Causes Of Downfall Of Creon

Prideful Downfall

“For pride is a spiritual cancer: it eats up the very possibility of love, or contentment, or even common sense.”. This short phrase from C.S. Lewis packs a big punch. This quote embodies the exact cancer that Creon, a fictional king from the acclaimed play “Antigone” by Sophocles, had. Throughout the progression of the story readers begin to notice many of Creon’s great qualities along with his flaws. These flaws ended in Creon’s own demise. His story told a lesson of the effects of pride. Sadly, this story has not set an example for many others of high statuses today. Creon was a tragic hero of yesterday’s time. Today there are also many modern tragic heroes who share personality traits similar to Creon’s. One man who seems
to fit his profile very well is none the other than Suge Knight, CEO of the one and only Death Row Records. Suge Knight and Creon both had very high statuses and noble qualities. Likewise, they both had tragically devastating flaws. Just like Creon, Suge Knight should be considered a tragic hero because they both had high statuses, noble qualities, and deathly tragic flaws. The only difference here is that one realizes his flaws and suffers the consequences and the other might just never.

For a start, Suge Knight and Creon both have high statuses. Creon had a high status in Thebes. He was the brother of Oedipus who had died and the uncle of Antigone. Already living royalty situations arose too the point of which he had risen to become the King of Thebes. Unlike ancient Greece, individuals of this time can rise up from a lower class to become someone globally known. Suge Knight was born in Compton, California. He had always wanted to live an extravagant life from the time he was a kid. Even though he was surrounded by gang wars and drug dealers, he remained positive and always had dreams of finding something better. He made a big break after he enrolled into junior college and later transferred into The University of Nevada, Las Vegas for a chance to play on the football team and even rose up to play defensive lineman for the Los Angeles Rams. However, this wasn’t exactly what he wanted. He later became a bodyguard. He got to work with many famous clients one being Bobby Brown. Still, this didn’t feed his hunger either. He began to put his name out by starting his own publishing company and eventually co-launched Death Row Records with Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and Tupac. Death Row quickly rose to the top of the charts for West Coast hip hop. He had finally achieved the status he had dreamed of as a kid. Even so, with what cost?

Moving on, many people admired Creon and Suge Knight for their certain noble qualities.
Every person of a high status excels at something. Likewise, they also have people to admire them for a certain quality they have. Most individuals of high statuses are usually admired for things they have achieved and the things that they do. Creon took charge of a collapsing city when they needed help and brought them to a place where all problems were solved. He took over and brought change to the city of Thebes. He acknowledged all of the problems he would surface as the role went on and he assured the people that he would do the very best in his nature to see that these problems are solved. He was a very brave king and he cared for his people. He had even stated he would put the people before his family if necessary. From the outside looking in it seems as though he was a remarkable person and king. Suge Knight also had many amazing qualities. He’s endurance and stoicism. He wanted to become someone who could do anything he wanted at any given time. As a child, his mother used to comment on his wishes joking around that he was a bit spoiled. He always dreamed of big houses and big cars. He was a dreamer. Yet, he did something not most people do. He became the dream he had once dreamt. In a world where he was only seen as a kid in the ghetto streets of Compton, he fought hard to become one of the biggest names in music history. Knight was loyal to his comrades, he always backed them
up and made sure that they were doing well. Even if this meant hurting someone else. Him and Creon both remain loyal to those important to them even through a high status. Both men have very strong and amazing qualities.

Furthermore, where there is a good measure of good, bad must come to even it out. Suge Knight and Creon both were well known in their societies and showed great qualities that represented whom they were. However, such greatness can only be leveled by disaster. Suge Knight and Creon both suffer from a disease known by many names. Pride. Although Creon told the people he would be the best king of Thebes and lead them in great directions, his words show a sort of irony when his tale ends. He lost his entire family. His wife, son, and niece. The world rain down on him with no mercy. For what? He was too blind to notice the mistakes he was making along his journey as king. He believed in his words versus everyone else’s, even God’s. Even in moments when he could have believed he was wrong he still told the world around him that he was right. He took the death of his family to make him realize that he can not always be right and it was the death of his family that brought him torment beyond any man’s imagination. Suge Knight was a very kind and noble person, however it might have been the effects of being one of the most well known men in the industry that brought him to think he was beyond everything. Whenever he couldn’t get something, he took it into his own hands and made matters worse. Sure, he got the problem solved, but he also now has a very large criminal history. One of his first incidents might have been when he dangled popular rapper, Vanilla Ice, over a balcony threatening to drop him to his death in order to obtain royalties on his hit album in 1990. This marked the start of Knight’s infamous legacy. Although Suge Knight was involved in more than thirty one charges he’s managed to escape with very little jail time. It might have seemed impossible to him to ever actually be arrested for any of the crazy stuff he does until very recently in a hit and run accident that might just cost him his life. He allegedly had ran over two men one of them being his own friend. Knight was charged with one count of murder, one count of attempted murder, and two counts of hit-and-run with an allegation that he committed a serious and violent felony while on bail in another pending case. At first he was only held on a $2 million bail which already was hard enough. He was later charged with a 25 million dollar bail too which he collapsed in court from hearing it. A few years ago it might have been good to be the tough guy, but now all of his problems have resurfaced for him and he is being forced to pay the consequences. This entire story sounds like another disreputable chapter of his downward spiraling life. Both Creon and Knight had great traits that set them away from others, but they were still victims to their once noble qualities and actions.

Incidentally, King Creon realized the mistakes in his actions earlier and tried to fix them only to fail.
Due to his previous actions he paid a horrid price. Even when he tried to right his wrongs it was too late. Suge Knight shares a similar story to this. Whether or not he has realized his mistakes and seen his wrongs he sure does not show it. No matter how many times he has landed in jail, he seems to keep doing what landed him there in the first place. There are many consequences to his actions which include filing for bankruptcy, being put in jail, and losing his well known record label. However, he still follows through with his damaging ways. The question of whether or not Knight will one day realize his actions and turn to good is a question left unanswered. What matters the most, however, is if when he figures out what he is doing wrong, how bad will he pay for
it?
Some people might say that Creon was not prideful and selfish, but just wounded from the fact he had lost his son in the battle of Thebes. He probably felt resentful that in a battle that needn't not too happen, he had lost his son. He may have taken this blame out on Polynices and therefore refused to bury him. Though these claims may hold some truth, Creon himself said he would put his people before his family. If this claim was true he wouldn’t have used his son’s image as a meaning to treat Polynices so badly. Plus, Polynices was a member of his own family as well. He honestly felt that Polynices had betrayed their city and therefor he didn’t deserve to be buried. Likewise, some might say that Suge Knight did all of these things simply because he was scared of the big officials. For instance, in his latest incident his lawyer tried to claim that Knight only ran over the two man with a giant truck because he was scared of him. A 6’2” 260 lbs male scared of two men whilst having a gigantic truck? Not likely. Plus the man is known for being notorious and tough and was even thought to be the reason behind the death of many big names such as Tupac and Biggie. Knight is not a guy to be messed with and he projected this. Also, he had previously gotten into a heated discussion with the victims. All of these signs point to the fact that Knight committed his crimes all on his own will. in conclusion, Suge Knight and Creon are great examples of tragic heroes. They both had a high status, noble qualities, and a tragic flaw. Although Creon had realized his mistakes, he still paid the ultimate price for them. Unlike Suge Knight who hasn’t seen the fault in his actions and keeps making the same mistakes. Will it be too late for Knight when he does realize his actions? From current events, it looks as if it already is too late. With his extended show of pride, an increased downfall of his life shall soon follow. As a spanish proverb states “Pride comes before the fall.”