Demonstrations of power from Creon and Prospero play a very pivotal role in the plots of The Tempest by William Shakespeare and "Antigone" by Sophocles, two plays about power relations.

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Serra

Rick Serra

February 6, 2012

Professor Bush

CAL 105

Power Struggle

Demonstrations of power from Creon and Prospero play a very pivotal role in the plots of “The Tempest” by William Shakespeare and "Antigone" by Sophocles, two plays about power relations. Both Prospero and Creon are able to control the actions of those around them but instead abuse their power and use it as if they were gods. In the play “Antigone,” Creon, a king, uses his political power selfishly to rule over and force people to do what he wants. Prospero, from “The Tempest,” uses his magical powers to help his daughter and others, along with himself. Sophocles and Shakespeare show the audience how power can be abused so easily and how power relations dictate the two plays, yet each play has very different outcome.

In “Antigone”, Creon uses his royal power, more for his own personal gain, with no real regard for his people. Throughout the course of the play, Creon abuses his power despite being warned of wrong doings. The play even begins with Creon abusing his power when he settled a decree that prohibited anyone from burying Polyneices' dead body, decreeing that “He’s to have no funeral or lament,/ but to be left unburied and unwept,” (Sophocles p.10). Creon is proud of his decree, and he also states that he would be a good king by listening to what people had to say concerning his decisions. When Antigone breaks the decree, Creon sentences her to death, which angers the gods. The gods want the dead body of Polyneices buried, and they do not want Antigone to be put in a cave. Antigone questions Creon’s power compared to the gods, “ I did not think/ anything which you proclaimed strong enough/ to let a mortal override the gods/ and their unwritten and unchanging laws.” (Sophocles p.27) Creon was told by Haimon to change his mind, but Creon rejects his request and buries Antigone alive anyway. Teiresias warns Creon that the gods were angry and his actions were to be blamed. Creon rejects both Haimon's request and Teiresias' warning. This shows how Creon was able to abuse his power so easily and acted as if he were just as powerful as the gods, causing him to suffer in the end.

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Another case of when Creon abuses his power is when he rejects other's suggestions in the scene with his son, Haimon. When Creon tells his son why Antigone is being punished, Haimon also rejects his father’s decision. Haimon believes that Antigone is not doing anything wrong, but instead, simply doing what the gods wanted. He respects his father, but he encourages him to change is stubborn ways, which is why Haimon asks Creon to "end your anger. Permit yourself to change." (Sophocles p38).   Haimon kindly asks Creon to change his mind for once and accept what others had to ...

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