Creon's Obsessive Hubris In Antigone
Severino DePina
Final Written Analysis
World Humanities
Camarco
Antigone
In the play Antigone by Sophocles, Antigone is to blame for her own death. She is to blame because of her obsessive hubris, non- apologetic behavior, and denial of nothing which ultimately lead to her own demise.
One reason Antigone is to blame for her own death is because of her obsessive hubris. Hubris which means excessive pride was shown throughout the whole story from many different characters, Antigone being one of them. In the beginning of Antigone Creon the ruler made a proclamation the Polynecies, Antigone’s brother was not allowed to have an honorable burial. He was to be left out in the open where animals could do as they wish to him. Since he is the ruler, he assumed no MAN would ever go against his final ruling. When he found out that he was properly buried he was flabbergasted. On page 704 Creon states “ I swear by god and by the throne of God the man who has done this …show more content…
thing shall pay for it” This shows dramatic irony because in the prologue we as the audience find out that Antigone buried her brother, but Creon keeps referring to the culprit as “man”. When it is finally brought to his attention that a woman has done this she is questioned. As she stood with her head hanging she takes pride in what she did. “I dared it was not gods proclamation that final justice that rules the world below makes no such laws. Your edict, king. Was strong, but all your strength is weakness itself against the immortal unrecorded laws of God.” (Antigone, 708) This of course made Creon very mad because he expects everyone to show loyalty to the state not the family but in simpler terms to him and when that is defied in a way it picks at his confidence which in returns comes with a punishment. Showing this loyalty especially to a man who committed a crime would especially not be tolerated with him.
Another reason Antigone is to blame for her own death is because of her non- apologetic behavior. Typically when it comes to the time of punishment people are usually very apologetic begging for remorse but not Antigone. In a way she tells him do as you must with me because ultimately we all die and if she has to die she will. Rather than her not wanting to die she really seems like she wants to die. “Let me go since all your words are bitter. And the very light of the sun is cold to me. Lead me to my vigil where I must have neither love nor lamentation; no song but silence.” (Antigone, 724) All of this non remorseful attitude she displays really made Creon dish out a heftier punishment. If she would have showed some kind of remorsefulness maybe he would have been more sympathetic but her hateful words and bad attitude really lead to all of this happening to her on her own.
Lastly Antigone is ultimately to blame for her own death because of her denial of nothing.
Since she stated “I do, I deny nothing” (Antigone, 708) this lead to the punishment of death. But towards the end Creon had a change of heart and decided he was wrong and he wanted to fix it. First he decided to go to the already dead Polynecies and actually burry him, and then free Antigone. His first step was successful but not the second. As he went to the tomb Antigone was buried at he found her hanging from her own linens. The death of Antigone which she did to herself then lead to the death of his son Haimon who killed himself which finally lead to Creon having nothing more to live for. This denial of nothing demonstrated really failed her in the long run because she would have been freed but due to the fact of her own free will she killed herself. Though Creon punished her if the God’s really loved her she would be set free as he says but instead of leaving it to the God’s she took it into her own
hands.
In conclusion obsessive hubris, non- apologetic behavior, and denial of nothing lead to the demise of Antigone. Her own free-will caused this and no one but herself was a fault except her and her own final verdict.
Final Written Analysis
World Humanities
Camarco
Antigone
In the play Antigone by Sophocles, Antigone is to blame for her own death. She is to blame because of her obsessive hubris, non- apologetic behavior, and denial of nothing which ultimately lead to her own demise.
One reason Antigone is to blame for her own death is because of her obsessive hubris. Hubris which means excessive pride was shown throughout the whole story from many different characters, Antigone being one of them. In the beginning of Antigone Creon the ruler made a proclamation the Polynecies, Antigone’s brother was not allowed to have an honorable burial. He was to be left out in the open where animals could do as they wish to him. Since he is the ruler, he assumed no MAN would ever go against his final ruling. When he found out that he was properly buried he was flabbergasted. On page 704 Creon states “ I swear by god and by the throne of God the man who has done this …show more content…
thing shall pay for it” This shows dramatic irony because in the prologue we as the audience find out that Antigone buried her brother, but Creon keeps referring to the culprit as “man”. When it is finally brought to his attention that a woman has done this she is questioned. As she stood with her head hanging she takes pride in what she did. “I dared it was not gods proclamation that final justice that rules the world below makes no such laws. Your edict, king. Was strong, but all your strength is weakness itself against the immortal unrecorded laws of God.” (Antigone, 708) This of course made Creon very mad because he expects everyone to show loyalty to the state not the family but in simpler terms to him and when that is defied in a way it picks at his confidence which in returns comes with a punishment. Showing this loyalty especially to a man who committed a crime would especially not be tolerated with him.
Another reason Antigone is to blame for her own death is because of her non- apologetic behavior. Typically when it comes to the time of punishment people are usually very apologetic begging for remorse but not Antigone. In a way she tells him do as you must with me because ultimately we all die and if she has to die she will. Rather than her not wanting to die she really seems like she wants to die. “Let me go since all your words are bitter. And the very light of the sun is cold to me. Lead me to my vigil where I must have neither love nor lamentation; no song but silence.” (Antigone, 724) All of this non remorseful attitude she displays really made Creon dish out a heftier punishment. If she would have showed some kind of remorsefulness maybe he would have been more sympathetic but her hateful words and bad attitude really lead to all of this happening to her on her own.
Lastly Antigone is ultimately to blame for her own death because of her denial of nothing.
Since she stated “I do, I deny nothing” (Antigone, 708) this lead to the punishment of death. But towards the end Creon had a change of heart and decided he was wrong and he wanted to fix it. First he decided to go to the already dead Polynecies and actually burry him, and then free Antigone. His first step was successful but not the second. As he went to the tomb Antigone was buried at he found her hanging from her own linens. The death of Antigone which she did to herself then lead to the death of his son Haimon who killed himself which finally lead to Creon having nothing more to live for. This denial of nothing demonstrated really failed her in the long run because she would have been freed but due to the fact of her own free will she killed herself. Though Creon punished her if the God’s really loved her she would be set free as he says but instead of leaving it to the God’s she took it into her own
hands.
In conclusion obsessive hubris, non- apologetic behavior, and denial of nothing lead to the demise of Antigone. Her own free-will caused this and no one but herself was a fault except her and her own final verdict.