Poor judgment and ethical blindness in Sophocles' Antigone

¶ … Judgment

Sophocles' Antigone illustrates the consequences of poor judgment. Creon is viewed unfavorably by the gods for his disrespect to Polyneices and Antigone. As the ruler (regent) of Thebes, he is expected to show good judgment in dealing with delicate matters involving both etiquette and the gods. Creon failed to properly recognize the ethical dilemma that he faced. What occurred then was that he made a poor decision regarding Polyneices' body and the treatment of his sisters, particularly Antigone. Thus, the play demonstrates that ethical dilemmas are not always obvious up front. In this situation, it was for Creon to recognize that he may anger the gods by showing this disrespect.

Indeed, the back story of the play should have given Creon the context he needed to show better judgment. He should have understood that as a result of Oedipus' curse, both brothers would have to die. As a result, it was only by the fulfillment of that curse that Polyneices died; therefore it was unnecessary for Creon to take the additional step of denying burial, especially as regent and not a true leader.

Good judgment is something that comes from careful consideration of the issue and understanding all of the steps that have lead to the development of the particular dilemma faced. No situation arises without context. Consideration of that context provides a means for making better decisions. In Antigone, Creon's poor decision is backed by the chorus. The chorus, however, is not a worthy source of sound decision-making. It provides little in the way of perspective.