instilling fear in the citizens. He gave orders – such as, one is to touch Polyneicés’ body. Fear does not avoid anyone; even Ismene displays her fright when she expresses her thoughts to Antigone, “So fiery! You should be cold with fear” (prologue). The fear he instills in his citizens is his motivation for more power.…show more content…
It is as if his ego ceases to exist as he confesses that “I will not fight with destiny” (1.5). When fear is put upon him, his ego is instantaneously affected. Choragos is the first to realize that it is too late for Creon to try to change the prophecy when he learns from the messengers “Haimon is dead; and the hand that killed him is his own (Exodos). Creon already depressed, gets the rest of his heart torn to pieces when the messenger returns to announce “the queen is dead” (Exodos). The once mighty King cries like an infant when he hears of his despair, “Oh pity! All true, all true, and more than I can bear! O my wife, my son!”(Exodos). His ego leads him down a road of
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