Essay on The Arrogance and Hubris of Oedipus and Creon

In ‘Antigone†, Ismene says, â€Å"To them that walk in power; to exceed is madness, and not wisdom†. Her statement makes it clear, those who â€Å"walk in power†, allow it to corrupt them. Throughout the history of humanity there has been a correlation between those who have excessive power and corruption. Webster’s Dictionary defines corruption as, â€Å"impairment of integrity, virtue, or moral principle†. In the story of Antigone the tragic hero Creon, shows all of the common characteristics of corruption. Before one can analysis the character of Creon they would first have to look at the story of Oedipus the King. In Oedipus the King, a plague has fallen upon the city of Thebes. Forced to take action Oedipus sends Creon to the oracle in†¦show more content†¦In the scene where Oedipus sends for Tiresias, the blind prophet, Tiresias says to him, â€Å"So, you mock my blindness? Let me tell you this. You with your precious eyes, you’re blind to the corruption of your life† (Oedipus Rex Line 468). It is pretty ironic actually, that a blind man can clearly see Oedipus’s corruption when, Oedipus himself is left unaware. In most cases of hubris behavior the individual believes they are so prideful, they actually believe they’re on the same level with God. It is clear that Oedipus has the same perspective of his life, and of his power. Hubris behavior is a tragic flaw, in which the individual is only setting themselves up in order to fall. In one scene Oedipus says, â€Å"You pray to Gods? Let me grant your prayers† (Oedipus Rex, 245). From this quote it is clear Oedipus believes he is on the same level with God. The position and power, as the King has gone to his head. He wants to be worshiped, and in being worshiped he will grant the wishes and prayers of the people. In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus believes Tiresias and Creon are working together to overthrow him. During this time Creon gives a prolonged speech, how he doesn’t want to be the King, but in Antigone, Creon is seen as a unswaying sovereign, unwilling to listen to anyone. Creon is likewise blinded by his own corruption. His excessive pride gets the best of him. Antigone, Haemon, and Tiresias warn CreonShow MoreRelatedThe Tragedy of Sophocles Antigone956 Words   |  4 PagesThe Tragedy of Antigone nbsp;In the story of Antigone, Oedipus has already died, his two sons. Polyneices and Eteocles, left to contend for the throne of Thebes. In their contention for the throne, the two brothers slay one another, leaving Creon once again to be the acting regent of Thebes. With this power, Creon declares that Polyneices must be left to rot on the battlefield, the highest disgrace to any Greek. 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