Oh I’ve learned
through blood and tears! Then, it was then,
when god came down and struck me—a great weight
shattering, driving me down that wild savage path (Sophocles 1401-4)
His remorse at the end of the play reinforces the notion that his hubris was something that went awry because he allowed it to. Hubris can also be confirmed by Creon’s overall excessive reaction, due to which he makes a fatal mistake (hamartia). The anagnorisis of Creon was in his realization and learning of the lesson, which is then followed by peripeteia, unexpected tragic events, that resulted in the death of his son and wife.
Opposite to Creon, Antigone demonstrates a very different use of her excessive pride. While Antigone's behavior might be considered outrageous and while there can be no doubt that her behavior leads to ruin, we cannot honestly say that her behavior was motivated by self-indulgent pride. In fact, it is safe to assume that her behavior was fueled by love and respect. She is compelled by things that seem to be opposite to things that compel Creon. She is not concerned about her place in society or about her reputation. She is, however, concerned about doing the right thing, even if it means her own death. It is also worth noting that Antigone dies with a self-respect, which is something Creon does not gain owing to how he acted. She is committed like Creon but for purely unselfish reasons. We see this when she tells her sister Ismene, “I will bury him myself. / And even if I die in the act, that death will be a glory” (Sophocles 85-6). While Antigone admits that she is defying the law, she has something greater on her side: which is truth. In this sense, we can see how the truth cannot be stopped. Antigone even admits her guilt, telling Creon, “I did it. I don't deny a thing” (Sophocles 492). Besides, she is not afraid of the consequences. She even dares to tell Creon that “his doom will be her precious little pain . . . This is nothing . . . I’ve been accused of folly by a fool” (Sophocles 520). Hamartia made by Antigone appears to be her suicide; this precipitate action is followed by the death of two other persons. But no doubt, emotionally she was able to influence the audience much more than Creon, as her hardships and her fight for moral principles seem more vital than Creon’s desire for the fulfillment of his established laws.
Juxtaposing the two, we see clearly that Antigone goes to extremes but it is for the cause of something greater than herself while Creon cannot see beyond himself. This is what separates the two. Throughout the play, Antigone demonstrates incredible conviction and strength. While many may see her strong will as an impediment, it is actually her greatest strength. She proves that if we truly believe in something, we should be willing to make any sacrifice for that belief. If we are not willing to make any sacrifice, perhaps we are not as dignified as we think we are. Creon might have possessed conviction but, in the end, Antigone possessed more. She might have lost her life but she never lost respect and that is something Creon will have to live with for the rest of his years. It took the death of his family members for Creon to realize that there is a world of difference between love and law. It is a lesson that he will not forget for many years to come.
Pride is blind. This is evidenced when Creon, confronted by others to rethink his stance, continues to reject alternative reasoning. I will support this notion first with examples of Creon’s exchange with his son Haimon, and second when he speaks with the blind prophet Tiresias. When confronted with the issue of Antigone wanting to bury her brother, Haimon looks beyond family ties, realizes the truth of the matter and tells his father:
“No woman,” they say, “ever deserved death less,
and such a brutal death for such a glorious action.
She, with her own dear brother lying in his blood—
she couldn’t bear to leave him dead, unburied,
food for the wild dogs or wheeling vultures.
Death? She deserves a glowing crown of gold!” (Sophocles 777-82)
Creon refuses to hear and acknowledge Haimon’s plea because it does not fit what he believes to be the truth. He is foolishly thinking that he cannot be hurt by his actions because he feels so justified and so right about the scenario that he has created. This is also why Creon chooses to ignore Tiersias. When Tiresias warns Creon by saying:
All men make mistakes, it is only human.
But once the wrong is done, a man
can turn his back on folly, misfortune too,
if he tries to make amends, however low he’s fallen
and stops his bullnecked ways. Stubbornness
brands you for stupidity—pride is a crime. (Sophocles 1132-37)
His message is quite clear, however Creon responds, “Old man—all of you! So, you shoot your arrows at my head like archers at the target” (Sophocles 1144-45). Creon completely rejects the advice and unwisely sees Tiresias as an enemy. Both Haimon and Tiresias speak words that Creon does not want to hear, not because they are wrong but because acknowledging them would prove that Creon was mistaken about his position. Creon is far too arrogant to simply be persuaded by logic; in his eyes he is king and as such everyone should accommodate him. Right and wrong have long left Creon's vocabulary and his statements at the end of the play confirm this.
In conclusion, Antigone is a play about two individuals who share a common characteristic: they are both stubborn. Creon is stubborn and arrogant because he is king. He lets the fact that he is king prevail over all other arguments. He is full of love for himself. Antigone is stubborn as well, but she is motivated by love and compassion for her brother. These two characters illustrate diametric views of the same human condition. They illustrate how hubris can be both positive and negative characteristics. Both instances result in tragedy but one proves an honorable death is more desirable than an arrogant one.
Works Cited
Knox, Bernard. Introduction. Sophocles: The Three Theban Plays. Trans. by Robert Fagles. New York: Penguin Classics, 1984.
Sophocles. Three Theban Plays: Antigone, Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus. Trans. by Robert Fagles. New York: Penguin Books. 1984.
