ENGL 2200: Antigone

Today I would like to discuss a little about Creon,
He starts out toward the good side, more good than bad, but by the end he has been corrupted by his power. He begins good mainly because he is doing what he believes is best for the city of Thebes. I'm really not sure as to whether he was truly against Polynices or if it was a more political move to strengthen his power because he is concerned about protecting Thebes from wolves in sheep's clothing, because Polynices was one of their won but he was also a traitor. When Creon makes the decision that no one is to give burial rights to Polynices, he also makes the distinction that in the event someone breaks his law that the punishment is death. In Creon's opinion whoever helps with Polynices burial or whoever defies his law is doing so due to a reward of money; this for some reason almost makes be think he is paranoid. Well aware of the law Antigone proceeds with burying her brother. Upon Creon finding out and Antigon being brought to him for punishment, Creon is furious that she broke his law but he will not waver in the punishment because he will not seem week in the eyes of his people. As he orders his men to punish her by taking her out far from the city to leave her with hardly any rations to die, he is approaches by a seer. The seer tells him of his faults in dealing with Antigone and with Polynices, and the outcome of what he has done. Which is that Creon's first born son will die and that the gods no longer hear Thebes' prayers. They know this because the alters will not light because the birds have caught diseases form the body of Polynices lying open in the fields. At this point Creon brings up that he believes the seer may be influenced by money to tell him these things, the seer of coarse has not received any money for this information. Creon lashes out at the seer at which point he leaves, Creon consults with is leaders, which decide that he should undo all the acts of punishment that he has done. Although nothing they do will help now because Antigone has taken her own life and Haemon has found her and taken his life as well. Creon has officially ruined his family and himself.