“ I ( Creon ) here proclaim to the metropolis that this adult male / shall no one award with a grave and none shall mourn ” ( 221-222 ) . Antigone, by Sophocles, is a Grecian calamity that centers on a struggle between the two supporters, Antigone and Creon. The drama starts where Oedipus at Colonus ends. Creon, the swayer of Thebes, made the announcement that no one shall bury Polyneices because he sought to destruct Thebes. Antigone, non wishing to upset the Gods, defies Creon and buries her brother. Antigone and Creon stand for different rules and their differences result in a clang that causes the devastation of the household of Creon. Antigone defends household involvements and duties, and Godhead Torahs, while Creon insists on obeisance to the Torahs of the province. Creon is portrayed as a autocrat in the drama ; nevertheless, the poet Sophocles does non propose that democracy is any better. Alternatively, he emphasizes the demand for regard for both methods of rulership, for listening, larning and so being flexible and receptive to necessary alterations. Haemon, Creon ‘s boy and Antigone ‘s fiancee, is neither a swayer nor an foreigner ; although he does play a important portion for Sophocles ‘ accent on regard, seeing the good the other one desires. He consults his fellow citizens as he forms his sentiments about the struggle between his male parent and his fiancee. Through Haemon ‘s duologue with Creon, Sophocles presents a construct of practical wisdom about rulership ; nevertheless, Haemon fails to carry Creon because Creon lacks the proper selfless temperament necessary for a swayer.
Creon ‘s nature as a oppressive swayer reveals itself non in direct confrontation with Antigone, but instead with Haemon. Haemon and Creon ‘s confrontation begins with Haemon to the full meaning to accept to his male parent ‘s determination about Antigone ‘s incorrect making. He explicitly states that every bit far as he is concerned his male parent ‘s will is more of import than his personal desire to get married Antigone: “ No matrimony will of all time be so valued by me / as to overrule the goodness of your leading ” ( 690-692 ) . Then Creon lectures Haemon on the importance of jurisprudence and obeisance and orders him to bury Antigone ‘s predicament and back up her decease sentence. He explains that “ there is nil worse / than noncompliance to authorization ” ( 726-727 ) . Haemon ‘s entreaty to obeisance of a boy may be made to do his statement more appealing. However, Creon has already shown his deficiency of flexibleness and inclination toward choler so Haemon is already puting himself at a disadvantage and has small hope of carrying Creon to alter his head.
After Creon ‘s talk, Haemon ‘s address outlines his construct of rulership with regard, which he suggests to Creon as an option to his oppressive attack. Haemon advocates Creon that practical wisdom contains two elements: giving up and coaction. He suggests that Creon command his choler: “ Yield something of your choler, give manner a small ” ( 774 ) . If Creon does non hold the willingness to get the better of his ain dispositions so he can non be unfastened to what other people think, which is the 2nd quality of good rulership. Haemon points out that the metropolis is mourning for Antigone and that they think she is deceasing for holding done no incorrect ( 745 ) . Although Creon is king, he should non say that he entirely is right: “ There is no metropolis / possessed by one adult male merely ” ( 798-799 ) . Haemon believes that ethical picks are more successful if they are made jointly. Haemon admits that this is non a perfect solution, but it is the best manner, since worlds are prone to confounding passions with cosmopolitan truths. Creon accuses Haemon of siding with the Antigone, but he is non because Haemon acknowledges that it is unreasonable to anticipate any human being to achieve true wisdom. Haemon suggests that he may be wiser than his male parent, but he besides points out Creon ‘s failure to prosecute others throughout the drama. He has non merely neglected Antigone, but besides the people of Thebes and he will travel on to disregard the advice of Teiresias, the prophesier who has yet to be incorrect ( 1130 ) .
The Chorus commends Haemon and Creon for talking good and advises both of them to larn from each other: “ My Lord ( Creon ) , if he ( Haemon ) says anything to the point, / you should larn for him, and you, excessively, Haemon, / learn organize your male parent ” ( 780-782 ) . However, Creon does non larn from Haemon ‘s advice. He refuses to give to Antigone because she is a adult female and he his thoughts are of course better. Creon besides rejects any possibility that as an senior he might still be able to larn from his younger boy. Haemon attempts to warn Creon that he will perpetrate self-destruction ( 813 ) . Alternatively of demoing understanding for his boy, Creon thinks that Haemon is sabotaging his authorization, which Creon stated earlier was a sedate mistake. Finally, Haemon makes one last entreaty to listening as the cardinal accomplishment to rulership by stating, “ You want to speak but ne’er to hear or listen ” ( 821 ) .
Haemon, more than any of the other characters, knows the differentiation between governing with practical wisdom and being a autocrat. Creon ‘s personality and political function as swayer reveal important defect in his leading manner. Although ab initio articulating rules that seem right and are accepted by the chorus, he demonstrates a degree of stringency and abrasiveness that no 1 truly agrees with. Through his treatment with Haemon Creon insists on his rules including absolute control over household members and his degree of obeisance he expects from his household members. This may be why Haemon fails to alter his male parent ‘s head. Not merely is he inexperient, but he may besides falsely see Creon ‘s desires. Haemon assumes a swayer should want regard and justness, but Creon fails to want justness. Creon considers it unthinkable to give to a adult females or a younger adult male and emphasizes his absolute right to do determinations by himself. He declares that power and regulation are his belongings and that he processes the metropolis ( 800 ) . Not merely does Creon miss the power to give, but he besides lacks the wisdom to listen to other people ‘s sentiments with regard. He assumes that everyone is after his right to govern. In his ulterior confrontation with Teiresias he even refuses to listen to the Gods and Zeus himself. He besides accuses the unsighted prophesier of being bribed. Creon can non see past himself and his desires. Merely after the chorus urges him, does he eventually alter his head because the Gods themselves oppose his position. His attempt to undo the injury he has caused comes to late. Antigone, Haemon and Creon ‘s married woman, Eurydice, have all killed themselves.
