Analysis Of Creon And Antigone Kinship Versus The State

Creon and Antigone represent the clash of ideologies: Kinship versus the state. In Sophocles’ day, traditional bonds of family and kinship were strong; however, Greek citizens had other claims on their loyalty—to the state. In an age of frequent wars, it was everyone’s concern to defend his/ her polis. Why? What does this concern guarantee? The concern to defend ones polis guaranteed some sort of safety, prosperity, and a stable â€Å"lifeboat† (189). Through the dedication to the state, there’s a larger chance of the citizens fighting for the â€Å"greater good† of the state over their families/what they may believe. The development of the state created conflicts with traditional values. What are your thoughts on this tension between the state and†¦show more content†¦His â€Å"obsession† with these suspicions cause him to make allegations about his watchmen, which not only shows his irrational side, but also that he’s beginning to lose control of himself the longer that he’s king. In what sense is Creon a religious man? During his outburst to the chorus leader, Creon argues how it’s not possible to ever see a â€Å"criminal honored by the gods† and given burial rites (288). Applying this to Polyneices, Creon essentially refuses to believe that the gods want Polyneices buried and that he himself is honoring the gods by not doing so. To him, he’s living according to his own religious beliefs and the gods’ desires; a belief that completely contrasts that of Antigone considering the fact that she believes the gods desire her to bury him. How well does he live up to his implied claim to respect freedom of speech? Right after his claims to respect freedom of speech, he loses his head when the chorus leader attempts to suggest something and give some sort of advice—the job he was hired to do. Creon asks if he is â€Å"as stupid as [he] is old† exemplifying how he has already gone against his claim (281). It didn’t take long for him to lose his temper and contradict what he had just spoken to the chorus about. How does Creon fit the villain archetype so far? Creon has already been depicted to have a temper and contain views that are opposite of the