Creon s Unjust Treatment Of Antigone And Her Family

How far do you think Creon is justified in his treatment of Antigone and her family? In the tragedy Antigone by Sophocles the story of Oedipus’s daughters, who refuse to follow the laws of their uncle Creon, is told. Because Creon ordered that their brother Polyneices, who, together with their brother Eteocles just died in a civil war, fighting against each other, should not be allowed a proper burial because he is a traitor. A battle of words begins between Creon and Antigone and a discourse of opposing views on who is right, especially on how to treat the dead when they are an enemy of the state. â€Å"Eteocles, who died fighting for this city, proving himself its greatest spearman, will be buried in a tomb and honoured with every rite that comes to noble dead.† The first member of Antigone’s family who is treated by Creon is Eteocles. He defended the city and Creon is the King of the city now, so glorifying the man who stopped the enemy is clearly a logical and justified thing to do. Especially because he just established his principles of government: fear is worthless, the city is more important than a loved one, you must love the city and the city is great on those bases. But he also states that in matters that affect the safety of the state, the ties of blood may have to be sacrificed. â€Å"But his blood-brother, Polyneices, who returned from exile to the land of his fathers and the god of his people, †¦ , this man, it has been proclaimed to the city, will not to beShow MoreRelatedAntigone s Actions Cause A Political Change1294 Words   |  6 Pagespolitical change in the government; Creon will become a new and improved leader after the tragedies he had to suffer through. While some may argue that Antigone’s actions cause a political change in the government, ultimately there is no revolution because the leader never changes. After seeing his wife dead, Creon says, â€Å"I killed her, I can own no alibi: The guilt is wholly mine† (Sophocles 28). This quote shows how guilty Creon feels about the deaths of his family members as he feels that he causedRead MoreSophocles Euripides Antigone1310 Words   |  6 PagesIn Sophocles’ Antigone, and in Euripides’ Medea, the Greek authors take on the topic of justice. Each playwright addr esses the issue of injustices suffered by women and the concept of natural law. In both tragedies, the female leads seek justice after natural laws had been broken, but they ultimately break the natural law themselves, resulting in more injustice. During Medea s first long speech (lines 212 - 271), she declares that women are stricken with the most wretched existence on earth.Read More Comparing Sophocles Antigone and Jean Anouilhs Antigone Essay2293 Words   |  10 PagesSophocles and Jean Anouilh use the simple story-line of a girl defying her uncle and king in the face of death to reflect upon the events and attitudes of their days. Sophocles Antigone models the classical pattern of tragedy by incorporating key elements such as a tragic hero with a fatal flaw and the Man-God-Society triangle. Creon is the tragic hero who disturbs the natural harmony of Thebes by denying Polyneices a funeral. Antigone is the catalyst who forces him to reckon with the consequences ofRead Moretheme of alienation n no where man by kamala markandeya23279 Words   |  94 Pagesï » ¿ANTIGONE KEY LITERARY ELEMENTS SETTING This tragedy is set against the background of the Oedipus legend. It illustrates how the curse on the House of Labdacus (who is the grandson of Cadmus, founder of Thebes, and the father of Laius, whose son is Oedipus) brought about the deaths of Oedipus and his wife-mother, Jocasta, as well as the double fratricide of Eteocles and Polynices. Furthermore, Antigone dies after defying King Creon. The play is set in Thebes, a powerful city-state north of