A Man Defeated By His Flaws in Sophocles’ play, “Antigone”

In Sophocles’ play, â€Å"Antigone† translated by Robert Fitzgerald and Dudley Fitts, Creon believes his laws surpass the laws written by the gods but his real flaw is his belief in masculine superiority and his self-destructive pride. In Greek literature, a tragedy means a sad story in which a hero is defeated because of his flaws and through this the audience will have a better understanding of themselves and the world. King Creon takes the audience thru his journey of ego, stubbornness and suffering. The opening events of the play quickly establish the central conflict between the two main characters. King Creon and Antigone have opposing positions, but both possess the same stubborn belief in their own righteousness and therefore both share the blame for the tragic end of the play. A major theme of Antigone is the conflict between religious law and government law. King Creon’s first speech is dominated by words such as â€Å"law†, â€Å"policy†, and â€Å"decree,† which demonstrates his belief and commitment to government and law as the supreme authority. Whereas Antigone believes in religious law and adheres to the divine law of the gods. Antigone knows Creon has â€Å"no right to trample on God’s right† (Sophocles 221). She makes it known that no law surpasses the divine, inherent law of the gods by defying Creon’s orders and buries her deserted brother. â€Å"She performs the burial, or rather that symbolic and ceremonial act which is taken for it, because the gods demand it, and not soShow MoreRelatedEssay about Gender Bias Critic of Antigone1724 Words   |  7 PagesGender Bias Approach to Antigone Just as one stone removed can break a bridge, one flaw can bring a man to ruins. The flaw of one man cannot bring down an entire kingdom, but rather one outlook of the king can lead to the demise of the whole. 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