Justification of Creon in Antigone by Sophocles Essay

Justification of Creon in Antigone by Sophocles Antigone is a tragic play written by Sophocles in about 441b.c. The play is a continuation of the curse put upon the household of Oedipus Rex. Sophocles actually wrote this play before he wrote Oedipus, but it follows Oedipus in chronological order. The story of Antigone begins after the departure of Oedipus, the king of Thebes, into self-exile. Oedipus’ two sons, Eteocles and Polyneices, were left to rule over Thebes. An argument over rights to power forces Polynices to leave Thebes. Some time passes and Polynices returns with the army from Argos and attempts to overthrow his brother. The two brothers fight and kill one another and the war ends. Creon, the uncle of the two†¦show more content†¦Through looking at the history of the era, the intentions of the playwright, and the critical analysis and commentary offered on the play, it is in my opinion that Sophocles intended Creon to be the character who was in the right, not Antigone. The start of theater and drama in Ancient Greece took form in about 5th century b.c, with Sophocles being considered the master of tragedy. In his plays and those of the same genre, classic fables that the people of the era knew well were used to tell the stories. The tragic hero’s of these stories often strive to live honorable and righteous lives, but because of some mistake their lives would often great and noble death. The idea that serving the state was proper way to gain honor was a popular belief during this time period. This philosophy was echoed by Plato in his book, the Republic. Plato dealt with establishing the ideal state. The way to achieve the ideal state was through striving for justice. Justice, according to Plato, is doing only the tasks assigned to them by nature. This is the fundamental notion for his creation of an ideal city. It is both knowing what true justice is and where one belongs in the city that the ideal can be achieved. Justice in a city can be found in an individual as well outside the individual because it is a concept that is universal. If a ruler of a state was to maintain order and control over his peopleShow MoreRelatedPower, Hubris, And Hamartia Sophocles Antigone1627 Words   |  7 PagesHamartia in Sophocles s Antigone Lord Acton, a well-known British historian, writer, and politician, resonated the repercussions of power and dominance by stating that All power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely† (Moreell, Power Corrupts). This is just one of the themes covered in Sophocles s Antigone. Within this dramatic play, Sophocles questions the conventions of hubris, hamartia, and power. They all play a role in the narrative where Antigone, daughterRead MoreHow Power Can Be Corrupted Through Hubris And Invokes The Limits Of Power Of A Ruler1512 Words   |  7 Pages Sophocles shows how power can be corrupted through hubris and invokes the limits of power of a ruler. 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