Corruption In Oedipus The King

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Drama Essay Creon is depicted as a clear-headed, Calm, and rational character in “Oedipus the King” as he deals with a crazed Oedipus’ accusations of treason, as well as losing his sister, also Oedipus’ wife, through a suicide. He does not change from this personality until the very end of the play, when he gets his first glimpse of power as Oedipus’ reign begins to crumble. Even so, he remains gentle to Oedipus. His character takes a drastic turn for the worse after becoming the King of Thebes in “Antigone,” a position of now absolute power that begins to corrupt him. This corruption, in the form of pride, leads to Creon dismissing the rites of the Gods, believe his laws are absolute, a fatal mistake for him. As Creon arrives to defend his …show more content…

When Oedipus asks if he’s to be exiled, Creon responds, “What I do not mean, I do not use to say” (Sophocles 1584). Even as this first seed of corruption through power is planted, he is gentle with Oedipus, allowing him to hold his two daughters, Ismene and Antigone, one last time before leading him out, showing Creon isn’t a corrupt person from the start. English historian Lord Acton wrote in 1877, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts …show more content…

Even when challenged again by his son, Haemon, who merely asks Creon, “Yield something of your anger, give way a little” (Sophocles 771), Creon refuses to listen and only becomes angry that yet another person wants him to defy his own laws. “Am I mistaken, reverencing my own office?” (Sophocles 801) Creon says to Haemon. In his anger, Creon declares he will kill Haemon’s bride, Antigone in front of him, leading to Haemon stating, “But you will never again/ set eyes upon my face” (Sophocles 822-823). Teiresias enters later, and confirms that Creon has made some fatal errors in his declarations not to bury the Polynieces. No one has agreed with Creon to this point—but he still insists that he is in the right, that his law is absolute. Philip Holt writes, “Indeed, all through the play the merits of Kreon’s edict go unsupported by anybody but him” (1605). It isn’t until the dark fortune-telling of Teiresias that Creon begins to realize that he’s made a grave mistake, and that he should have yielded when everyone else told him he was wrong. The chorus

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