Antigone Persuasive Essay
“She or I, if this is crime goes unpunished? / Sister’s child, or more than sister’s child, / or closer yet in blood,” says Creon, accusing the person who disobeys his law no matter who she is(Antigone. 1. 2. line 95-97). Creon, the new king of Thebes, makes a new law that bans burying Polyneices, the traitor of Thebes. However, the law disobeys the laws of gods and the will of his people. Antigone, the daughter of Oedipus, goes against the law and buries her brother. The tragedy ends with the deaths of people surrounding Creon. However, Creon is not a tragic figure due to the fact that he has a fatal personality - pride.
Creon dares to announce a law which is not god’s will because of his excessive pride. “Must you doddering wrecks / Go out of your heads entirely? ‘The gods!’ / Intolerable!” says Creon after the guard surmises that gods bury Polyneices’s body (Antigone. 1. 1. 116-118). Creon publicly declares that disloyal Polyneices will be left unburied and unmourned. Anyone who tries to bury Polyneices will be stoned to death according to Creon’s LAW. Creon knows clearly that this law is in conflict with the laws of gods. As Haemon argues with Creon, “You have no right to trample on God’s right” (Antigone. 1. 3. 117). Haemon believes that it is Creon’s mistake to disobey the laws of gods. On the contrary, Creon thinks highly of himself and accuses Haemon of being a woman slave. In addition, Creon is angry with disobedience.
Creon has a strong desire for absolute power due to the fact that he is in possession of hubris. “With law-breakers, critics of the government: / Whoever is chosen to govern should be obeyed- / Must be obeyed, in all things, great and small, / Just and unjust!” says Creon to imply his absolute kingdom (Antigone. 1. 3. 37-40). Creon does not allow any disloyalty and disobedience. When the guards tells Creon that the dead body is buried, Creon threatens to kill the guard. Creon immediately thinks that money is...