Why Is Creon the Antagonist in the Play Antigone?

In Antione, Creon becomes the new king whose strict and unfair laws lead to a series of tragic events. He is considered the antagonist in the play because everything he does appears to be against the protagonist. Moreover, the king is not the most favorable character and makes a lot of doubtful decisions. 

Our specialists will write a custom essay specially for you!

Hire Expert

It is quite obvious that in Sophocles’ play, Antigone is not only the main character but a protagonist as well. Creon, who stands on the opposite side of the argue, appears to be the antagonist. One of the reasons why it is so is that the new king fits all the Greek tragedy criteria. He is not perfect just like other human beings, but his flaws cause such tragic events that it cannot be forgiven. Creon’s pride and stubbornness force him to make the wrong decisions. Antigone only follows the gods’ will and traditions, and many citizens of Thebes would do the same. However, Creon sees order as the highest power and the means to keep peace in the city. He might wish well, but it goes too far. 

Antigone has to go against her uncle to reach her goal. Meanwhile, Creon does everything possible to stop her. It characterizes him as the antagonist in the play. However, there is another point of view that is more acceptable for people who see Antigone as someone who disrupts the way of life. It is possible that she is the antagonist since she breaks the law and goes against the will of her own uncle. Yet, it is a less popular choice of roles.

Thank you for reading this article! If you are looking for essay title ideas on Antigone, take a look at our essay topic collection or try using our title-generating tool. 

This article was developed by the editorial team of Custom-Writing.org, a professional writing service with 3-hour delivery.
Comments

See your paper’s price