Essay on Creon in Sophocles and Anouilhs Antigone

Creon in Sophocles and Anouilhs Antigone In both plays, Creon sees himself as a passive agent rather than a villain, only acting out a predetermined set of instructions based upon certain laws and edicts. Creon tries to give the impression that he is not really in control; if it were up to him, as an individual, things would be different. Sophocles Creon tries to wash his hands of Antigones death by leaving her in a sealed cave. The gods will determine her fate, so he thinks. Anouilhs Creon goes so far as to admit the childish stupidity of his own decree. He even confides in Antigone that he is not certain which brothers body was buried. He insists, though, that once knowledge of her act is public, the matter is†¦show more content†¦At the conclusion, Creon has realized the transient nature, the folly of human endeavors. He bows his head in reverence to the gods and seeks their guidance. Order of a larger, more universal, nature is ultimately reaffirmed. The modern Creon does not repent. In fact he resumes his duties and seems scarcely affected by the bloody scene that surrounds him. Creon is aware of the absurdity of his role as ruler, but this is not a new discovery for him. To Creon, accepting absurdity is part of the natural progression of life. He made this concession when he became king, if not before. Antigone has reached that crucial moment where she must either surrender to life on its absurd terms or be destroyed. From Creons point of view, it is time for her to come of age. Creon counsels her to submit to his experience in these matters. Go to your room, he says. And she very nearly does. What changes her mind? Antigone realizes Creon has no personal moral center. If she submits to his will, the same fate awaits her. We know he was once a decent man, a patron of the arts, but now Creon clings to the State. Someone must steer the ship and he has tethered himself to the wheel. He no longer has the luxury of morality. He has become too addicted to the freedom and power of existing beyond good and evil to sever the cord that connectsShow MoreRelatedSophocles Antigone And Anouilh s Antigone : A Study Of Loyalty And Her Usefulness As A Character Essay2645 Words   |  11 PagesIsmene in Sophocles’ Antigone and Anouilh’s Antigone: a study in loyalty and her usefulness as a character Sophocles’ Antigone is a well-known Greek play, and Anouilh’s Antigone is a modern twentieth-century adaptation of it. Both deal with the aftermath of Antigone’s choice to go bury her brother Polyneices even though the king, Creon, has expressly forbidden the burial of the traitor brother. Antigone and Creon are of course the central characters, but Ismene, Antigone’s sister, is importantRead MoreRelationship Between Antigone and Creon1355 Words   |  6 PagesRelationship between Antigone and Creon Antigone is a play written by Sophocles. The genre of the play that Sophocles wrote was based on tragedy. It is one of the first plays that use tragedy. In the play a young girl named Antigone, stands up against her uncle Creon who is the king. She stands up for her rights, so that she can give a religious burial to Polynices. She was a girl with a lot of will power. This essay talks about the relationship between Antigone and Creon. This essay would contain paragraphsRead MoreThe Feminist Movement In SophoclesAntigone1340 Words   |  6 PagesThe largely neglected Sophoclean play of Antigone has been relaunched into contemporary critical discussion, this is largely through the emergence of the feminism movement and the critical theory resulting from it in the late 19th and early 20th century. The feminist movement is defined as â€Å"The advocacy of womens rights on the ground of the equality of the sexes.† Feminist centred reception of the text has often labelled Antigone as a feminist icon, the use of the word feminist is ambiguous. This