Antigone

4 Pages 893 Words

Creon’s hypocrisy in Antigone
In Sophocles, Antigone, there is a new king of Thebes, no longer Oedipus, but Oedipus’ brother-in-law Creon, who is now the current leader and king of Thebes. The opening of the play is a private discussion between Antigone and Ismene, daughters of the exiled King Oedipus who have been entrusted to the care of the protagonist, Creon. Oedipus not only had two daughters, but he had two sons as well, Polynices and Eteocles. When the play begins Oedipus’ two sons have already been killed. Polynices and Eteocles act as the focus of the central conflict throughout the play. The controversy in Antigone is over the dead, and the rights of the dead. The conflict begins when Creon gives Eteocles proper burial rights, and refuses to bury the other son, Polynices. Creon not only refuses to bury Ploynices but also sets a decree to forbid anyone from burying the body. Antigone, sister of both Eteocles and Ploynices, disobeys Creon’s ruling to not bury her brother all the while knowing that the penalty is death. Creon sentences Antigone to death in a rocky vault below the ground for attempting to bury her brother. The controversy therefore surrounding Creon becomes is he a hypocrite for burying the living and not the dead?
Creon sentences Antigone to death early in the play after learning that she has broken the law and buried Polynices. He gives her the death sentence with no hesitation. He is strong in his convictions and believes that she has broken the law and that she will therefore suffer the harshest of consequences. Haemon, Creon’s youngest son, and Antigone’s groom to be is outraged by the fact that his father is extremely stubborn in his decision to kill his fiancé. Haemon and Creon get into fierce an argument, hurling accusations at one another. Haemon eventually says to Creon, “You really expect to fling abuse at me and not receive the same?” (1353, lines 850-851) Her...