Hubris: The Good, the Bad,

Hubris: The Good, The Bad, And the Ugly in Antigone

In Sophocles' play, Antigone, we see how an individual can be brought down by his or her own hubris. Creon falls victim to his own pride and outrageous behavior, which leads to his ruin. He is the epitome of a king that is so blinded by his own power and authority that he cannot see the truth even when it is staring him in the face. In short, he is a stubborn man that refuses to listen to anyone that offers him an opinion different from his own. While it can be said that Antigone is also stubborn and guilty of outrageous behavior, it should be noted that her motivations are completely different and this is why she cannot be compared to Creon in this way. Antigone is stubborn for reasons that have nothing to do with her while Creon is stubborn because he wants everything to be all about him. When we look at the two, se can see the difference between a life and death of honor and a life and death of shame.

Creon is an excellent example of how a character can be brought down by his own hubris because he is incredibly arrogant. His arrogance causes him to make an erroneous decision regarding Antigone and her convictions. Because he is king, Creon is accustomed to demanding the respect that he believes he deserves from everyone, including members of his won family. This attitude of ingratiation goes to his head and it clouds his thinking in regards to what is right. It proves that while he might be king, he is still human and prone to mistakes just like everyone else. However, he is too concerned with his own place in the world and his own actions to think about Antigone and her feelings. He feels nothing but insult when she acts the way she does. Because he is obsessed with being king and not being insulted as king, he is compelled to do something about Antigone's actions. He is blinded to truth and justice and, as a result, cannot see the honor in her act. He tells Antigone, "No woman is going to lord it over me" (Sophocles 593). Here we see that Creon is concerned about nothing but himself and his place in the kingdom. Another reason why we know that Creon suffers because of his hubris is because he admits it at the end of the play. In a moment of realization, he states, "Take me away quickly, out of sight. / I don't even exist -- I'm no one. Nothing" (1445-6). The fact that he is regretful of what happens proves that he knows that he was wrong. When he learns of Eurydice's death, he admits to learning a lesson "through blood and tears" (1403). His remorse at the end of the play reinforces the notion that his hubris was something that went awry because he allowed it to do so.

While Antigone's behavior might be considered outrageous and while there can be no doubt that her behavior lead to ruin, we cannot honestly say that her behavior was motivated by pride. In fact, it is safe to assume that her behavior was fueled by love and respect. She is compelled by things that seem to be opposite those things that compel Creon. She is not concerned about her place in society not is she concerned about her reputation. She is, however, concerned about doing the right thing, even if it means her own death. It is also worth noting that Antigone dies with a self-respect that Creon simply does not have not gain he gain after what he done. She is committed like Creon but for purely unselfish reasons. We see this when she tells Ismene, "I will bury him myself. / And even if I die in the act, that death will be a glory" (Sophocles 85-6). While Antigone admits that she is defying the law, she has something greater on her side, which is truth. In this sense, we can see how the truth cannot be stopped. Antigone even admits her guilt, telling Creon, "I did it. I don't deny a thing" (492). In addition to this, she is not afraid of the consequences. She even has the nerve to tell Creon that his doom will be her "precious little pain . . . This is nothing . . . I've been accused of folly by a fool" (520). Antigone goes to extremes but it is for the cause of something greater than herself while Creon cannot see beyond himself to see any other cause. This is what separates the two. Bernard Knox notes that Antigone's loyalty is more than a "private code of conduct" (Knox 39); it is also an act that has "strong political overtones" (39). This is something that Creon could never do and even in his last moments probably never completely understood because it was such a selfless act.