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Creon’s Hubris In the Greek play Antigone, Sophocles demonstrates the altering effects of pride on mankind. Antigone provides a balanced sense of pride, which motivates her to perform honorable deeds, but deeds that insult Creon, the Theban king, and his sense of pride. His belief in himself as an authority above the Gods leads to the events that cause the tragedy to Antigone and eventually to his own family. It is through Creon’s hubris and his denial of basic moral laws and human feelings, the tragedy is able to spawn itself in Antigone. Creon is Antigone’s uncle.
He was proclaimed king of Thebes after Oedipus’s tragic fall from power. He has raised his sister’s children as his own after she fell into madness. He was to rule Thebes until Eteocles and Polyneices could rule together as adults. After their deaths in battle he was proclaimed king in his own right. His first statute forbade burial to Polyneices, or any of the other soldiers who attacked Thebes. After Antigone disobeys this law by burring Polyneices, he sentences her to death and at first planned to kill Ismene, her sister as well, until the a soothsayer reminded him of her innocence.
Soon after his decision of the fate of Antigone, Creon’s hubris peaks. This Hubris focuses on the Creon’s unyielding, rigid, and narcissistic attitude. Many try to convince Creon to reconsider on his injudicious decision to murder Antigone, however, Creon does not yield. With this error in judgment, he is blinded and cannot see the true harm in his actions until it is too late. The play closes with the suicides of Antigone, Haimon Creon’s son, and Eurydice his wife. After their deaths, Creon experiences his moment of clarity when he realizes the true error of his actions and the affects it has caused on the lives his loved ones.
He has fallen from his hubris into a hollow and valueless life. He may have won the battle against Antigone, but he lost everything that was worth living for. As it is apparent, Creon has fallen from grace, and possesses hubris in the play Antigone. He was once king of Thebes with everything in life to be happy for, but due to a relentless, egotistical attitude of his own superiority, he has lost everything he had to live for. Through his errors and tribulations, Creon could be described as the true hubristic character in the play.