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The Daily Insight

Why was Antigone right and Creon wrong

Author

John Parsons

Updated on April 11, 2026

Creon has honored the laws of the land but has not acknowledged the laws of the Gods. Antigone on the other hand was more right than wrong. Antigone, even though she was violating the human law made by Creon was only following what she thought was right by giving her brother Polynices a proper burial.

Why is Creon wrong in Antigone?

Creon’s tragic flaws were his stubbornness, the abuse of power and the actions he took to cause the downfall of the Thebes. Creon showed his stubbornness by not wanting to be proved wrong because of pride.

Why is Antigone right?

Antigone Was Right The sight of her brother being unburied drives Antigone to take action against the state and bury her brother regardless of the consequences. The concept of the Greek afterlife was far more important and sacred than living life itself.

What made King Creon wrong?

When Creon loses his wife and son, Creon’s pride disappears, and he admits that he made a terrible mistake by not listening to anyone’s advice.

What is the conflict between Antigone and Creon over?

The main source of conflict between Antigone and Creon is the issue of the burial of Antigone’s dead brother. Both of her brothers were killed in battle, however one brother fought against their home city and was considered a traitor. Creon issued a law that whoever tries to bury this man will be put to death.

Was Creon right?

He believed that all those who disobeyed the law must be punished and he stood by it. Few others believe that Creon’s decision was right because had he not punished Antigone there would be anarchy. Both Creon and Antigone justify their actions by attributing their actions to the necessity of performing one’s duty.

Why are people afraid of Creon?

Creon becoming king brings new laws that are not accepted by everyone’s morals and they do not all follow the laws of the gods. Most of the people are afraid of Creon so they obey all of his laws regardless of how they might view things, but that is not the case for Antigone.

How is Creon prideful in Antigone?

Creon shows a couple of occasions when he has way to much pride; when Antigone and he sister are condemned to death for trying to give burial rights to their brother, but Creon has them arrested and does not care even though he is related to them. …

Why was Creon a bad leader?

Creon is a rather weak man who has been placed into a position of authority and is incapable of handling the position well. … He is a self-conceited man who is also very narrow minded. Creon who only thinks of himself, not the good of the people, causes him to lose many dear family members.

What is Antigone tragic flaw?

In Antigone, the central character believes that her flaw is her strength, though it is actually her stubborn loyalty. Antigone’s overarching flaw gives her strength to follow her convictions. She is loyal to her family and her moral convictions.

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Was Creon justified?

Creon & Antigone Because Polyneices left Thebes and fought against his own people, Creon felt he was justified in not burying Polyneices’ body. Fighting against one’s home and family is a major no-no in Greek antiquity, so Creon sees his order and punishment as the right and honorable thing to do.

How are Creon and Antigone different?

The main difference between Antigone and Creon is that Antigone is loyal to her family, but Creon is loyal to the state. Antigone and Creon are the two main characters in Sophocles’ play Antigone. They also appear in Oedipus Rex and Oedipus at Colonus, which depict events that take place before the events of Antigone.

What is Creon like in Antigone?

Creon. … Creon is powerfully built, but a weary and wrinkled man suffering the burdens of rule. A practical man, he firmly distances himself from the tragic aspirations of Oedipus and his line. As he tells Antigone, his only interest is in political and social order.

What are the main issues of conflict and debate in the Antigone?

major conflictAntigone’s major conflict is between Creon and Antigone. Creon has declared that the body of Polynices may not be given a proper burial because he led the forces that invaded Thebes, but Antigone wishes to give her brother a proper burial nevertheless.

What is Creon's greatest fear?

Creon’s greatest fear is: War. Angering the gods.

Why is the play called Antigone and not Creon?

The Tragedy of Antigone is not called Creon because Antigone is more important than Creon, she is more controversial, and she is more admirable. Antigone played a bigger role than Creon in that she defied the law and started the whole play’s chain of events, eventually leading to nearly everyone’s death.

Why is Antigone not the tragic hero?

When Antigone buries Polyneices Creon sentences her to death because of it. … In Antigone by Sophocles the tragic hero is not Antigone because she only meets the characteristic of a tragic flaw, hers being pride, but doesn ‘t meet the other three characteristics of a…show more content…

Is Creon good or bad?

Angry and intent on his will, Creon appears the epitome of the bad, ruthless leader, impervious to the laws of the gods or humanity. As the king of Thebes in Antigone, Creon is a complete autocrat, a leader who identifies the power and dignity of the state entirely with himself.

Why is Antigone a tragic hero with quotes?

The tragic hero, Antigone, is the tragic hero because she displays both good and bad throughout the greek tragedy Antigone. A quote that reveals she is good is “ This death of mine is of no importance; but If I had left my brother lying in death unburied, I should have suffered” ( 2. 69-71).

Who is better Creon or Antigone?

With her values and her loyalty to the individual, Antigone is the one who overall wins my side and sympathy over Creon. Antigone deals with the downfall of humans caused by their hubris and the errors they commit throughout the story.

Which character did you sympathize most with Antigone or Creon?

Antigone deserves more sympathy than Creon, since he is more powerful and uses his power in a harsh and tyrannical manner. However, she is at least as stubborn as he is, and the majority of the audience’s sympathy is likely to go to the victims of their obstinacy: Ismene, Haemon and Eurydice.

Is Antigone innocent?

Antigone states that she is innocent, and therefore, Ismene is set free. Creon- He is Jocasta’s brother and the ruler of Thebes.

Is Creon a villain in Antigone?

King Creon plays an interesting role in Sophocles’s play Antigone. He is the title character’s antagonist, or adversary, but he isn’t a villain. He is like the strict parents who make their children clean the house before going out with friends.

What are the underlying motivations of Creon's rigid attitude in punishing Antigone?

In Antigone, Creon is motivated primarily by a desire to maintain control of Thebes.

Is Creon guilty of hubris?

The Theme of Hubris in Antigone’s Creon In his well-renowned play Antigone, Sophocles limns Creon as a just leader whose hubris, or excessive pride, ultimately spawns his untimely demise. He initially articulates rational justifications for the implementation of his draconian laws and punishments.

How pride affects the perspectives of the characters of Creon and Antigone?

Pride and its effects are at the heart of Antigone. In the play, Sophocles’ explores how the tragic flaw of pride reveals the heroic nature of Antigone, highlights the fact that pride is always punished by the gods, and shows that pride ultimately leads to suffering and death.

What are Creon's virtues What are his flaws?

Creon’s tragic flaw is his stubbornness and his hubris. His stubbornness is displayed in his unwillingness to change Antigone’s punishment. His excessive pride is displayed in his inability to take advice from his son or the Thebans. He is also embarrassed when he figures out that Haimon has been swayed by a woman.

Does Antigone recognize her error?

I shall be the bride of death…. I am taken down the prepared road.” While there is sadness in her tone given her impending death, Antigone shows no sign of regret or believing that she had made a mistake.

What are two of Creon's tragic flaws?

Rather than Antigone, Creon is the tragic hero of the play because of the prominence and magnitude of his tragic flaws, specifically his hubris, the morality of his intentions to preserve and protect the well-being of the city, and the failure of his introspective realization of his flawed character to prevent his …

What is the primary moral conflict in Antigone?

The major moral conflict in Antigone by Sophocles is the conflict over which value is most fundamental. The play presents the moral conflict over whether the god’s law or the city’s law is more powerful. This seems to be the most prominent theme.

Was Antigone looking for justice or reputation?

Antigone Kreon Character Analysis Overall, Antigone’s strong will and headstrong nature prompted her to fight for justice. She fought hard for what she believed in and what she thought was fair. She stood up to a ruler and even took her own life because of how much she believed in justice and fairness.