In scene II of Antigone, the extract was said by Creon to the Choragus, while Antigone was present. Sophocles, the author, uses several metaphors to illustrate fate to those who refuse to change their minds. For instance, “the inflexible heart breaks first”, means that people who have a hard heart and refuse to consider others are the first to have their hearts broken. Also, Sophocles writes: “toughest iron cracks first”, implying tough iron cracks first and more easily than softer iron, Antigone as tough and strong women will break first. In addition, Sophocles writes: “and the wildest horses bend their necks at the pull of the smallest curb” implying horses can be controlled by the pull of an iron piece in their mouths, and even though horses are wild and strong they can be controlled easily. Therefore, several metaphors are used by Creon to …show more content…
Creon says that stubborn people always end up hurting themselves that their hamartia is so strong that it inevitably leads to their own downfall. Creon compares stubbornness to these items to show just how it can break a person. This moment is ironic because Creon himself is stubborn in a sense that he will not change his views about the law and how the laws should be above everything else, so Creon is being a hypocrite because he is just as stubborn as she is. Also, Creon describes how easily he believes it will be to break Antigone’s willed with all the metaphors used. He also shows how far above her he thinks himself by saying “she had much to learn”. He is almost belittling her and treating her like a child with these words, and this can describe Creon’s hubris. Thus, this can also show his character he sees others flaws rather than his own and blames others without knowing he is the one to blame. Therefore, Creon is shown as a hypocrite with the irony
People have been using ethos, pathos, and logos quotes for a very long time in order to get something that they think is necessary. In Sophocles play as translated by Seamon Heaney, Antigone says these types of quotes in order to justify the burial of her brother Polyneices. In Antigone, there are many wonderful examples of Antigone using ethos, pathos and logos in order to get what she thinks is right. Antigone believes that it is the right thing to bury her dead brother's body even if he was a traitor. “For good ideas and true innovation, you need human interaction, conflict, argument, debate”, a quote about argument by Margaret Heffernan, a famous author.
Creon is a very stubborn person, this leads him to make very harsh and rash decisions that he will eventually regret. “The inflexible heart breaks first, the toughest iron cracks first.” This quote is explaining how Creon is very stubborn in his decisions and he will not change his mind. This leads to the fall of creon because him being stubborn causes most of his family to die. Creon eventually ends up sentencing Antigone to death.
Creon does not keep an open mind, and refuses to see her point of view. Antigone said she buried the body because of God’s law, but Creon puts his law above the God’s. This shows an extreme amount of pride and confidence. Another example of Creon showing hubris is when Haimon says. “It is no City if it takes orders from one voice,” (221).
As Haemon delivers his speech he encourages Creon that with his positive traits, he can take criticism in a mature way that will allow him to recognize the right thing to do. If Creon can listen with sympathy he can forgive Antigone and not go through with the execution. When Haemon continues with his speech to Creon he starts to try to make him feel good about himself, so Creon can start thinking about forgiving Antigone. As Haemon tries to make Creon listen to him he starts to bring up traits that will make Creon feel more powerful. Haemon states, “Father, no greater treasure can I have Than your prosperity / no son can find a greater prize than his father’s fame, / No father than his son’s”
In the play Antigone, by Sophocles, Creon’s deadly stubbornness and selfishness in ignoring the pleas and
Overall, Sophocles shows Creon as a hubristic character as he demonstrates to be giving his words, his laws more importance than the laws and morals of the gods. Although Creon is prideful he is also stubborn. Creon makes accusations toward Antigone and many other characters before considering the wise advice from the state and the others around him. Creon does not heed to those who advise him , as he is stubborn.
Fate has brought all my pride to a thought of dust”(Sophocles 1.5 142-146). Creon’s destruction resulted because of his misdeeds in having too much pride. His pride and his personal instability were the worst combination of possible qualities he could have. Creon’s past sins have built up and eventually burst and gave this man the worst punishment of all the characters in the play. In Antigone by Sophocles, Creon displayed many failing qualities as a king; most notably having displayed a giant ego by not accepting help from others, which warns the audience of the dangers
She says, “For never had I, even had I been mother of children,” and, “ Cut off from marriage feast, unlasting wife’s true joy, or mother’s bliss, with infant at her breast…” (Sophocles 34). Antigone tries to provoke emotion in Creon by also saying, “ ...I last and far most miserably descend, before my term of life is full…” (Sophocles 33), to bring attention to the fact that she will die young and will be kept from everything she is looking forward to in life. She is saying that she will never marry, she will never have a child, and she will die before it is her time, because of Creon.
(Antigone 8). This quote shows that he wants everyone to obey him and anyone who disobeys him will get in trouble. The last support can be found when Creon said, “But he who crosses law, or forces it, or hopes to bring the ruler under him, shall never have a word of praise from me.” (Antigone 23). This means that Creon is “madly in love” with his power and thinks that he can do anything because he is the king.
Ironically, he states that “the mind that is most rigid stumbles soonest,” which would lead one to assume that his leadership style would be flexible (473-474). Creon has the correct intentions by attempting to follow the established law, yet contradicts his statement on a rigid mindset by allowing no exception in Antigone’s case. Creon is in a difficult position
In this quote, she is trying to harn Creon that although he thinks very highly of himself, he will never be able to anything to disrupt the gods and their unwritten laws (being that all men deserve burial). Additionally, the word choice and tone used by the characters also differs. When Creon talks he makes it clear that he thinks of himself quite highly and is convinced that he is above everyone else because of his excessive pride and noble stature. This leads to a tone in his speech that is very obnoxious and off-putting. To the contrary, Antigone regards herself quite low and stands for
She, she destroys cities, rips up houses, breaks the ranks of spearmen into headlong routs.” This quote shows how Creon does not see Antigone herself as the enemy,
He is stubborn, and his pride is so great, he cannot bring himself to acknowledge that he could ever wrong. King Creon also possessed the character trait of being very strict and inflexible, even though his character may have brought protection, or a sense of safety among the Theban people, even when his. When Creon is talking to Teiresias, he thinks that he is being paid off. He does not want to believe he could be wrong about Antigone. Creon even says, “Whatever you say, you will not change my will.”
Jaanvi Shah Mr. Eyre English 9 March, 2015 Literary Analysis of Antigone John Foster says, “pride comes before fall.” As the action of the Sophocles 's Antigone unfolds, it is clear that the protagonist Creon has all the six characteristics of a tragic hero. Teiresias interactions with Creon help to demonstrate three of those typical traits: Creon’s noble stature, his tragic flaw of having pride and arrogance, and his free choice that makes his downfall his own fault. Creon, the King of Thebes, accords with Aristotle’s theory of a tragic hero beginning as powerful distinguished and important person.
Creon realizes it’s too late his mistakes, and now that he lost his family, he realizes he should of listened. All his family dead, he is now alone because he was blinded by his pride that he didn't listen. He realized too late of all the consequences that his ignorance brought upon him. Throughout the play Antigone by Sophocles Creon is seen as a tragic hero, due to the fact that he is rude to others when they try to talk to him and acts childish when insulting others.