Creon: An Analysis of Character

Among the many works of the famed Greek playwright Sophocles is the tragedy

Antigone. This drama tells the story of Antigone, the daughter of another of Sophocles' characters, Oedipus. However, Antigone is not the only character of interest within this work. The play centers also on Creon, Antigone's uncle and the king of Thebes. As the persona of Creon develops throughout the play, it becomes clear that his actions are ruled by two inherent human characteristics; a need for order and a sense of morality.

Upon taking the throne, Creon becomes fixated on the interests of the state. In the wake of military conflict, he is desperate to maintain a sense of order in his kingdom. One motive for this is his desire to solidify his rule. In preventing disruptions to order he is also able to subdue those who might act against him. Thus, compelled by his need for order, Creon decrees that no one may bury or mourn over the body of Polynices, Antigone's brother who was deemed a traitor. In doing this, he hopes to suppress any feelings of pride in those who side with Polynices, for, as Creon states, "there is no room for pride." In fact, Creon leaves little room for anything that might disrupt the stability of Thebes and is even willing to condemn his niece and future bride to his son. One can best witness the overall intensity of Creon's need for order in his statement, "anarchy- show me a greater crime in all the earth." Creon fears that any loss of order will result in weakening his rule and thus cause Thebes to descend into chaos and anarchy.

Upon closer analysis of Creon's character, it becomes clear that, though he seems callous, his actions are partly governed by his sense of morality. Though his need for control induces him to threaten death to anyone who defies his decree, he can not bring himself to execute Antigone. Even the condemned prisoner herself notices the interference of Creon's sense of decency and states, "your moralizing repels me." In an effort to compromise his need for order with his sense of morality, Creon imprisons Antigone in a cave with rations that are "just the measure piety demands." Eventually, though, Creon is overcome by moral reasoning and recants on his sentence. The king travels first to Polynices' decaying body and performs the proper rites. His sense of righteousness then leads him to free Antigone, but this comes too late.

One can compare Creon to the trapped people depicted in Plato's "Allegory of the Cave." Here, people are depicted as being bound inside a cavern where all they can see is shadows and refuse to accept the views of those who claim reality in anything else. The message of Plato's writing is that many people spend their lives trapped by what they believe and unable to accept anything to the contrary. Creon is much like these people of the cave. He is trapped by his need for order and blind to anything that might contradict this. However, as the play progresses, Creon's character, compelled by a sense of morality, begins to challenge his own beliefs. He attempts to break the bonds he has made for himself. Unfortunately, this comes too late, and the tragedies which ensue as a result of Creon's actions send him back to the "cave."

Throughout

Antigone, Creon proves to be a dynamic character. He begins the play bound by duty; his actions based on an overwhelming need for order. However, as the play unfolds so, too, does his personality. His sense of morality slowly plays a more dominant role in his behavior and gains further influence over his actions. By the play's finale, Creon's morality leads him to recant some of his earlier judgments. However, the effects of this are fleeting. Thus, Creon is still a captive of the "cave", though, for an instant, it appears he struggled with his bonds.