representation of creon’s tragic hero in sophocles’ antigone
TRANSCRIPT
REPRESENTATION OF CREON’S TRAGIC HERO IN SOPHOCLES’ ANTIGONE
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By:
RR. LIRA DEWI CAHYANINGRUM
Student Number: 024214023
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS FACULTY OF LETTERS
YOGYAKARTA SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
2007
Sometimes, I feel afraid of the fear of uncertainty, stinging clear.
And I can’t help but ask myself How much I’ll let the fear take the wheel and steer.
It’s driven me before, And it seems to have a vague,
haunting mass appeal. But lately, I’m beginning to find
that I should be the one behind the wheel. Whatever tomorrow brings,
I’ll be there, with open arms and open eyes. So, if I decide to waiver my chance
to be the one of the hive Will I choose water over wine,
and hold my own and drive? It’s driven me before,
and it seems to be the way that everyone else get around. But lately, I’m beginning to find
that I drive myself, my light is found. Whatever tomorrow brings,
I’ll be there, With open arms and open eyes.
-DRIVE- by Incubus
Dedicated wholeheartedly to:
My beloved Mother and Father
My dearest Grandmother
My lovely Sister
My dearly-loved friends
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
On August 2002, I started my brand new days as a college student in English
Letters, Sanata Dharma University. In times I have been spending there, many
precious things I can gain: knowledge, skills, wonderful friends, lovely lecturers,
experiences whether they make me happy or sad. However, the precious things
motivate me to keep learning and they can make me a better person. And after all the
years I have been studying in English Letters Sanata Dharma University, the time for
me to finish the study has come, by doing this undergraduate thesis. Here, it is my
chance to express my highest gratitude for those who has great influence to me, so
that I can finish this thesis.
First of all, I would like to say my highest respect and gratitude to the
Almighty, Allah S. W.T. I would like to thank You for the bless and the chances You
give to me so that I can finish this thesis. Thank you so much!
I want to thank my family for being a wonderful family for me and for being
the last place I go to, when I end my days. My respect and deepest thank are sent to
my dearest mother, Sri Eny Hartati, S. Pd, who always keeps praying for me so that I
can be a better person. Without you, Mom! I would be nothing. I also would like to
send my greatest thank to my wonderful father, Triyono, for all his pray, and the
chance he gave to me to study in English Letters Sanata Dharma University. To my
lovely sister, Dian, I would like to thank you for all your supports. I love You, Sis!
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I want to send my deep gratitude to my advisor, Mr. Gabriel Fajar Sasmita
Aji, S. S, M. Hum, for the unconditional support, guidance, and patience, which make
it possible for me to finish this thesis. Thank you for the time and the ideas. I also
would like to thank Mrs. M. Luluk Artika W., S. S for her willingness and her time in
correcting my thesis. My gratitude is also sent for Mr. Paulus Sarwoto S. S, M. A.,
for the suggestions to make my thesis better. Thank you so much.
I would like to send my great thank to the greatest friends. My special love
and thanks are dedicated to my friends at English Letters Sanata Dharma University
for their willingness to spend their days at English Letters with me. You are all
wonderful friends for me. Thanks for the “Mad Seasons”! Last but not least, I would
like to dedicate my deep thank and love for my lovely friends with whom I used to
work together at Sanata Dharma University for their endless supports. You are all not
only my partners at work but you have been my close friends. Thanks that was fun,
don’t forget, no regret!
And for some special people I do not mention here, thanks for the beautiful
moments and supports. I will carry you in my heart!
I also would like to thank to the officers in Secretariat of English Literature
and Sanata Dharma University Library, who have contribution that make it possible
for me to finish my thesis.
-Lira-
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE ......................................................................................................... i APPROVAL PAGE ............................................................................................... ii MOTTO PAGE ...................................................................................................... iv DEDICATION PAGE............................................................................................ v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................... vi TABLE OF CONTENTS....................................................................................... viii ABSTRACT........................................................................................................... x ABSTRAK ............................................................................................................. xi CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION....................................................................... 1
A. Background of the Study............................................................. 1 B. Problem Formulation ............................................................... 5 C. Objective of the Study.............................................................. 5 D. Definition of Terms.................................................................. 5-7
CHAPTER II. THEORETICAL REVIEW....................................................... 8 A. Review of Related Studies ....................................................... 8 B. Review of Related Theories ..................................................... 12
1. Theories on Character and Characterization...................... 12 2. Theories on Tragedy .......................................................... 17 3. Theories on Representation................................................ 21
C. Theoretical Framework ............................................................ 23 CHAPTER III. METHODOLOGY ................................................................... 24
A. Object of the Studies ................................................................ 24 B. Approach of the study .............................................................. 27 C. Method of the Study................................................................. 28
CHAPTER IV. ANALYSIS ................................................................................ 31 A. The Qualities of Creon as a King............................................. 31
1. Loyal to the city of Thebes................................................. 31 2. Too strict to the rules ......................................................... 33 3. Arrogant ............................................................................. 35 4. Obstinate or stubborn ......................................................... 37 5. Authoritarian ...................................................................... 39 6. Self-absorbed ..................................................................... 41 7. Male-chauvinistic............................................................... 42 8. Unwise ............................................................................... 44 9. Fond of his family .............................................................. 45 10. Narrow-minded ... .......................................................... 47 11. Noble .................................................................................. 49 12. Wealthy .............................................................................. 50 13. Not greedy.......................................................................... 51
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14. Intelligent ........................................................................... 52 15. Powerful ............................................................................. 55
B. The Surface Representation of Creon as a King ...................... 57 1. Creon as a king with the qualities of a noble person.......... 58 2. Creon as a king with the qualities of a person with ‘high estate’ ................................................. 61 3. Creon as a king with the qualities of a person with ‘high character’............................................ 62 4. Creon as a person who is better than the ordinary people in
rank and mind..................................................................... 64 5. Creon as a person with significance and importance ......... 66 6. Creon as a king with the qualities of a person with consistency ................................................. 71 7. Creon as a king who is neither utterly villainous nor eminently virtuous ....................................................... 73 8. Creon as a king with ‘tragic flaws’ that lead him to his
‘death’ ................................................................................ 75 C. The Depth Representation of Creon as a King......................... 89
CHAPTER V. CONCLUSION ........................................................................... 97 BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................ 100 APPENDIX .................................................................................................. 102 Summary of Sophocles’ Antigone.......................................................................... 102
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ABSTRACT RR. LIRA DEWI CAHYANINGRUM (2007). Representation of Creon’s Tragic Hero in Sophocles’ Antigone. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, Yogyakarta. The object of this study is Sophocles’ Antigone with humanity as its theme. The aim of this study is to find the hidden intentions of the text in making Creon an authoritarian king, which drives him to be an oppressor, and then bringing him to his downfall. In order to achieve the aim, the writer is going to find the surface and depth representation of Creon as a king. To define the surface representation of Creon as a king, the writer uses the different perspective from the common knowledge, which sees Antigone as the tragic hero of the play. The perspective of Creon as the tragic hero is used in this study. But, the discussion of this study does not stop in proving that Creon qualifies Aristotelian tragic hero. The writer is also going to define what Creon as a tragic hero is to represent as the depth representation of Creon as a king. In order to guide the analysis, three questions are formulated in this study. The first question is to find the qualities of Creon as a king. The second question is to identify Creon’s significant characteristics or traits that make him tragic hero. Third question is to find what Creon as a tragic hero is to represent. The writer uses library research to get the data and the theories. The writer applies structuralist approach in doing the research. Structuralist approach means that in analyzing the text, the writer must relate the text with the larger structure they are part of, since the text cannot be understood in isolation. The theories used in this study are theories on character and characterization, theories on tragedy, and theories on representation. After doing the analysis, first, the writer finds that the qualities of Creon as a king are loyal (to Thebes), too strict to the rules, arrogant, obstinate (stubborn), authoritarian, self-absorbed, male-chauvinistic, unwise, fond of his family, narrow-minded, noble, wealth, not greedy, intelligent, and powerful. Second, the writer can prove that Creon with his traits qualifies Aristotelian tragic hero. Besides, the writer finds that ultimately, the oppressed gains the readers’ and the audiences’ sympathy, admiration, and respect, and not for Creon as the oppressor since Sophocles’ Antigone is a humanity play. The writer also finds that Creon is actually the ‘victim’ of the system of absolute power. Further, the state of being ‘victim’ means to uplift the message of the text itself wants to emphasize. Finally, this is the depth representation of Creon as a king.
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ABSTRAK RR. LIRA DEWI CAHYANINGRUM (2007). Representation of Creon’s Tragic Hero in Sophocles’ Antigone. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, Yogyakarta. Karya sastra yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah sebuah drama tragedi, yaitu Antigone, yang ditulis oleh Sophocles. Drama tragedi ini bertema kemanusiaan, yang lebih berpihak pada orang-orang tertindas. Si penulis percaya bahwa teks drama tersebut mempunyai maksud-maksud tertentu dalam menjadikan Creon sebagai seorang raja yang otoriter, sehingga membuat dia melakukan penindasan. Dan kemudian, Creon harus mengalami kehancuran sebagai konsekuensi dari penindasan yang dia lakukan. Dalam penelitian ini, si penulis mencoba untuk mengetahui maksud-maksud tertentu tersebut. Untuk mencapai tujuan dari penelitian ini, si penulis harus menemukan representasi ‘permukaan’ dan representasi ‘dalaman’ dari Creon sebagai seorang raja. Untuk mendapatkan representasi ‘permukaan’ dari Creon sebagai seorang raja, penelitian ini menggunakan sudut pandang yang berbeda dari persepsi umum, yang mempercayai bahwa Antigone merupakan tragic hero atau pahlawan yang tragis dari drama tragedi ini. Penelitian ini menggunakan sudut pandang bahwa Creon merupakan tragic hero atau pahlawan yang tragis dari drama ini. Lalu, si penulis menemukan bahwa Creon sebagai seorang pahlawan yang tragis tersebut sebenarnya menggambarkan sesuatu hal yang menjadi maksud-maksud tertentu dari teks drama ini. Dan pada akhirnya, inilah representasi ‘dalaman’ dari Creon sebagai seorang raja. Si penulis merumuskan tiga pertanyaan dalam skripsi ini untuk memandu analisis. Pertanyaan yang pertama digunakan untuk menemukan karakteristik-karakteristik Creon sebagai seorang raja. Pertanyaan yang kedua digunakan untuk mengetahui karakteristik-karakteristik Creon yang signifikan, yang membuat dia menjadi seorang pahlawan yang tragis. Pertanyaan ketiga digunakan untuk mengetahui hal-hal apa sajakah yang ada dibalik Creon sebagai seorang pahlawan yang tragis. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode kepustakaan untuk mendapatkan data dan teori. Si penulis menggunakan pendekatan strukturalisme dalam melakukan penelitian ini. Pendekatan strukturalisme berarti bahwa dalam menganalisa teks drama itu, si penulis harus menghubungkan teks drama tersebut dengan teks-teks lain dimana teks drama itu menjadi bagian dari teks-teks tersebut. Teori-teori yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah teori karakter dan karakterisasi, teori tragedi, dan teori representasi. Setelah melakukan analisis, si penulis menemukan karakeristik-karakteristik Creon sebagai seorang raja adalah sebagai berikut: setia (pada kota Thebes), terlalu patuh pada peraturan, sombong, keras kepala, otoriter, mementingkan dirinya sendiri, percaya bahwa laki-laki lebih superior dari wanita, tidak bijaksana, mencintai
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keluarganya, berpikiran sempit, mulia, kaya raya, tidak tamak, pintar, dan kuat. Kemudian, si penulis juga bisa membuktikan bahwa Creon merupakan tragic hero atau pahlawan yang tragis dari drama tragedi ini berdasarkan teori dari Aristotle. Si penulis juga menemukan bahwa pada akhirnya, orang-orang yang tertindas akan mendapatkan simpati, kekaguman, dan penghormatan dari para pembaca dan para penonton drama tragedi ini karena tema dari drama ini adalah kemanusiaan. Di samping itu, si penulis juga menemukan bahwa Creon merupakan korban dari sistem kekuasaan abolut. Selanjutnya, pernyataan menjadi ‘korban’ berarti untuk mengangkat pesan yang ingin disampaikan oleh teks drama tersebut. Dan pada akhirnya, inilah yang menjadi representasi ‘dalaman’ dari Creon sebagai seorang raja.
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Once a man has authority, he must be obeyed. In big things and in small, in every act, whether just or not so just. I tell you this, the well-disciplined man is good At giving orders and at taking them too. Sophocles’ Antigone The statement above can be found in Sophocles’ Antigone. It is said by the
main character of the play, Creon. The statement above means that there is a strict
obligation for the citizens to comply with a “man” who has the most important
position in the city. Creon says that the people must obey the man’s orders though
there are possibilities that the orders are considered unjust for some people. He also
states that the people should believe that the man’s orders are aimed at their
prosperity and joy.
It can be observed from Creon’s statements that the “man”, who is stated
above, has the highest position in the society. So, what is meant by the “man” here is
the king of the city. Since the king places the highest position in the society, he has
the full right to control the city and the citizens, so that his power or his authority
becomes unlimited or absolute. It can be said that the situation drives the king to be
an authoritarian king with absolute power.
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By reviewing the problem above to Sophocles’ Antigone, the writer finds that
what is meant by the “man” who has the absolute power is Creon himself because he
is the king of Thebes. That is why the issue of Creon as a king, who possesses an
absolute power, occurs in the play and it becomes an important issue in the play. So,
the writer sees that the issue is worth to study.
Basically, by using his absolute power, Creon, as an authoritarian king (a
tyrant), purposes to control Thebes and its citizens in order to make the city safe and
well-organized, and Thebes can get its prosperity back after undergoing a civil war
(the attack of The Argive Army from Argos, which caused a big disaster in Thebes).
But things that happen after he becomes an authoritarian king with absolute power are
not what he expects before. In fact, an adversity or downfall must be experienced by
Creon.
Most of the readers and the audiences see that Creon’s downfall is the
consequence of his actions (to unbury Polyneices’ body and to punish Antigone),
which are seen as forms of oppression toward the innocent people (later they are
called as the “the oppressed”). This is logic because by considering that Sophocles’
Antigone is a humanistic play, which tends to stand for the oppressed, Creon’s actions
are seen as an insult to humanity.
Then, based on Creon’s qualities as an authoritarian king and by considering
the tragic incidents that are experienced by Creon (including his downfall), the writer
views that Creon is the tragic hero of the play. The writer sees that Creon qualifies
Aristotelian tragic hero.
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Actually, until today, there is still a controversy in deciding the true tragic
hero of Sophocles’ Antigone. Is it Antigone or is it Creon? The common knowledge
states that Antigone is the tragic hero of the play, because she is much more
sympathetic than Creon, who is seen as a tyrant (Barnett, Burto, Ferris, and Rabkin,
2001: 87). Moreover, the title is Antigone, which satisfies those who believe that
Antigone is the tragic hero of the play. Most of readers and audiences believe that
Antigone becomes the tragic hero because she tries to keep her faith and love for her
family by burying Polyneices’ corpse (Polyneices is Antigone’s elder brother), which
is considered as a noble action. She tries to honor her brother by fighting against
Creon’s order to unbury Polyneices’ corpse because Creon considers Polyneices as a
traitor for leading The Argive Army to attack Thebes. They also think that Antigone’s
suicide is a form of her loyalty to her family. Most of the readers and the audiences
view that Antigone has done the right things by disobeying the order of Creon, who is
considered as a tyrant, and she dies in honor by keeping her loyalty to her family.
But, the writer tries to see the issue by using different perspective from the
common knowledge. The writer sees that though the title of the play is Antigone, it
does not mean that Antigone must be the tragic hero of the play. The writer views that
the character of Antigone and her actions are merely used to indicate the subject
matter of the play, in order to support and to reveal the more important case of the
play. What is meant by the more important case here is Creon, with his qualities as an
authoritarian king, is the tragic hero of the play, since his qualities as a king with
absolute power lead him to be the tragic hero of the play.
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Since this thesis uses the point of view that Creon is the tragic hero, the writer
should discuss about Creon’s significant characteristics (traits) that make him the
tragic hero in order to prove that Creon qualifies Aristotelian tragic hero. And, the
most important thing to discuss is his tragic flaw. According to Hugh Holman and
William Harmon in their A Handbook to Literature (5th edition), tragic flaw is an
error or imperfection in the tragic hero’s part that causes his or her downfall, which
becomes the essential part of the hero’s character (1986: 507). So, the belief that
Creon as tragic hero can be justified.
Then, in the last part of analysis, the writer is going to do an analysis that has
never been done before by other researches, because the analysis of this thesis does
not stop in analyzing the tragic hero of the play, just like what the common studies
do. But, the writer views that the text has hidden intentions in making Creon as an
authoritarian king with absolute power (a tyrant), then making him the tragic hero of
the play. It means that the writer does not take it for granted that Creon is a tyrant,
who claims to force his wills, and in most readers’ and audiences’ point of views, he
is not sympathetic. So, in the end of the analysis, the writer is going to find the text’s
hidden intentions in entering Creon to the system of absolute power, so that he does
oppression, then it makes him the tragic hero.
It can be concluded from the explanation above that the aims of this study are
to find the surface and depth representation of Creon as a king. Creon as a king
represents that Creon is the tragic hero the play. This becomes the surface
representation of Creon as a king. Then, Creon as the tragic hero represents
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something, which the writer is going to find out. And finally, this is the depth
representation of Creon as a king.
B. Problem Formulation
The problems above are formulated into three questions below:
1. What are the qualities of Creon as the king?
2. What are Creon’s significant characteristics or traits that make him the tragic hero?
3. What is Creon as a tragic hero to represent?
C. Objectives of the Study
The purpose of this study is to answer the questions stated in the problem
formulation. First, this study is aimed to find the qualities of Creon as a king. Second,
this study is also purposed to identify the surface representation of Creon as a king by
describing Creon’s significant characteristics or traits that make him the tragic hero,
including his tragic flaw. Third, this study is aimed to define and explain the depth
representation of Creon as a king by finding what Creon as a tragic hero is to
represent.
D. Definition of Terms
It is considered important to give the definitions of some terms used in this
undergraduate thesis. It is purposed to avoid misunderstandings and it is helpful to
understand the thesis.
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1. Representation
Andrew Gibson in his book, Towards a Postmodern Theory of Narrative,
defines representation as surface representation and depth representation. According
to him, “surface representation” is a realism of particulars. The language is seen as
innocent and it conceives of language as unproblematically adequate to what it
represents (Gibson, 1996: 91). So, if it is applied in a work of art, it will result in
something which is “visible”. The term “visible” here is also defined by Gibson by
quoting from other theorist.
Of course, this is only a “visibility” by convention or contract, and is not to be confused with cinematic visibility. But in the terms of the old contract, “surface representation” emerges in the first instance as an “optical realism” (Feyerabend, 1987: 151). Strictly speaking, it is not confined to the “visible”, but equally includes what is heard, felt, and so on, the world as apprehended by the senses (Gibson, 1996: 82).
It can be concluded from the theory above that the term “visible” means
something that not only can be seen by optical organs, but also by hearing and
feeling. It means that “surface representation” sees the work as what it is without any
deeper considerations and it does not see the work from different point of view.
Gibson also defines “depth representation” in the book as follows:
“Representation of depth”, on the other hand, means penetrating the visible. In James’ terms, it “guess[es] the unseen from the seen” (ibid. p. 3). This is the representation of essences, general features, types which thus depends on and expresses ontological conviction. It pierces through the veil of the visible to what the visible supposedly secretes or embodies, capturing the distilled essence and saturating language in it (Gibson, 1996: 82).
It means that the depth representation observes and defines the invisible
things or the unseen things from the surface representation (the visible things) of a
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work. It can be said that it goes beyond the visible. It tries to find things that lay
behind the surface representation by doing deeper considerations of the work, and by
seeing the surface representation from various points of views.
2. Tragic hero
In tragedy, the tragic hero must be a man who is not eminently good and just,
yet whose misfortune is brought about not by vice or depravity, but some error or
frailty. He or she must be one who is highly renowned and prosperous. All tragic
heroes must have his or her tragic flaw, or hamartia, that leads to his or her downfall
in such a way as not to offend the audience’s sense of justice. According to Aristotle,
tragic flaw can be meant as some great errors or frailty done by the tragic hero, which
brings the hero from prosperity to adversity. The occurrence of tragic flaw is regarded
as desirable in an ideal or perfect tragedy (Bate, 1952: 17).
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CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
A. Review of Related Studies
Library research is done by the writer to find some studies related to the topic.
The studies are written by other researchers. The studies or the reviews are taken
from books and internet.
It has been stated in Chapter I that this thesis is going to find the surface and
depth representation of Creon as a king. The writer finds that there are some visible
ideas that can be derived from Creon as a king. It is also urgent to understand that
since Creon becomes a king, the fact makes Creon posses an absolute power.
Besides, the writer also tries to reveal the hidden ideas which lay behind Creon as a
king.
Surface representation is trying to define the visible condition of Creon as a
king (without anymore deep considerations) through Creon’s characteristics as a king.
Then, the writer finds that his qualities as a king construct the idea that Creon is the
tragic hero of Sophocles’ Antigone. That is why tragic hero becomes an important
issue in this thesis. So, in this part, the writer tries to review other studies that discuss
Antigone, especially reviewing the controversy about the tragic hero of the play and
reviewing the studies that support each belief.
It has been stated in Chapter I that the controversy about who the tragic hero
of Sophocles’ Antigone is, still remains until today, whether it is Antigone or Creon.
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In fact, most of studies, readers, and audiences believe that Antigone is the tragic
hero. Most of them concern on the struggle of Antigone in fighting against Creon’s
(Creon as the representation of men) oppression toward Antigone (as the
representation of women). It can be said that they pay attention on feminist issue. One
of the studies that reveal the idea of feminism in Antigone is done by Setyarini. In
her undergraduate thesis, which is entitled The Emergence of Feminist Ideas in
Sophocles’ Antigone, she states that Antigone performs in herself some feminist ideas
through her thoughts and actions to be confronted with men’s narrow view of the
unfortunate position of women within the patriarchal society in Ancient Greek (2002:
84).
So, the study above already provides enough explanation about the knowledge
that Antigone is the tragic hero of Sophocles’ Antigone, which becomes a common
knowledge. But, the writer tries to see the issue about the tragic hero by using
different point of view (different angle) from the common knowledge. The writer
tries to reveal the issue of tragic hero by using another knowledge, which states that
Creon is the tragic hero. But, it does not mean that the writer sees that the common
knowledge is wrong and the second knowledge is right. The writer tries to view and
discuss the issue by using different perspective from the common knowledge in order
to define the hidden ideas behind the issue of tragic hero. But, in this part, the writer
is going to provide the related study which discusses that Creon is the tragic hero.
Based on a study found in internet, Creon qualifies Aristotle’s tragic hero. The
study states that Creon is significant because he is a king. Besides, he is neither
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completely bad nor extremely good person, which becomes one of the qualifications
of a tragic hero. This study concerns on Creon’s ability in making hard decisions. The
study writes that Creon tries to make the best decisions he can, based on his belief.
The study sees that his condition which forces him to make hard decisions makes him
the tragic hero (http://www.123helpme.com/preview.asp?id=60640).
Besides, there are also some related studies that discuss Antigone. The first
study is done by Sylvan Barnett, William Burto, Lesley Ferris, and Gerald Rabkin in
their Types of Drama: Plays and Contexts (8th edition). They state that few modern
readers see that Creon and Antigone are equally right and equally wrong. They state
that most readers consider that Antigone is much more sympathetic than Creon for
acting bravely against Creon and his laws, without the helps from other people. But,
they see that she is a bit too headstrong and a bit eager to martyrdom. While they see
that Creon in making the policies is not based on personal hatred, but as a new ruler
of Thebes, he has an obligation to maintain order in a city, which has just undergone
a civil war (2001).
The second study is done by Gilbert Norwood in his Greek Tragedy. He states
that commonly, people consider that Antigone is a noble martyr and Creon is a cruel
tyrant. He views that the principle upheld by Antigone and upheld by Creon are equal
validity. He states that it should be remembered that in judging the Attic literature,
such as: Sophocles’ Antigone, should consider its belief that we are alive the sanctity
of human life, but think far less the sanctity of national life (p. 137)
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The next study which discusses Sophocles’ Antigone is done by H. D. F. Kitto
in his Form and Meaning in Drama: A Study of Six Great Plays and of Hamlet.
According to him, what happens in Antigone is not merely a clash of personal, but
more on a clash of principles. Antigone has appealed to the unwritten laws of
Heaven, while Creon stands for the city’s laws (1956).
There is also a study done by a student that discusses Antigone, found in Hans
P. Guth and Gabrielle L. Rico’s Discovering Literature: Stories, Poems, and Plays
(2nd edition). He says that the play is a contest of wills. He sees that both of Creon
and Antigone are sincere in their beliefs and they are both proud and self-righteous
(1997).
The other study that discusses Sophocles’ Antigone is done by Harcourt Brace
Jovanovich in his A World Enclosed: TRAGEDY. He states that in Antigone, there are
two tragedies. The first is Antigone’s tragedy, and the second is Creon’s tragedy. In
his point of view, Antigone is the sacrificial hero, since she sacrifices herself for the
spirit of her brother (Polyneices). He also states that the conflict in the play is
between Antigone’s dedication to personal integrity and Creon’s belief in the
integrity of the state (1973).
So, the writer has elaborated the related studies, including the study which
stands for the common knowledge that Antigone is the tragic hero, also the study
which stands for the later knowledge that Creon is the tragic hero. In this part, the
writer tries to explain the position or stand of this Undergraduate Thesis. Basically, in
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this thesis, the writer does a research that has never been done before by other
researches. The analysis of this thesis does not stop in only proving that Creon is the
tragic hero of the play, which is considered as the surface representation of Creon as a
king. Since the writer views that the text has hidden intentions in making Creon an
authoritarian king, and then making him the tragic hero, the writer is also going to
find what Creon as tragic hero is to represent. And finally, this is the depth
representation of Creon as a king.
B. Review of Related Theories
In order to discuss the topic, some related theories are used in this
undergraduate thesis. In this thesis, the writer is going to apply theories on character
and characterization, theories on tragedy (specifically theories of tragic hero), and
theories on representation.
1. Theories on Character and Characterization
Character has an important role in a work of art. X. J. Kennedy and Dana
Gioia, in their Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama (7th edition),
defines that a character is presumably an imagined person who inhabits a story.
According to them, the main character of the story acts in a consistent manner, and
the author has provided the character a motivation, which is meant as sufficient
reason to behave as they do (1999: 60).
While according to Edgar V. Roberts and Henry E. Jacobs in their Fiction: An
Introduction to Reading and Writing (2nd edition), character in literature, and in
13
fiction specifically, is an extended verbal representation of a human being, the inner
self that determiners thought, speech, and behaviour. Through dialogue, action, and
commentary, authors capture some of the interactions of character and circumstance
(1989: 143).
Besides character, characterization is also an important element in a work of
art. So, theories on characterization are urgent to be applied in the thesis. The first
definition of characterization in this study is stated by Mary Rohberger and Samuel
H. Woods in Reading and Writing about Literature. They define characterization as
the process by which an author creates a character. It is also a process with its aim is
to make the readers believe that a character is like particular person he is. In order to
characterize, there are two principal ways can be used by the author. First, he can use
direct means to describe physical appearance. Second, the author uses dramatic
means and places the character in situation to show what he or she behaves or speaks
(1971: 81).
Characterization is also defined by Edgar V. Roberts and Henry E. Jacobs in
their An Introduction to Reading and Writing. According to them, authors use four
distinctive ways to present information about characters. The readers must use their
own knowledge and experience as a human being to make judgments about the
qualities of the characters. The first way is by observing the characters when they say
and think. The readers must consider the situation or total context of a statement. The
readers should also consider whether speeches show change or development. The
14
second way is by observing what the characters do. The readers should interpret
actions as signs of character. Third, the readers can characterize the characters in the
story by observing what the other characters say about them. It is known that in
stories and in plays, as in life, people often talk about other people. The readers must
always consider the context and source of all remarks before they draw conclusions
about character. The last way is by observing what the author says about the
characters, speaking as a story teller or observer. What the author says about a
character is to be accepted as accurate (1989: 147-148).
According to M. J. Murphy in his Understanding Unseens, there are several
ways how the author describes characters (1972: 161-172).
a. Personal Description
The author can describe a character by analyzing his or her physical
appearance. For example, the author can describe the details of the characters’
appearance, such as: the skin, face, eyes, hair, body, or his or her clothes. By
analyzing physical appearance of the character, the author can describe the
personalities of the character.
b. Characters as seen by another character
The description is gain from the eyes and opinions of other character. The
author gives description of the character by showing other characters’ opinion toward
the character, which the author wants to describe.
15
c. Speech
The author describes the character through what the character says. The
readers can observe the character’s personality by observing his or her speech.
d. Past life
The author describes the character’s personality through the events in past
life. The readers can analyze by paying attention on the direct comments, the
character’s thoughts, and his or her conversation.
e. Conversation of Others
To find the personality of a character, the author can give the readers a clue to
a person’s character through the conversations with other characters and the things
they say about him.
f. Reactions
The author can describe a character by letting the readers know how the
person reacts to various situations and events.
g. Direct Comment
The author also can describe the character’s personality directly.
16
h. Thoughts
The author describes the character’s personality through the character’s inner
mind or thoughts, or the way he thinks.
i. Mannerism
By identifying the character’s manners or behaviour, the readers can identify
his characteristics.
Since this study does a research on a classic play, so it is considered urgent to
find the theories on drama’s characters. Milly S. Barranger in Understanding Plays
divides the approaches that can be used to understand classic drama’s characters into
four ways. The first way is that the readers observe what the playwrights say about
them in stage directions. Second, the readers hear or read what the characters say
about one another in dialogues. Third, the readers note general types of physical and
psychological side. The last is by construing or analyzing the moral ethical choices
that determine their destinies (1994:339).
In the same book, Milly S. Barranger also states that the characters in drama
are the representation of real human beings. The playwright usually visualizes the
fictional characters’ clothes, habitat, thoughts, speech, and actions. Characters in
drama may have complex personality, based on the playwright’s skills. The
characters also represent a class of individuals, such as: kings or servants. They
signify the human predicament from the writer’s historical and philosophical
perspective (1994:338).
17
2. Theories on Tragedy
M. H. Abrams in his A Glossary of Literary Terms (6th edition) states that the
term, tragedy, is broadly used in literature, especially in dramas or plays, as the
representation of serious and important actions which eventuate in a disastrous
conclusion for the protagonist, or the chief character. He also states that “the pleasure
of pity and fear” distinguishes tragedy from comic or other forms (1985: 21).
Based on Aristotle’s Poetics, which is discussed by Walter Jackson Bate, in
his Criticism: The Major Texts, Aristotle defines some elements of tragedy. These
elements of tragedy are specified as the elements of classical Greek tragedy, which
become the most famous tragedy of all time. First, tragedy must fulfill the three
unities: unity of time, unity of place, and unity of action (1952: 16). Second, the most
important element is the occurrence of the tragic hero (1952: 16). The third element
is tragic flaw which is possessed by the tragic hero. Tragic flaw can be said as the
acts of pride or ambition of the tragic hero (1952: 16). Fourth, tragedy must include
hamartia or hubris, which is meant as error or frailty done by the tragic hero (16-17).
Lastly, a successful tragedy exploits and appeals at the start of two basic emotions:
pity and fear, which is usually called as catharsis (1952: 17-18).
X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia in their Literature: An Introduction to Fiction,
Poetry, and Drama (7th edition), define the main character in tragedy. They state that
the protagonist, or the hero, or the chief character in tragedy is a person of “high
estate”, apparently a king, queen, or other member of a royal family. They also state
18
that the nature of tragedy is the falling of the protagonist, from his power, and from
his happiness. And the most important thing is the falling from his high estate, which
gives him a place of dignity to fall from. This fall can be said as his misfortune or his
calamity (great and serious disaster), which involves an entire nation or people.
According to them, the hero is not a superman. He is fallible. And the hero’s downfall
is the result of tragedy (1999: 1295).
Hugh Holman and William Harmon in their A Handbook to Literature (5th
edition) state that plot is “the soul of tragedy”. The plot in tragedy must involve a
protagonist who is better than ordinary people, and this virtuous person must be
brought from happiness to misery. They also state that the protagonist must have
significance or importance. For them, hero or heroine is called as tragic protagonist.
To qualify as a hero or heroine, he or she must be a person of high character and must
face his or her destiny with courage and nobility of spirit (1986: 506).
In his book, Understanding Plays (2nd Edition), Milly S. Barranger defines
more on the tragic hero, who is considered as an important person with certain
admirable qualities.
The tragic hero usually does some deed and suffers as a consequence because, in Aristotle’s point of view, actions have consequences in the moral world. This was also Sophocles’ view. Moreover, Aristotle urged that the tragic hero, or protagonist, be credible; that is, he or she should be neither utterly villainous nor eminently virtuous. The reversal of circumstances is, therefore, brought about not by vice or corruption, but by some great errors-usually a misjudgment-on the hero’s part (1994: 58-59).
Based on Aristotle’s Poetics, which is taken from David H. Richter’s The
Critical Tradition: Classic Texts and Contemporary Trends (2nd edition), Aristotle
19
states that tragedy is not an imitation of man, but of human action and life and
happiness, and misery. Both happiness and misery consist in a kind of action, and the
end of life is some action, not some quality. According to the character, men have
certain qualities, but according to their actions, they are happy or the opposite. Thus,
the end of tragedy is the most significant thing of all. Other important factors in
tragedy are parts of the plot, which are the reversal and the recognition. (47-49).
Reversal is the change of fortune in the action of the play to the opposite state
of affairs, and it should be in harmony with probability and necessity. Recognition is
a change from ignorance to knowledge. It can be meant that the main character has
found or realizes the things that he ignores before, or the events that he never
considers to happen, such as: the tragic hero realizes the consequences of his deed. In
every tragedy, people can find both the complication and the resolution of the action
(1998: 49-50).
Here, David H. Richter also describes the definition of catharsis. The plot of
tragedy can arouse the readers or the audience’s pity or fear, which can be said as
catharsis. Catharsis can be translated as “clarification”, “purification”, and
“purgation”. According to the classical scholar, Leon Golden, catharsis means
“clarification”, and it is meant as the tragic incidents that are clarified. While
Lodovico Castelvetro and Francesco Robortello in their purification theory, state that
tragedy has the function of tampering or hardening the emotions by revealing to the
audience the proper objects of pity and fear. And the oldest theory defines that
catharsis means “purgation”. It means the violent that drives out the emotions of pity
20
and fear. Another definition of catharsis, which relates to the English word
“cathartic” is the action of powerful laxative (the primary meaning of laxative is
causing the bowels empty). It is because after seeing tragedy, the audiences’ souls are
lightened and delighted. They are no longer obsessed by pity and fear, but their souls
are cleansed and emptied (1998:41).
According to Charless E. Bressler in his Literary Criticism (2nd edition),
Aristotle states that the tragic hero must be “a man who is eminently good and just,
yet whose misfortune is brought about not by vice or depravity, but by some error or
frailty. He must be one who is highly renowned and prosperous”. In addition, all
tragic heroes must have a tragic flaw, or hamartia, that leads to their downfall in such
a way as not to offend the audience’s sense of justice (1999: 20).
In A Handbook to Literature (5th edition), Hugh Holman and William Harmon
define tragic flaw is a flaw, or an error, of imperfection in the tragic hero that causes
his or her downfall. It is the essential part of the hero’s character (1986: 507).
So, based on the theories on tragedy above, this thesis sums the characteristics
of tragic hero according to Aristotle, which are usually called as Aristotelian tragic
hero as follows:
• The character must be noble.
• The character must be a person with ‘high estate’.
• The character must be a person with ‘high character’.
21
• The character must be better than the ordinary people in rank, mind, or
capacity to feel.
• The character must be significant or important.
• The character must be consistent.
• The character must be neither utterly villainous nor eminently virtuous.
• The character must posses ‘tragic flaw’ that leads to his ‘death’.
4. Theories on Representation
Andrew Gibson in his book, Towards a Postmodern Theory of Narrative,
defines representation as surface representation and depth representation. According
to him, “surface representation” is a realism of particulars. The language is seen as
innocent and it conceives of language as unproblematically adequate to what it
represents (Gibson, 1996: 91). So, if it is applied in a work of art, it will result in
something which is “visible”. The term “visible” here is also defined by Gibson by
quoting from other theorist.
Of course, this is only a “visibility” by convention or contract, and is not to be confused with cinematic visibility. But in the terms of the old contract, “surface representation” emerges in the first instance as an “optical realism” (Feyerabend, 1987: 151). Strictly speaking, it is not confined to the “visible”, but equally includes what is heard, felt, and so on, the world as apprehended by the senses (Gibson, 1996: 82).
It can be concluded from the theory above that the term “visible” means
something that not only can be seen by optical organs, but also by hearing and
feeling. It means that “surface representation” sees the work as what it is without any
deeper considerations and it does not see the work from different point of view.
22
Gibson also defines “depth representation” in his the book as follows:
“Representation of depth”, on the other hand, means penetrating the visible. In James’ terms, it “guess[es] the unseen from the seen” (ibid. p. 3). This is the representation of essences, general features, types which thus depends on and expresses ontological conviction. It pierces through the veil of the visible to what the visible supposedly secretes or embodies, capturing the distilled essence and saturating language in it (Gibson, 1996: 82).
It means that the depth representation observes and defines the invisible
things or the unseen things from the surface representation (the visible things) of a
work. It can be said that it goes beyond the visible. It tries to find things that lay
behind the surface representation by doing deeper considerations of the work, and by
seeing the surface representation from various points of views.
D. Theoretical Framework
The aims of this study are to find the surface representation and the depth
representation of Creon as a king. At first, it is urgent to understand that being a king
makes Creon posses an absolute power. Then, theories on character and
characterization are used to define Creon’s characteristics as a king.
The writer sees that Creon’s qualities as a king construct the idea that Creon is
the tragic hero of the play. So, by analyzing Creon’s characterizations as a king, the
writer will be able to prove that Creon with his significant characteristics is the tragic
hero of the play, which is believed as the surface representation of Creon as a king.
So, here, theories on surface representation and theories on tragedy are used by the
writer.
23
For the next analysis, theories on depth representation are used to do deeper
observations on Creon as the tragic hero to find the hidden intentions of the text in
entering Creon to the system which drives him to be an authoritarian king, and then it
makes him the tragic hero. So, theories on tragedy are still used here to define what
Creon as a tragic hero is to represent, which becomes the depth representation of
Creon as a king.
24
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
The writer takes Antigone as the object of the study. The play was written by
Sophocles. Sophocles is famous as the best tragedy playwright, who was born in
Colonus (a village just outside Athens, about 496 B. C.). He had won 24 contests
because of the plays he made. The play it self was written by Sophocles on 442/441
B. C.
The play used by the writer is taken from The Literary Heritage, written by
Hans P. Guth, and published by D. C. Heath and Company in 1981. The book, which
explains about the history of literature, also includes some plays as the examples of
each era, including Antigone. And Sophocles’ Antigone in the book was translated by
Michael Toensad.
Antigone can be included as one of famous tragedies of all time. According to
Hans P. Guth, in The Literary Heritage, Antigone is the most widely-known tragedy
and most successful drama of all time, and still performed in many places in the
world (1981: 119). And Gilbert Norwood in his Greek Tragedy states that this play is
perhaps the most admired of Sophocles’ works (p. 137). Sylvan Barnett, William
Burto, Lesley Ferrris, and Gerald Rabkin in their Types of Drama: Plays and
Contexts (8th edition) state that Sophocles’ Antigone has had a great influence,
25
especially in the twentieth century. According to them, it is known that Antigone was
highly esteemed in the century after it was written and that it influenced a Roman
version of the play (2001: 106-107). Also, in McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia World
Drama Volume 4 (2nd edition), Antigone is the most appealing tragedy in times of
authoritarian rule, and this tragedy has reworked by some people, such as: Bertolt
Brecht and Jean Anouilh (1984: 488).
Generally, Sophocles’ Antigone tells about the tragic hero of the play, Creon,
who must face his terrible fate. Creon became the king of Thebes after the deaths of
the former kings, Polyneices and Eteocles.
For a time, the two brothers, Polyneices and Eteocles, together ruled Thebes
after their father, Oedipus (who was once the king of Thebes) left Thebes. But then,
they quarreled, and the elder brother, Polyneices had to leave Thebes. He went to the
city of Argos and turned into a traitor against Thebes. Then, he led the Argive Army
to fight against his own mother land. In the combat, the two brothers met, and finally
they killed each other.
Based on this case, Creon, as the new king of Thebes, revealed a policy to
unbury Polyneices’ body, because he had betrayed Thebes. Creon stated that the
traitor did not deserve a decent burial. On the other hand, Creon decided to bury
Eteocles’ body in an honorable rite because he was considered as a hero for
protecting Thebes from the Argive Army and died because of it.
Antigone, the sister of the two brothers disagreed with Creon’s policy. She
decided to bury his brother’s body (Polyneices’ body), so that his soul could enter the
26
underworld. It meant that Antigone had disobeyed Creon’s policy. After knowing the
defiance of Antigone, Creon revealed a new policy to punish Antigone for disobeying
the law he made. He ordered the Guard to take Antigone to a deserted spot without
food.
Haemon, Creon’s son, who was also Antigone’s lover, did not agree with
Creon’s policy to punish Antigone. He told Creon to undo the policy because
according to him, what was done by Antigone was a noble action. But Creon was still
unwilling to undo his policy.
Then, a blind prophet, Teiresias came to Creon and told him about his
prophecy relating to Creon’s policies. Teiresias told that if Creon was unwilling to
undo the policies, a disaster would happen in Thebes. It would bring Creon and the
citizens of Thebes into misery. At first, Creon was unwilling to accept the prophecy
and unwilling to undo his policies. But finally, he decided to undo his policies
because he could not pretend that he was unworried about Teiresias’ prophecy.
Then, he personally undid his policies by burying Polyneices’ body first. Then
he would set Antigone free. Unfortunately, it was too late for him to save Antigone,
because he found that Antigone had committed suicide by hanging herself in a noose
of linen. Creon also saw Haemon killed himself in front of his eyes. What’s more,
Creon found out that Eurydice, Creon’s wife, stabbed herself after knowing the death
of her son.
27
Finally, the play ended with the downfall of Creon as a king. He was not
anymore a prosperous person, but he became a miserable person for knowing the
facts that the deaths of his beloved people were caused by him.
B. Approach of the Study
This study uses structuralist approach to analyze the topic. Peter Barry in his
The Beginning Theory: An Introduction to Literary Theory and Practice (2nd edition),
states that it is difficult to boil structuralism down to a single “bottom-line”
proposition, since things can not be understood in isolation (2002: 39). It means that
since things can not be understood in isolation, they have to be seen in the context of
the larger structure they are part of.
The principle of those who use this approach is subjectivity, which means it
depends on how we see the world and organize experiences (2002: 39). They do not
depend on objectivity which relates to the things outside the world. There is also an
important thing can be derived from the explanation before. This approach sees that
in the literal sense, meanings are attributes of things, which come from human mind.
Meanings, for them, are not contained within the things. It means that the meanings
of things depend on the person who defines the things. So, the meanings can be
different from one person to another person.
28
C. Method of the Study
In collecting the data, library research was done to conduct the research. Both
primary and secondary data were collected from the library and from internet.
This study used two kinds of data. Both primary and secondary data were
collected from many sources to support the study of “Representation of Creon’s
Tragic Hero in Sophocles’ Antigone”. The primary data was the tragedy, titled
Antigone, which was written by Sophocles (495-406 B.C.) in about 442/441 B. C.
The play was taken from Hans P. Guth’s The Literary Heritage (1981). The
secondary data were taken from some books to find the related studies and the related
theories of the topic, which discussed about character, characterization,
representation, tragedy. The data were taken from books and from internet.
There were some steps done in this study. Firstly, in order to understand the
whole context of the play, the writer read and reread the play for several times, so that
the writer could get a better understanding on the intrinsic elements of the play,
especially the main character of the play, Creon, which became the object of this
study.
Specifically, this study took Creon (as a king) as the object of the study. It
was also urgent to understand first that since he became a king, it made Creon posses
an absolute power. At first, it was necessary to analyze Creon’s qualities as a king to
find the surface representation of Creon as a king. The writer used theories on
character and characterization to find the characteristics of Creon as a king. The
theories were taken from A Glossary of Literary Terms (3rd edition) written by M. H.
29
Abrams; X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia’s Literature: An Introduction to Fiction,
Poetry, and Drama (7th edition); Edgar V. Roberts and Henry E. Jacobs’s Fiction: An
Introduction to Reading and Writing (2nd edition). The writer also took the theories
from Fiction: An Introduction to Reading and Writing (2nd edition) by Edgar V.
Roberts and Henry E. Jacobs; Reading and Writing about Literature by Mary
Rohberger and Samuel H. Woods. Since this study used a play as the object of the
study, the writer also used Understanding Plays (2nd edition) by Milly S. Barranger.
The next analysis of the thesis was to find the surface representation of Creon
as a king, through the qualities of Creon as a king. In order to analyze it, the writer
used theories on surface representation taken from Andrew Gibson’s Towards a
Postmodern Theory of Narrative and Peter Barry’s Beginning Theory: an
Introduction to Literary and Cultural Theory (2nd edition). Since surface
representation meant as observing the visible ideas of Creon as a king, the writer
found that Creon’s qualities as a king constructed the idea that Creon was the tragic
hero of the play. In order to prove that Creon with his traits qualifies Aristotelian
tragic hero, the writer used theories on tragedy, specifically theories on tragic hero.
They were taken from M. H. Abrams’s A Glossary of Literary Terms (6th edition);
Walter Jackson Bate’s Criticism: The Major Texts; X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia’s
Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama (7th edition); Hugh
Holman and William Harmon’s A Handbook to Literature (5th edition); Milly S.
Barranger’s Understanding Plays (2nd edition); Bijay Kumar Das’ Twentieth Century
30
Literary Criticism (4th revised and enlarged edition); David H. Richter’s The Critical
Tradition: Classic Texts and Contemporary Trends (2nd edition).
Lastly, the writer tried to define the depth representation of Creon as a king in
order to find the hidden intentions of the text in making Creon as an authoritarian
king with absolute power, and then making him the tragic hero of the play. In
analyzing this problem, the writer used theories on depth representation taken from
Andrew Gibson’s Towards a Postmodern Theory of Narrative and Peter Barry’s
Beginning Theory: an Introduction to Literary and Cultural Theory (2nd edition), to
find out what Creon as tragic hero was to represent.
31
CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
In Analysis Chapter, the writer tries to answer the three problem formulations,
which have been mentioned in the previous chapter. The purposes of this study are to
define the surface representation and the depth representation of Creon as a king, so
that the writer can find out the hidden intentions of the text in making Creon as an
authoritarian king, then making him the tragic hero.
Firstly, the writer is going to find the qualities of Creon as a king. By
observing the qualities of Creon as a king, the writer finds that Creon’s qualities as a
king construct the idea that Creon is the tragic hero of Sophocles’ Antigone, which is
believed as the surface representation of Creon as a king. Then, the writer is going to
prove that Creon with his traits qualifies Aristotelian tragic hero.
Lastly, the writer is going to define the depth representation of Creon as a
king to identify the hidden intentions of the text in making Creon as an authoritarian
king, then making him a tragic hero. In order to achieve it, the writer is going to
identify what Creon as a tragic hero is to represent.
A. The Qualities of Creon as a King
1. Loyal to the city of Thebes
The writer finds that Creon is loyal to Thebes for some reasons. The first
evidence to show that Creon is loyal to Thebes can be observed through his past life.
According to M. J. Murphy in his Understanding Unseen, the author gives clues to
32
the readers about the character’s personality through the events in his past life (1972:
161-172). The event to show that he is loyal to Thebes is that he joined the Theban
military in fighting against the Argive Army from the city of Argos. The writer sees
that joining the war means to danger his life, because the risk in joining the war is
death. As a form of his loyalty to Thebes, Creon takes the big risk. So, by considering
his effort in protecting Thebes, and his success in fighting against the Argive Army,
the writer views that Creon can be called as the savior of Thebes. The Messenger also
states that Creon is the savior of Thebes, which shows that he has an important role in
Thebes’ victory over the city of Argos. It implies that Creon is loyal to Thebes.
Messenger: Take Creon now. I thought he was doing well. The savior of his country, king of Thebes, And the proud father of a lovely family. (Scene 6, 147) Next, the writer views that Creon is loyal to Thebes because he puts his
highest respect to Thebes. It means that the city’s interests are his first priority above
the other interests, such as: religion interests and family interests. It can be said that
Creon stands for the nation since he is loyal to the city. Or according to Harcourt
Brace Jovanovich is his A World Enclosed: TRAGEDY, Creon believes in the
integrity of the state (1973: 222).
The evidence to show that Creon is loyal to Thebes by putting the city’s
interests in the first priority can be observed through his statements. According to M.
J. Murphy, in order to describe the personalities of a character, the readers can
observe the character’s speech or what the character says (1972: 161-172).
Creon : I’m not the man to sit quietly by
33
And watch my country sliding Towards the precipice of ruins Nor can I be a friend to country’s foes. This I believe, and God may witness it. Our safety is bound up with that of our country. Therefore, all other loyalties are subject to Our country’s interests. (Scene 1, 125) 2. Too strict to the rules
Being the king of Thebes means that he has to be faithful to the city’s laws
and to give good examples to the citizens to be faithful to the city’s laws too. The
writer also sees that there is a strong motivation in Creon to encourage honesty and
loyalty among the Theban citizens, whether the loyalty to Thebes or to its laws. The
two motivations encourage Creon to be strict to the rules or laws of the city. He
demands himself to obey the rules of the city, also he demands all the citizens to obey
the rules or the city’s laws.
His attitude that shows this characteristic is his promise to punish people who
do not obey the rules or the city’s laws, such as: the policy to leave Polyneices’ body
unburied. This characteristic can be observed through the conversation between
Creon and Chorus about Creon’s policy to unbury Polyneices’ body and about the
punishment for those who disobey the policy.
Chorus : We understand the attitude you take towards these men. It’s true your word is law. And you can legislate the living and the dead. Creon : What do you think of this new enactment? Chorus : If I were younger, I might criticize… Creon : No turning back. The guard is set on the corpse. Chorus : What are the penalties for disobeying? Creon : The penalty is death. As simple as that. (Scene 1, 125)
34
The writer analyzes that Creon’s strictness to the rules or the city’s laws can
be observed when he reveals a new policy to punish Antigone after finding out that
she has disobeyed his policy by burying Polyneices’ body. Thewriter sees that Creon
is being too strict to the rules because of his attitude to keep running the policy
though there are some people who tell him to undo the policy, such as: Haemon, his
son. Those people disagree with the policy because they see that Antigone’s action is
not a crime, but it shows her love to her family. They think that there will be a better
solution for the problem if Creon is being flexible in handling it.
Haemon: However acute one is, there’s no disgrace In being able to learn, being flexible. In winter, when the streams turn into torrents, You can see the trees that try to resist the water Get rooted out and killed. But those that bend A little, manage to survive the flood. In a gale at sea if you cram on full sail, You’ll soon have the waves breaking aboard And bowling over all furniture. Why not relax and change your mind for once? (Scene 3, 137) Haemon says that Creon should not hold the law too tightly, because it will be
better for Creon to be flexible in dealing with the law. And it is okay to change his
policy, if it makes the situation better. This implies that Haemon considers his father
is being too strict in dealing with the laws.
Creon’s characteristic in being too strict to the rules can be observed through
his own speech when he has a conversation with Haemon, which states that he keeps
ordering to punish Antigone although she is Hemon’s lover and Haemon tells him to
undo the policy.
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Creon : Can there be anything worse that giving your love To a girl that doesn’t deserve it? No, reject her, And let her go and find husband in the grave. Now that I’ve caught her flagrantly disobeying When everybody has toed the line. The eyes of the nation are on me. I must stay True to my principle. I must execute her. (Scene 3, 135) 3. Arrogant The writer defines that “being arrogant” means when a person shows too
much pride of himself. The person is too proud of what he has got in himself, such as:
his status in society, his position in society, and his wealth. This kind of characteristic
can make the person behaves in superior manners.
The writer sees that Creon is arrogant because some of his behaviours or
attitudes show that he is too proud of his status as a man, his position as a king, his
power, and his authority. This over-pride characteristic makes Creon behave in
superior manners because he feels that he is much better than other people for
possessing the status as a man, the position as a king, the power, and the authority.
These motivate Creon to underestimate the other people, since he thinks that the
people are not better than him.
Creon’s arrogance can be seen through his statements in the conversation
between Creon and Haemon, his son. They talk about Creon’s policy to punish
Antigone for giving necessary purification to Polyneices’ body, which Haemon
disagrees with, and Haemon tells his father to undo it since he thinks that Antigone’s
action is a noble action. His arrogance can be observed through his attitude that
underestimates Haemon because he is “only” a son, who has an obligation to obey the
36
father, also because Haemon is much younger than him, which means that he has less
experience than Creon. Through Creon’s statement below, it is obviously seen that he
is so reluctant to be advised by his son.
Creon : Am I to stand here and be lectured to By a kid? A man of my experience! (Scene 3, 137) The next Creon’s reaction also shows his arrogance over Haemon, when he
decides to accompany Antigone to die. This is Creon’s reaction toward Haemon’s
decision. According to M. J. Murphy, the author can describe a character by letting
the readers know how the person reacts to various situations and events (1972: 161-
172).
Creon : Let him! What does he think he is-almighty? In any case, he won’t save these girls from death. (Scene 3, 138) Next, Creon’s over pride of his position as a king also can be observed
through the conversation between him and Haemon. It can be seen from his statement
that since he places the highest position in Thebes, people whose positions are lower
than him, such as: the citizens, do not have the right to interfere his authority in
making policies. He interprets it as a humiliation toward his authority. Harcourt Brace
Jovanovich in his A World Enclosed: TRAGEDY also states that Creon becomes over-
pride of his position as ‘the captain of the ship of state’ (1973: 223).
Creon : You seem to have caught Antgone’s disease. Haemon: The people of Thebes don’t call it a disease. Creon : Must I ask their permission for everything? Haemon: You’re talking like an adolescent now. Creon : Am I the king of Thebes, or am I not? Haemon: It takes more than one person to make a nation.
37
Creon : But a nation is personified in its ruler… Creon : Must I let my authority be undermined? (Scene 3, 137) Besides, Creon also shows his over pride of his status as a man. It makes him
underestimate women, who are considered as second class citizens. It can be seen
from Creon’s statements when he has a conversation with Antigone relating to her
defiance.
Antigone: If I must have these groupings, let me say I’ll join anyone in loving, but not in hating. Creon : All right then, die, and love them both in hell. I’m not here to be shoved around by a woman. (Scene 2, 133) From Creon’s statement above, it implies that he feels humiliated that
Antigone, who is a woman, rebels him, who is a man. Besides, his arrogance
characteristic due to his status as a man can be observed when Creon has a
conversation with Haemon, relating to Antigone’s defiance as follows:
Creon : Must I let my authority be undermined? Haemon: What a character! Subservient to a woman. Haemon: Subservient to what I think is right. Creon : you’ve done nothing but back Antigone up. (Scene 3, 138)
Creon’s statement above implies that a man should not show too much respect
to a woman, whose status is lower than a man in society. It is considered
embarrassing that a man shows too much respect to a woman. It shows that he
becomes arrogant because of his status as a man.
4. Obstinate or Stubborn
Creon’s obstinacy or stubbornness can be obviously seen when he has to deal
with the advices or suggestions from the people who disagree with his policies, such
38
as: Haemon, who disagrees with his policy to punish Antigone; and Teiresias, a blind
prophet, who warns Creon to undo his policy to unbury Polyneices’ body and to
punish Antigone (it was Teiresias who had first confronted King Oedipus with the
terrible truth about his own past). Haemon advices Creon to pay attention to the other
people’s point of views. Haemon thinks that there will be a better solution if Creon
takes notice of the other people’s point of views about the policies.
The writer sees that Creon is obstinate because Creon does not take notice of
Haemon’s advices. He is unwilling to reconsider or rethink about his policy to punish
Antigone, moreover to undo the policy. He ignores Haemon’s advices and keeps
running the policy. This characteristic can be observed through Creon’s reaction
toward Haemon’s advice. According to M J. Murphy in his Understanding Unseen,
the author describes the personalities of a character by letting the readers know how
the character reacts to various situations and events (972: 161-172). This is Creon’s
reaction toward Haemon’s advice, which shows his obstinacy.
Creon : What’s that? I’ve had enough of your abuse. By heaven, I swear I’ll make you suffer for it. Take that wild eat away. You’ll watch her die. Ha, she will die in front of her bridegroom’s nose. (Scene 3, 138) There is also another thing that makes the writer views that Creon is being
obstinate. Besides he ignores Haemon’s advices, he also ignores Teiresias’s advices.
Whereas, what is said by Teiresias is not merely an advice, but it is a prophecy, which
states that if Creon does not undo the policies (the policy to unbury Polyneices’ body
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and to punish Antigone), there will be a horrible disaster happens in Thebes.
However, Creon is still unwilling to take notice of the advices.
Murphy states that the description of a character’s personality can be gained
from the opinions of other characters (1972: 161-172). Through Teiresias’ statement,
Creon’s obstinacy or stubbornness can be observed.
Teiresias: M y son, I ask you to consider well what you are doing. We all make mistakes. The wise man, Having made an error of judgment, Will seek a remedy, not keep grinding on. Obstinacy isn’t far removed from folly. (Scene 5, 144) By observing the statements, it can be seen that Teiresias says that Creon is being
obstinate.
5. Authoritarian
The writer views that Creon is being authoritarian when he requires the other
people (including his family and the citizens) to obey his authority as a king. This
characteristic makes Creon do not give them chance to talk, since what can be done
by them is only obeying Creon’s authority. Creon’s force toward the citizens to
“obey” his authority contrasts to the citizens’ personal freedoms. This writer sees that
to force the citizens to obey his authority means that he does not respect or appreciate
the citizens’ rights, and as a ruler of a city, he does not give what the citizens deserve
to get.
The writer analyzes that Creon, is being authoritarian when he does not give
the citizens the “freedom of speech”. “The freedom of speech” here means that the
citizens have the rights to give opinions or comments on Creon’s policies, give
40
advices or suggestions to Creon, also they have the rights to criticize Creon relating
to his leadership.
The first evidence to show that Creon is being authoritarian is from Creon’s
statement. Creon’s statement implies that Creon as the king of Thebes possesses the
highest authority in Thebes. It means that since Creon possesses the authority, all the
citizens of Thebes must obey all his words.
Creon : Once a man has authority, he must be obeyed. In big things and in small, in every act Whether just or not so just. (Scene 3, 136) Creon’s authoritarian characteristic also can be observed through the
conversation between Creon and Chorus (as the representation of Theban citizens).
The Chorus also states that Creon’s word is law, which shows that he is being
authoritarian. It is obviously seen that Creon does not want to be criticized by Chorus.
Chorus : We understand the attitude you take toward these men. It’s true your word is law, and you can legislate for living and dead… Creon : What do you think of this new enactment? Chorus : If I were younger, I might criticize… Creon : No turning back. The guard is set on the corpse. (Scene 1, 125) Another evidence to show that Creon is being authoritarian because he is
unwilling to be criticized can be seen when he has a conversation with Haemon
relating to Antigone’s defiance. Haemon thinks that it seems so easy for Creon to
reveal the policies and ask the other people to obey his words, but it seems so hard for
Creon to listen to the other people’s advices and critics.
Creon : Don’t try to flatter me, you lady’s man. Haemon: You like to talk, but you’re not prepared to listen. Creon : This woman will not live to marry you. (Scene 3, 138)
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6. Self-absorbed or self-centered
The writer defines “self-absorbed” as being unaware of other person. The
person whose characteristic is self-absorbed centers on his own interests, his
thoughts, and his own willingness. It can be said that the person is being self-centered
or being selfish.
The writer analyzes that Creon is being self-absorbed when Creon only
focuses on his own interests, his thoughts, his point of view, and his willingness in
revealing the policies, without considering or seeing the problems from different
point views or from the other people’s interests. The writer sees that his self-absorbed
characteristic stems from his loyalty to the city of Thebes. In this case, the writer
views that Creon only focuses on his interest and his thought about being loyal to
Thebes in making the policies. He also centers on the concept of being loyal to the
city of Thebes based only on his point of view, without considering the other people’s
point of view relating to the policies he makes. Because of it, the writer analyzes that
his loyalty to the city of Thebes turns into being self-absorbed or self-centered.
This characteristic can be observed through Haemon’s statements. From his
statements (advices to Creon), the writer concludes that implicitly, he says that his
father is being self-absorbed.
Haemon: Why not relax and change your mind for once? Perhaps, at my age, I should not express an opinion. But I would like to say this: Not everyone can be right on every issue, But the next best thing is to take notice of And learn from the judicious thoughts of others. (Scene 3, 137)
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From Haemon’s statements below, it also can be observed Creon’s self-
absorbed characteristic.
Haemon: Don’t be too single-minded then. Don’t think that you have a complete monopoly of the truth. Isn’t it true that people who refuse To see any other point of view but theirs Often get shown up and discredited? (Scene 3, 137) 7. Male-chauvinistic
The writer defines “male-chauvinistic” as a characteristic when a man
believes that men are superior to women. This characteristic motivates a man to
consider women as second class citizens under male-domination in society. This kind
of characteristic makes the man oppress women to always listen to and obey his
commands. So, rebellion done by a woman is considered as a humiliation and a
shameful thing for him.
The writer views that Creon possesses this characteristic by observing his
point of view toward women. By examining his statements in the text, it is obviously
seen that he sees women as second class citizens, who must obey all of his
commands, because he is the man who places the first class in society, and he holds
the authority of the house also the authority of the political institution. There are no
reasons or permissions for the women to disobey him. This characteristic can be
observed through his attitudes toward Antigone, who defies Creon’s orders. It is such
a huge humiliation for Creon knowing that Antigone, who is a woman, bravely defies
him and do a rebellion. This characteristic can be seen when he argues with Antigone
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about her action in giving purification to Polyneices’ body, which is forbidden by
Creon.
Creon : If she gets away with this behaviour, Call me a woman, and call her a man. (Scene 2, 132) This characteristic also can be observed through his statements when he has a
conversation with Haemon in talking about Antigone’s action as follows:
Creon : We can’t go about kowtowing to women. If I must lose my throne, let it be a man That takes it from me. I can’t have people saying My will has been defeated by a woman. (Scene 3, 136) Creon’s point of view toward women, which sees them as second class
citizens, is also discussed or described by Ismene (Antigone’s younger sister) when
she has a conversation with Antigone about Creon’s edict. Antigone asks Ismene to
help her to bury their brother’s body. Ismene refuses it because she realizes their
weak position as women in Creon’s point of view. She sees that as women, they must
obey Creon’s orders, because she thinks that Creon is superior to them as women.
Ismene: Oh please remember-we are women, aren’t we? We shouldn’t take on men. In times of crisis It is the strongest men who take control. We must obey their orders, however harsh. So, while apologizing to the dead, Regretting that I act under constraint, I will comply with my superior’s orders. Sticking one’s neck out would be merely foolish. (Prologue, 122)
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8. Unwise
The writer views that it is an unwise attitude when a person asks or orders
people to always say “yes” for everything he wants or he orders. It shows that he
forces other people to obey him, whether they agree or disagree with him.
This writer sees Creon as being an unwise king when he has to face the
problems relating to Antigone’s defiance. He forces the other people to agree with the
policy to punish Antigone. The example is when he asks or orders the Guard to
punish Antigone, though actually, he is unwilling to do it. The reason is because he
feels sympathy for Antigone for burying her brother’s body. He thinks that she does it
because she loves her family. Creon’s unwise characteristic can be seen through the
Guard’s reaction toward Creon’s order to punish Antigone. There is a tendency that
the Guard is oppressed to do it.
Guard : So I’m half-glad, half-sorry. Glad that I am out off danger, But sorry someone that I like is in trouble. (Scene 2, 131) Creon’s unwise characteristic also can be viewed from his conversation with
Haemon when he forces Haemon to agree with his policy.
Creon : I take it you are siding with this woman. Haemon: It is your interests I have at heart. Creon : You show it by arguing against me? Haemon: Because I think you’re making a mistake. (Scene 3, 137) The next evidences to show that he is unwise are from the other characters say
about Creon. Actually, what they say are more about advices for Creon to be wiser in
handling the problem. So, it means they see Creon is being unwise. First, Haemon
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asks Creon to be wiser in making policies. He says to his father that “of all God’s
gift, good sense is far the best” (Scene 3, 136). It implies that he thinks Creon is being
unwise. Second, it is Teiresias who reminds Creon to use his good sense in seeing the
problems relating to Polyneices’ body and Antigone’s defiance. He says to Creon that
“good sense is a man’s most precious attribute” (Scene 3, 145). His statement also
implies that Creon is being unwise. Third, the Messenger says that “it only goes to
show that good sense is best, when all this tragedy comes from one rash action”
(Scene 6, 148). This is said by the Messenger when he reports to Eurydice (Creon’s
wife) and Chorus about the deaths of Antigone and Haemon. It implies that the deaths
of Antigone and Haemon because of Creon’s unwise personality in handling the
problems. Fourth, chorus’ statement also implies that Creon is being unwise. The
Chorus states that “proud man in old age learn to be wise” (Scene 6, 150). It shows
that at the time the Chorus says the statement, Creon is being unwise.
9. Fond of his family
This part concerns in Creon’s love to his family, including Haemon (his own
son) and Antigone. The writer views that Creon, as a father and as a leader of his
family, he loves his family. He loves not only Haemon, but also Antigone and
Ismene, their nieces. His love to them can be seen when he willingly takes care of
them after the deaths of Oedipus (their father) and Jocasta (their mother). Based on
McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia World Drama (Vol. 4), it states that Oedipus blinds
himself, leaves the city of Thebes, then he meets Creon (who has become the new
46
king of Thebes). Oedipus tells Creon that he is banished from the city, and he entrusts
Creon to take care his daughters, Antigone and Ismene (1984: 490).
The writer analyzes that Creon’s concept of “loving the family” changes after
he becomes the king of Thebes. Being the king means that he has to enter a system
that forces him to stand for the nation or the city’s interests, and not for the individual
or family interests. This condition forces him to position the family interests after the
nation’s interests. It means that he must put aside his love to his family, because the
interests of the nation are much more important than the family ones. This makes his
concept of “loving the family” changes after he becomes the king of Thebes.
However, though he positions the family interests after the nation’s interest,
he actually still loves his family when he becomes the king. His love to his family can
be observed when he finds out the deaths of Haemon and Eurydice, his beloved wife.
From his statements and his attitudes, it can be seen that he feels a huge pain and
deep misery because of the deaths of Haemon and Eurydice. He feels a huge pain and
deep misery because he loves the two people. Moreover, he has to face the reality that
it is him who causes the deaths of Haemon and Eurydice. It shows that he actually
loves them very much, because if Creon does not love his family, he will not feel
such huge pain and such deep misery.
The characteristic can be seen through his statements when he begs Haemon
not to commit suicide, which is reported by the Messenger to Chorus and Eurydice as
follows:
Messenger: Creon saw him and cried out and ran in shouting,
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“Oh my son, what is this? What possessed you? Why are you trying to kill yourself? Come out now, please, I beg you.” (Scene 6, 148) His huge pain and deep misery of loosing his beloved people make him think that it
will be better for him if he dies, rather than facing the truth that he causes the deaths
of his beloved people.
Creon : Nobody else to share the blames. Just me… I killed you. I killed you, my dear. Servants, carry me in, away from all this. I wish I weren’t alive. (Scene 6, 149) The statements above show that he cannot bear to live without his beloved people,
Haemon and Eurydice. It shows that he actually loves his family very much.
10. Narrow-minded
The writer analyzes that Creon has a narrow-mindedness in seeing the concept
of “loving the city”, in this case, loving the city of Thebes. The writer sees that in
Creon’s point of view, “loving the city” means to place the city’s interests high above
all other interests. This makes all things that Creon (as a king) does only for one
purpose, which is only for the interests of the city. Whereas, there are many other
important interests that should be concerned in too. The fact is that his role in the
society is not only becoming a king, but he is also a husband, a father, and a human
being who has an obligation to respect the Gods and Goddess and to worship them.
So, there are also other important interests, such as: religion and family interests, to
be concerned in too, besides the city’s interests. But, he puts aside the other important
interests and he only focuses on the city’s interests. So, there is a tendency that he
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loves the city too much, which means that his portion in loving Thebes is far above
the proper portion. Creon’s narrow-mindedness or single mindedness in defining the
concept of “loving the city” tends to be chauvinism.
Creon’s narrow-mindedness can be observed through his conversation with
Antigone after he finds out that Antigone is the person who gave the necessary
purification for Polyneices. From Antigone’s statements, it can be observed that
Creon becomes narrow-minded in seeing the concept of “loving the city” by ignoring
his obligation to obey the God’s law. In this case, the God’s law is to bury the dead
body so that his soul can enter the Underworld (Guth, 1981: 4-6).
Creon : You knew about my edict which forbade this? Antigone: Of course I knew. You made it plain enough. Creon : You took it on yourself to disobey? Antigone: Sorry, who made this edict? Was it God? Isn’t a man’s right to burial decreed by divine justice? I don’t consider your pronouncements so important That they can just overrule… The unwritten laws of Heaven. (Scene 2, 131) The writer also sees that Creon is being narrow-minded by ignoring his role as
a father for Haemon. As a father, he does not care about Haemon’s deep love to
Antigone. Creon keeps punishing Antigone, no matter how much Haemon loves
Antigone. It means that as a father, he does not care about the feeling of his son,
because what he cares and he pays attention to is the city’s interests, though it has to
hurt his son’s feeling. Creon’s narrow-mindedness which makes him ignoring his role
as a father for Haemon can be observed through Creon’s conversation with Ismene,
when she wants to accompany Antigone in punishment.
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Ismene : There is no life left without her. Creon : Forget about her. She’s as good as dead. Ismene : So you would execute your own son’s bride? Creon : Plenty of other women in the world. Ismene : But they were so well suited to each other. Creon : I won’t have my son marrying a criminal. Antigone: Poor Haemon! See how much your father cares. Creon : Leave me in peace. You and your marriage with you. Ismene : You really intend to take her from your son? Creon : I won’t stop the marriage. Death will stop it. (Scene 2, 134) 11. Noble
The writer views that Creon is a noble person because of three things. First, he
is noble because he inherits a noble blood (noble birth). He inherits the noble blood
since he is the elder brother of Jocasta. Jocasta is the wife of the former king of
Thebes, Oedipus. It means that Jocasta is the former Queen of Thebes. So, based on
this family tree, Creon as the brother of Jocasta inherits the noble blood. The
evidence to show that Creon is a noble blood can be found in Hans P. Guth’s The
Literary Heritage. Here, Guth states that “Creon, uncle of the two brothers, and
brother of the dead queen, Jocasta, then became the ruler of Thebes, fabulous city of
the seven gates” (1981: 119).
Second, the writer sees that Creon is a noble person because he belongs to
aristocratic social class. Based on Webster’s College Dictionary (2nd edition),
aristocrats can be meant as people who belong to the highest social class in a city (p.
71). In Antigone, the highest class of society is held by people who come from the
kingdom. It means that the aristocrats are the family members of the kingdom. So,
since Creon is a family member of the kingdom, he becomes a noble person.
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Third, the writer views that Creon is noble because of his excellent moral
characters. It is based on Webster’s College Dictionary (2nd edition), which states that
the term noble can be related to high moral principle or excellent moral character (p.
981). The writer considers that Creon shows his excellent moral characters when he
reveals the policy to unbury Polyneices’ body. By revealing the policy, actually,
Creon intends to teach the Theban citizens an honesty and loyalty to the city of
Thebes. He tries to show to the citizens that it is such a bad attitude to betray his own
mother land for money, just like what Polyneices did, because this kind of attitude
can ruin the city and can make the citizens suffering. Even, in Creon’s point of view,
the God will not accept the soul of the betrayal who had betrayed his own mother
land and burned the God’s temples. And Creon does not want the other citizens to be
a betrayal of his own motherland and ruin the city, like what Polyneices did. So, by
revealing the policy, it is hoped that the citizens will be loyal to Thebes and become
honest citizens without corruption, so that the city of Thebes becomes a great city.
12. Wealthy
The writer sees that Creon is wealthy based on the property he possesses as a
family member of the kingdom, and moreover as a king. As the family member of the
kingdom, he belongs to the highest social and political class in the city, or it is usually
called as aristocrat. So, his wealth are much more than the ordinary people (the other
citizens), whether it is money or lands. Moreover, he is the king of Thebes, which
means that among the people who belong to the highest social and political class in
the city (the aristocrats), he places the highest position. So, automatically, as the king
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of the city, he receives the biggest share of the city’s incomes from taxes (paid by the
citizens) and from sea trade. This means that he has a large amount of money.
Creon also possesses wide area of lands. Since he is the king of Thebes, he
possesses almost the entire area of Thebes. It can be said that he has lands which are
much wider than the citizens or the ordinary people. It can be said that Creon is a
landowner. The writer sees that he is wealthy for possessing large area of lands,
because someone’s wealth can be measured from the lands he possesses.
The writer views that Creon is a wealthy person based on what the Messenger
says in Scene 6. The Messenger directly says that Creon is a wealthy person. It can be
seen through his statement as follows:
Messenger: Take Creon now. I thought he was doing well. The savior of his country, king of Thebes, And the proud father of a lovely family. He’s lost a lot. Oh yes, he’s wealthy still, But wealth can’t buy you happiness. (Scene 6, 147)
13. Not greedy
It has been explained above that Creon, as a king, is wealthy for possessing
large amount of money and for possessing large area of lands. The writer sees that
though Creon is a wealthy person, he is not greedy. It means that he is a person who
is not money-oriented. The writer analyzes that he is not a kind of person who will do
anything to gain much money, including gaining much money by using bad ways,
such as: by betraying the city and by doing corruption. This characteristic can be seen
52
through his statements which show that he hates people who do corruption and betray
his own city to gain much money.
Creon : There is no human institution as evil as money. Money ruins nation, and makes men refugees. Money corrupts the best man into depravity. People who have done this thing for money Will get what’s coming to them. (Scene 1, 127)
14. Intelligent
Based on the text, this thesis discusses that Creon is an intelligent person due
to his intelligence in political affairs, his capability in facing difficult situation, his
ability in making hard decision, also his capability in facing the consequences of his
actions.
a. Being intelligent in political affairs
Intelligent in political affairs means that Creon is good at things relating to
governmental system and city, such as: the city’s laws, the city’s measures, also the
city’s policies to protect the city from the enemies (the attacks of other Greek city-
states). The writer sees that he is intelligent in political affairs because of his policy to
unbury Polyneices’ body. The writer views that revealing the policy can be a means
to show Thebes’ power and strength in political affairs to the enemies of Thebes that
intend to attack Thebes. The policy can be a warning for the enemies. By revealing
the policy, it is hoped that the enemies will be reluctant in attacking Thebes. This
shows Creon’s intelligence in political affairs. His intelligence in political affairs can
be observed through his statements which tell about his principle.
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Creon : You cannot possibly judge a ruler’s worth Until he exercises the power he’s got. I’ve no time for the man who has full powers Yet doesn’t use them to enact good measures, But adopts a timid policy of ”do nothing”. Those aren’t my principle. (Scene 1, 125) His intelligence in political affairs also can be seen through his next
statements. It can be seen from the statements that he knows a lot about the rule of
laws and things that can ruin a city.
Creon : Certain hostile elements in the city Who don’t like discipline and resent my rule, are in on this. They’ve worked upon the guards by bribes. There is no human institution as evil as money. Money ruins nation, and makes men refugees. Money corrupts the best men into depravity. (Scene 1, 127) b. Being capable of facing difficult situation
. This thesis analyzes that Creon has capability to face Thebes’ difficult
situations after undergoing the civil war by doing realistic actions to make the
condition in Thebes better. In this case, Creon’s realistic action is by revealing the
edict to punish the Polyneices’ soul by leaving his body unburied, so that his soul can
not enter the underworld. The writer sees that it is a realistic action to recover Thebes
from the unstable condition because it is Creon’s effort to protect the city from other
enemies. This law can be a warning for the other enemies not to attack Thebes, just
like what Polyneices had done. Creon’s capability in facing difficult situation can be
observed through his statements below.
Creon : I’m not the man to sit quietly by and watch my country Sliding towards the precipice of ruin. Nor can I be a friend to my country’s foes.
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This I believe-and God may witness it- Our safety is bound up with that of our country. (Scene 1, 125) c. Being capable of making hard decisions
An example of the hard decisions he makes is punishing Antigone for
disobeying his order. This thesis analyzes that the decision is considered hard because
when he makes the decision, he has to face rebellions from the other people who
disagree with his decisions, including his own family, such as: Haemon. Whereas, the
decision he makes is for the interest of the nation and to make the city’s situation
better after undergoing the civil war.
This is also a difficult decision because he has to punish his own niece, whom
he actually loves. But, Creon is able to overcome this difficult situation by making
the best decision for the city’s and the citizens’ interests, and not for the individual
interest. This capability can be seen when he decides to keep punishing Antigone
though she is his family and though many people disagree with his decision.
Creon : I don’t care if she’s my sister’s daughter. I don’t care if she’s closer to me than all my family. She and her sister won’t get off. I’ll execute them both. (Scene 2, 132) d. Being capable of facing the consequences of his decisions
This characteristic can be seen in Scene 5, when he realizes his mistake in
making judgments, and he is willing to undo his actions by giving necessary
purification for Polyneices’ body and setting Antigone free. This writer views that he
actually knows that it is impossible to fight against the fate, but he is still willing to
do efforts to prevent the disaster, and he is willing to face the consequences of his
55
actions. This can be seen through his statements which show that he is ready to face
the consequence of his deeds and his decisions.
Creon : Can’t fight against what’s destined. It is hard, But, I’ll change my mind. You servants- Bring axes, hurry, and come with me. I must personally undo what I have done. I shouldn’t have tried being unorthodox. I’ll follow the established laws in the future. (Scene 5, 146) His capability to face the consequences of his deeds also can be observed in
the end of the play, when Creon must face the truth that he causes the deaths of
Haemon and Eurydice. The writer views that Creon is willing to accept any
punishments form Gods as the consequences of his decisions or actions.
Creon : Wrong! How could I have been so wrong? And these deaths I caused-you have seen them- In my own family by my stubbornness. Oh my son, so young, to die so young. And all because of me! Chorus : It’s a bit too late to find out that were wrong. Creon : I know that. God has taken his revenge, Leapt on my head and beaten me. And trampled on the only joy I had. And all these years I have labored-wasted. (Scene 6, 149)
15. Powerful
The writer views that Creon is powerful based on some things. First, the
writer sees that he is physically powerful. From the text, it can be seen that Creon is
an old man. This thesis analyzes that though he is old, he joined the war in fighting
against the Argive Army. It can be said that the war actually is hard for an old man
like Creon, since joining a war needs strong physics. In fact, though he is an old man,
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he was willing to join the war, and finally, he successfully won the war. The evidence
to show that Creon is an old man is stated directly by Chorus.
Chorus : And proud men in old age learn to be wise. (Scene 6, 150)
What is meant by “man in old age” above is Creon.
The next evidence to show that Creon is physically powerful despite of his old
age is stated by Chorus as follows:
Chorus : Many amazing things exist, and the most amazing is man. He’s the one, when the gale-force winds blow and the big waves Tower and topple on every side, cruises over the deep on the gray tide. He’s the one that to and fro over the clods year after year. Wends with his horses and plowing gear, Works to his will the untiring Earth. (Scene 1, 128) This thesis analyzes that the statements above are aimed to praise a man, who
is physically powerful. The chorus shows that the man is powerful by using figurative
language that the man is able to face any difficult nature conditions to reach his
dream or his aims. No matter how terrible the conditions are, he is able to get through
them. This shows that the man is physically powerful. Then, this thesis analyzes that
what is meant by the “man” here is Creon, because he joined the hard war in fighting
against the Argive Army, and finally he won the war. This shows that Creon is
physically powerful.
Second, the writer sees that Creon is powerful due to supports and safety
defense he possesses. As a king, he is powerful because in his leadership, he is
supported by a strong military (Theban military). Theban military can be said as
strong military because it successfully fought back the Argive Army. The Chorus,
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through his statements, tells how powerful Theban military is in fighting against the
Argive Army.
Chorus : At last it has dawn, the day that sees The force that rode from Argos… But, Thebes, a hissing snake, fought back. The God of fire could get no grip. Upon our crown of walls. That bird of prey, Its beak balked of our blood, has turned away… Seven enemy kings at seven gates, Fighting at equal odds, left their arms as trophies to Theban gods… But now that Victory has smiled on us, Let us forget the war, and dance At every temple all night long. (Prologue, 124) Since Creon is the king of the city, he has control over the strong Theban
military. It means that anyone who tries or intends to danger Creon’s life or tries to
take over his authority, the person must face the strong military, because the strong
military supports Creon’s leadership and protects Creon from those who intend to
danger his life. Based on this point of view, the writer concludes that Creon is
powerful in terms of supports in his leadership and in safety defense by the strong
Theban military.
B. The Surface Representation of Creon as a King.
Surface representation is a realism of particulars. The language is seen as innocent and it conceives of language as unproblematically adequate to what it represents (Gibson, 1996: 81). “Surface representation” emerges in the first instance as an “optical realism” (Feyerabend, p. 151). It is not, confined to the “visible”, but equally includes what is heard, felt, and so on, the world as apprehended by the senses (Gibson, 1996: 82).
58
The theory above, which is stated by Andrew Gibson in his Towards a
Postmodern Theory of Narrative, means that surface representation observes the
“visible”. The term “visible” here means that surface representation does not only
observe the facts that can be seen by the optical organ, but also by hearing and
feeling. If it is applied in a work of art, surface representation sees the work as what it
is, without anymore deep considerations and various points of views about the work.
Based on the theory above, in this part, the writer is going to define the
surface representation of Creon as a king by reviewing the qualities of Creon as a
king. The writer sees that Creon’s qualities as a king construct the idea that Creon is
the tragic hero of Sophocles’ Antigone, which is believed as the surface
representation of Creon as a king. So, in this part, the writer is going to prove that
Creon with his traits qualifies Aristotelian tragic hero, based on Aristotle’s Poetics.
1. Creon as a king with the qualities of a noble person.
According to Charles E. Bressler in his Literary Criticisms: An Introduction
to Theory and Practice (2nd edition), Aristotle states that tragedy is an imitation of
nature that reflects a high form of art exhibiting noble characters and noble deeds
(1999: 20). Also, based on McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia World Drama (2nd edition),
the tragic heroes in Sophoclean drama are noble yet not faultless (1984: 488). So, it
can be derived from the theory that the tragic hero must be a noble person.
The concept of being ‘noble’ to qualify Aristotelian tragic hero is that the
main character must be a noble-birth or noble blood. X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia
in their Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama (7th edition) state
59
that the hero of a tragedy must be a person with noble-birth, apparently a king, a
queen, or other loyal members of the family kingdom (1999: 1295). So, based on the
theory above, Creon qualifies Aristotelian tragic hero since he inherits the noble
blood from Jocasta (the former Queen or the wife of the former king, Oedipus).
Based on McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia World Drama (Vol. 4), it states that Creon is
Jocasta’s brother (1984: 491).
The writer sees that the tragic hero must be a person with noble-birth since the
nobility becomes his place to fall from. In order to satisfy tragedy, the hero must be
brought from his prosperity to his adversity or the hero is fallible (Kennedy and
Gioia, 1999: 1295), and his nobility becomes his place to fall from. So, if the hero is
brought to his downfall, it means that the main goal of tragedy can be achieved,
which is catharsis or purification (Richter, 1998: 41). Catharsis can be achieved by
arising the readers’ and the audiences’ feeling of pity and fear when they observe the
hero’s downfall. This implies that the hero must have a high place to fall from. The
higher place the hero falls from, the stronger the feeling of pity and fear can be
achieved. Then, the writer sees that being noble-birth becomes his place to fall from,
since in the city, being noble-birth means to belong to the highest class of the city.
This can make the hero’s position strong in the city, since in the city, by being noble-
blood, the hero is respected for belonging to the family member of the kingdom,
which becomes the center of the city’s governmental system.
Then, the writer views that this noble characteristic can lead Creon to be the
tragic hero because of some reasons. First, the writer sees that being noble makes
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Creon’s position strong in the society. Then, by being noble, which makes his
position strong in the society, gives him chance to make orders and ask the people
with less nobility to obey his orders. It means that this also gives Creon chance to do
oppression to the people with less nobility than him to obey his orders, whether they
agree with the orders or not. This thesis analyzes that in the kingdom, people with
nobility (in this case with noble blood) have power and authority to ask the people
with less nobility to obey their orders. It means that by being noble, Creon has power
and authority to order people with less nobility to follow his wills and his thoughts.
The conversation between Creon and Antigone can show that Creon does oppression
to people with less nobility than him, in this case are the guards, who must obey his
policy to unbury Polyneices’ body. Creon’s oppression toward the guards is said by
Antigone.
Antigone: Then why not do it now? Our wills conflict head on. No chance of reconciliation. I can’t think of a finer reason for dying, Guilty of having buried my own brother. These men (the guards) are on my side. But they daren’t say so. Creon : That’s where you were wrong. You’re quite alone in this. Antigone: They’re on my side. They’re forced to cringe to you. (Scene 2, 132) Then, by doing oppression to the people with less nobility, Creon is brought
to his downfall, which is signified by the deaths of his beloved people, such as:
Haemon, Eurydice, and Antigone. Creon’s downfall can be observed through Creon’s
statement, which implies that Creon is facing his adversity as follows.
Creon : Lead me away, a wreck, a useless wreck. (Scene 6, 150)
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The writer sees that his downfall can raise the readers’ and the audiences’ pity
and fear because a noble or an honored person like Creon, who should be glorious
and happy for having wonderful life, in fact he has a miserable life for loosing his
beloved people (Antigone, Haemon, and Eurydice), due to the oppression he does. It
shows his tragic event that must be experienced by him, which makes him the tragic
hero. It means that the main goal of tragedy can be achieved, which is to raise the
audiences’ and the readers’ pity and fear. Based on Aristotle’s statement which is
quoted by Walter Jackson Bate in his Criticisms: The Major Texts, a successful
tragedy exploits and appeals at the start of two basic emotions: pity and fear (1952:
17-18).
2. Creon as a king with the qualities of a person with ‘high estate’.
In the previous part, the writer defines that Creon is a wealthy person for
possessing a large amount of money and large area of lands since he belongs to
aristocratic, and moreover, he is the king of Thebes. Belonging to aristocrat and being
a king make him possess wealth that is much more than the ordinary people. This
thesis analyzes that Creon’s wealth make him a person with ‘high estate’ due to his
prosperity which is higher above the ordinary people (the citizens).
And, according to X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia in their Literature: An
Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama (7th edition), the main character of a
tragedy is a person of ‘high estate’, apparently the king, queen, or other members of
royal family (1999: 1295). So, based on the theory, the writer sees that Creon
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qualifies to be the tragic hero since he is the person with ‘high estate’ due to his
wealth as an aristocrat, and moreover as a king.
Then, the writer analyzes that being a wealthy person, which makes him a
person with ‘high estate’, leads him to be a tragic hero because of some reasons. At
first, by being a person with ‘high estate’ for possessing much wealth or prosperity,
makes Creon also posses authority in the city. The writer considers that it is obvious
if a person with much wealth or prosperity will also posses authority over those who
posses less wealth than him. It also can be seen in Creon, because by having much
wealth, which makes him a ‘high estate’ person, Creon possesses authority in society.
This makes him able to force people to obey whatever he says. This authority
motivates Creon to do oppression toward the people with less wealth than him, who
are the other citizens of Thebes. By doing the oppression, Creon goes to his downfall.
So, it can be concluded that Creon’s characteristic of being wealth, which makes him
to be a person with ‘high estate’ can make him to be the tragic hero because this gives
him chance to do oppression toward the other people (the citizens), and finally, this
causes his downfall. So, the writer sees that actually, by being ‘high estate’ person
gives him place to fall from, and the hero can experience the tragic incidents.
3. Creon as a king with the qualities of a person with ‘high character’.
This thesis has explained in the previous part of this chapter about Creon’s
qualities as a king that Creon is loyal to Thebes, Creon is not greedy, and he is fond
of his family. The writer also sees that Creon is loyal to Thebes since he joined the
Theban military in fighting against the Argive Army, and finally he was able to save
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Thebes. His ability to save Thebes is confessed by Teiresias. He states that “By doing
so, you were able to save Thebes” (Scene 5, 143). His statement means that by
listening to what Teiresias said, Creon was successfully won the war over The Argive
Army. It implies that Teiresias confesses Creon’s ability to save Thebes. The writer
also sees that Creon is loyal to Thebes because he puts his highest respect to the city
of Thebes, or according to H. D. F. Kitto in his Form and Meaning in Drama: A
Study of Six Great Plays and of Hamlet, complete loyalty to the Polis is Creon’s
theme (1956: 151). It also has been explained in the previous part of Analysis, the
writer views that Creon is not greedy since he is not a kind of person who is money-
oriented and will do anything to gain much money. The writer views that those
characteristics are good personal characters possessed by Creon, because the writer
sees that the characteristics encourage Creon to do the action to unbury Polyneices’
body, which is aimed to make the city great and make the citizens prosperous. It is
also purposed to teach the citizens to be loyal to the city and to be honest.
Creon : All other loyalties are subject to Our country’s interests. By such measures, I’ll make this city great, Measures like those I have just enacted Concerning Oedipus’ sons. (Scene 1, 125)… Creon : There is no human institution as evil as money… That ought to teach you to be more selective About what you get your money from. (Scene 1, 17) This thesis analyzes that by possessing the good personal characteristics make
Creon become a person with ‘high character’. This thesis analyzes that this makes
Creon an honorable person in the city. Also, this raises the admiration and respect
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from the audiences and from the readers. But then, this ‘high character’ person who
raises admiration and respect from the readers and the audiences has to be brought to
his adversity or his downfall because of the flaws he possesses. Because of it, the
readers and the audiences can observe his tragic side. His tragic side is that an
honorable person like Creon with his high character must be brought to his downfall
because of his actions which are initially aimed to the joy and safety of the city and
its citizens. This event makes him the tragic hero.
While, according to Hugh Holman and William Harmon in their A Handbook
to Literature (5th edition), the main character of tragedy must be a person with ‘high
character’ (1986: 506). Based on the theory, this thesis concludes that Creon qualifies
to be the tragic hero since he is a person with ‘high character’ with the good
characteristics and finally he comes to his downfall. By observing to what happens in
Creon, it can raise the readers’ and the audiences’ pity and fear.
4. Creon as a person who is better than the ordinary people in rank and mind.
The writer has explained in the previous part of Analysis that Creon is
intelligent in political affairs by reviewing his aim in making policy to unbury
Polyneices’ body, which is to protect Thebes from the other enemies that also intend
to attack Thebes. The writer also sees that Creon is intelligent due to his capability of
facing difficult situation, of making hard decisions, and his capability of facing the
consequences of his decisions. This thesis analyzes that Creon is a physically
powerful person due to his capability in joining the hard war though he is a man in
old age. He is seen as a powerful person for being supported by a strong military (the
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Theban military) that are always ready to protect him and protect his leadership from
enemies.
The characteristics above make Creon better than the ordinary people with
rank and mind that are above average, since not everyone can posses the
characteristics above. Moreover, the facts that he is a man and he is a king make
Creon better than the ordinary people. According to Hugh Holman and William
Harmon in their A Handbook to Literature (5th edition), the tragic hero must be a
person who is better than the ordinary people (1986: 506). Also, according to
Aristotle, which is quoted by Walter Jackson Bate in his Criticisms: The Major Texts,
the main character of tragedy must certainly be above average, whether in rank, and
mind (1952: 16). It means that Creon qualifies this characteristic.
Then, this thesis analyzes that by being a person who is better than the
ordinary people with the characteristics above, can make him the tragic hero because
of a reason. This thesis analyzes that the above-averaged characteristics make Creon
an arrogant person. It means that he shows too much pride of himself due to the
characteristics. This arrogance motivates Creon to underestimate the other people.
The arrogance can be seen through Creon’s conversation with Haemon.
Creon : You seem to have caught Antigone’s disease. Haemon: The people of Thebes don’t call it a disease. Creon : Must I ask their permission for everything? Haemon: You’re talking like an adolescent now. Creon : Am I the king of Thebes or am I not? (Scene 3, 137) The above-averaged characteristics give him chances to do oppression to the
other people who are considered not better than him. Then, this thesis views that this
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oppression causes his downfall. So, it can be said that actually his intelligence and his
power become the place for Creon to fall from, since according Aristotle, which is
quoted by Walter Jackson Bate in his Criticisms: The Major Texts, the tragic
character must have a place from which to fall. The loftier his position is, the more
disastrous the fall (1952: 17). Then, the downfall makes him the tragic hero.
5. Creon as a person with significance and importance.
According to Hugh Holman and William Harmon in their A Handbook to
Literature (5th edition), the tragic hero must have significance or importance (1986:
506). This thesis sees that Creon is significant among the other people and have
importance in the city of Thebes since he is a man and he is the king of Thebes.
Based on this understanding, the writer sees that Creon is the tragic hero. Below, the
writer will explain about how being a man and a king can make him a tragic hero.
First, this thesis analyzes that Creon possesses significance or importance
since he is a man. It can be observed in the text that men have important roles in the
society, whether in family scope or in political institution. Because Antigone’s setting
of time is Ancient Greek Era, the era when the society adopts patriarchy system
(patriarchy system is a social system which sees women as second class citizens
under male-domination), men have important roles in the society, including Creon.
The importance of man’s role in the play is stated by Chorus as follows:
Chorus : Many amazing things exist, and the most amazing is man. He’s the one, when the gale-force winds Blows and the big waves tower and topple on every side, Cruises over the deep on the gray tide. He’s the one that to and fro
67
Over the clods year after year. Wends with his horses and plowing gear, Works to his will the untiring Earth, The greatest of gods. (Scene 1, 128) The writer analyzes that what the Chorus means with “man” here is Creon due
to his success in fighting against the Argive Army. It can be seen that Creon as a man
has an important role in the city. It is his obligation as a man to protect the city of
Thebes from the enemies. So, it can be said that the safety of the city and the citizens
are in the hands of men, specifically Creon.
Another evidence to show that Creon, as a man, has an important role in the
city, which makes him significant, is said by Ismene. She says that “in times of crisis,
it is the strongest men who take control” (Prologue, 122). It means the city needs the
strongest man in times of recovery after undergoing the civil war to control Thebes’
unstable condition and to make the condition better. So, it can be said that the success
of Thebes’ recovery process depends on the man’s role, in this case, Creon’s
leadership.
Second, the writer sees that Creon is being significant and having importance
in the city since he is the king of Thebes. As a king, Creon places the highest position
in the city. It can be said that placing the highest position in the city means that he
becomes the most important person in the city. As a king, Creon has an obligation to
control the city and its citizens by using his power and his authority. Also he has the
duty to protect the city from the enemies. So, it can be said that the safety, the
continuity of the government, the joy of the citizens depend on Creon as a king. So,
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whether the city well-organized or not, whether the citizens prosperous or not, it
depends on Creon in ruling the city of Thebes. So, based on the explanation, it can be
concluded that as a king, Creon possesses significant or is being important in the city
of Thebes.
Creon : You can not possibly judge a ruler’s worth Until he exercises the power he’s got. I’ve no time for the man, who has full powers, Yet doesn’t use them to enact good measures, But adopts a timid policy of “do nothing”. Those aren’t my principle. I’m not the man To sit quietly by and watch my country Sliding toward the precipice of ruin. (Scene I, 125) It can be observed form Creon’s statement that since he is the king of Thebes, Creon
has an importance to use his power and to make policies in order to make the city
save or to avoid the city from the enemies’ attacks that can ruin the city.
Then, the writer sees that being a man and being a king force Creon to possess
these characteristics, such as: loyal to Thebes, too strict to the rules, arrogant,
stubborn, authoritarian, self-absorbed, unwise, and male-chauvinistic. These
characteristics have been explained in the previous part of this chapter. This writer
views that by possessing the characteristics mentioned before, this can make him the
tragic hero. Below, this thesis is going to explain how the characteristics can make
him tragic hero.
First, this thesis analyzes that Creon being loyal to Thebes. Besides, as a king,
to put his highest respect to the city’s interests becomes a form of his loyalty to
Thebes. Actually, the writer sees that ‘being a king’ forces him to stand for the nation
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or to put the city’s interests as his priority. Or according Gilbert Norwood in his
Greek Tragedy, Creon stands for the community, who loves his country with cold
concentration (p. 138). This makes him ignore the other important interests, such as:
the religion and family interest. Whereas, these interests also need to be concerned in
too, by remembering that his role in the city is not only being a king, but also as a
father and as a human being who must obey the Gods laws too. This Creon’s narrow-
mindedness in defining the meaning of ‘loyal to the city’ makes him posses self-
absorbed characteristic, since he only focuses on his thought or mind, and his
willingness to be loyal to the city.
Haemon: Don’t be too single-minded then, Don’t think that you have a complete monopoly of the truth. Isn’t it true that people who refuse To see any other point of views but theirs Often get shown up and discredited? (Scene 3, 13) Then, the writer also sees that his loyalty to Thebes turns into an obstinacy
since he is never willing to listen to the other people’s advices relating to the policy
he makes. Gilbert Norwood in his Greek Tragedy also states that Creon’s loyalty to
the city turns into obstinacy because of his hardness and narrowness (p. 138).
Second, the writer analyzes that by being a man, Creon has an important role
in the city since his duty to protect Thebes from the enemies. Moreover, the societies
adopt the patriarchy system that sees women as second class citizens under male-
domination. This patriarchy system can be observed through Ismene’s speech.
Ismene: Oh please remember, we are women, aren’t we?
We shouldn’t take on men…
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We must obey their orders, however harsh. (Prologue, 122) This fact makes Creon’s position become stronger in the societies, especially
toward women. This characteristic motivates Creon to be a male-chauvinist, which is
meant as a man who believes that men are superior to women.
Creon : We can’t go about kowtowing to women. If I must loose my throne, let it be a man. That takes it from me. I can’t have people saying My will has been defeated by a woman. (Scene 3,136) Third, the writer analyzes that being a king and being a man make Creon
posses power and authority that are higher than the ordinary people (the citizens).
This makes Creon become too much proud of himself by realizing his conditions that
are much better than the other people. On other words, his status as a man and his
position as a king make him arrogant. Besides, the power and the authority he has (as
a man and as a king) motivate him to act in authoritarian manner. Creon’s
authoritarian manner can be seen through Creon’s statement as follows.
Creon : Once a man has authority, he must be obeyed. In big things and in small, in every act Whether just or not so just. (Scene 3, 136) So, this thesis analyzes that being the king of Thebes and being a man, which
make him significant among the other people, also make him have importance in
Thebes, actually force him to posses the characteristics have been mentioned and
explained above. These characteristics, then, give him chance and power to oppress
the other people, whose positions are lower than him (the citizens of Thebes),
including women (by considering the fact that he is a man). Then, the oppression
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done by Creon brings to his downfall, which is signified by the deaths of his beloved
people. This thesis sees that this is a tragic event for him because Creon with his high
powerful status as a man and as a king should be brought to his prosperity, but in fact,
they bring him to his downfall. This makes him the tragic hero.
6. Creon as a king with the qualities of a person with consistency.
According to Aristotle’s statement, which is quoted by Walter Jackson Bate in
his Criticisms: The Major Texts, the character of the tragic hero must be consistent in
his behaviour (1952: 28). This thesis sees that Creon qualifies this characteristic
because Creon is being consistent in his behaviour for keeping his loyalty and his
love to the city of Thebes.
This writer analyzes that Creon is being consistent in keeping his loyalty and
his love to Thebes when he finds out that he has done errors of judgment by revealing
the policy to leave Polyneices’ body unburied and the policy to punish Antigone. This
thesis analyzes that his willingness to undo his policies (by burying Polyneices’ body
and by setting Antigone free) shows that he is being consistent in keeping his loyalty
and his love to Thebes. He does it because he does not want bad things happen in
Thebes, which can bring the city and the citizens to misery, due to his policies, just
like what Teiresias has been said.
Teiresias: These signs portend evil for Thebes. And the trouble stems from your policy, Why? Because our altars are polluted By flesh brought by dogs and birds, pickings From Polyneices’ corpse. Small wonder that The gods won’t accept our sacrifices. My son, I ask you to consider well
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What you are doing… The man is dead. No need to persecute him. (Scene 5, 144) He realizes his mistake after he is warned by Teiresias about what will happen
if he does not undo the policy, and then he is willing to undo his policies. This shows
that he is still being loyal to Thebes and still loves Thebes. If he is not loyal to Thebes
and does not love Thebes, he will not be willing to undo his policies, because
changing what has been ordered can be meant as a humiliation for his pride as a king.
But, in fact, he is willing to undo his policies to avoid what has been said by Teiresias
becomes true.
Creon : Can’t fight against what destined. It is hard. But I’ll change my mind. You servants… I shouldn’t have tried being unorthodox. I’ll follow the established laws in the future. (Scene 5, 146) The writer analyzes that by being consistent shows that he has good
characteristic, since he is willing to learn from his mistake and willing to try to make
it up, though he realizes that he can not fight what has been destined. Teiresias says
that a person who is willing make up his mistakes and willing to learn from his
mistakes is a wise man.
Teiresias: We all make mistakes. The wise man, having made an error of judgments, Will seek a remedy, not keep grinding on. (Scene 5 144) This kind of good characteristic should bring Creon to his prosperity. But in
fact, though he possesses such good characteristic, what happens to him is a
miserable event, since he has to come to his downfall. It means that it is so tragic that
a person with good characteristic must face the destiny which brings him to his
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adversity. On other words, the writer sees that the tragic event or the tragic incident
he experiences is worse than he deserves. Based on McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia (2nd
edition), it is the fate of the hero to experience tragic incident and to suffer more than
he deserves (1984: 386). This makes Creon a tragic hero.
7. Creon as a king who is neither utterly villainous nor eminently virtuous.
M. H. Abrams in his A Glossary to Literary Terms says that in order to bring
out the readers’ and audiences’ pity and fear, the tragic hero must be neither
absolutely virtuous nor completely villainous (1985: 212). Also, according to Milly S.
Barranger in her Understanding Plays, the tragic hero is a person who is not
eminently good and just (1994: 723).
Based on the theories above, the writer analyzes that the tragic hero is a
mixture of both good and evil. It implies that a tragic hero must be a person who has
good sides and bad sides since tragic hero is a human being. These bad sides can be
meant as ‘weaknesses’, which are commonly possessed by a human being, because
no human being is perfect.
The writer sees that if the tragic hero is perfectly good or completely bad, the
story will not be a tragedy. The play will be merely a common story that the readers
and the audiences already know the resolution of the play, even before the play ends.
Walter Jackson Bate in his Criticisms: The Major Texts paraphrases Aristotle’s’
statement. Bate says that “the downfall of the utter villain” is not tragic. This would
be doubtless, satisfy the moral sense, but it would inspire neither pity nor fear,
because for pity is aroused by unmerited misfortune, fear by the misfortune of a man
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like ourselves (195: 17). On other words, the story will not be able to achieve the
main goal of tragedy which is to raise the readers’ and the audiences’ pity and fear. It
means that since the story does not evoke the readers’ and the audiences’ pity and
fear, so they can not learn from what happen to the tragic hero. Moreover, the goal of
tragedy does not stop in raising the readers’ and the audiences’ pity and fear, but
according to Walter Jackson Bate in his Criticisms: The Major Texts, it offers a
catharsis, which means as a ‘proper purgation’ so that their soul are cleansed after
seeing or reading the play (1952: 17).
The writer analyzes that Creon qualifies this characteristic because Creon is
also a human being, who possesses the positive sides of human being, also negative
sides of human being. His positive sides as a human being can be because of his
intelligence, his nobility, his loyalty to Thebes, his love to his family, also because he
is not greedy. Since no human being is perfectly good, Creon also has negative sides
in himself, no matter how noble he is, how intelligent he is, or how powerful he is. It
can be said that since Creon is also a human being, he has ‘weaknesses’.
The writer analyzes that his ‘weaknesses’ are his arrogance, his obstinacy, his
over-pride personality, his unwise personality, his narrow-mindedness, his male-
chauvinist characteristic, his strictness to the rules, and his authoritarian characteristic
which motivate him to make errors of judgments. And the errors of judgments cause
the deaths of his beloved people (Antigone, Haemon, and Eurydice). The Chorus says
that though a man (Creon) is given many abilities, talents, or intelligences, he can
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make mistake since he is ‘only’ a human being. It implies that no human being is
perfect. He must have weaknesses.
Chorus : But the most brilliant gifts can be misapplied On his moral road, man swerves from side to side. (Scene 1, 128) So, from the bad events that happen to Creon, which are caused by his
‘weaknesses’, the audiences and the readers can feel pity for him. The reason is since
he is a good person with his positive sides of human being, he must suffer more than
he deserves. And, from the bad events or tragic incidents, which are caused by
Creon’s weaknesses, the readers and the audiences will feel fear. The reason is
because as human beings, they also have possibilities to experience what Creon
experiences. From the horrible events experienced by Creon (the tragic hero), the
readers and the audiences can learn, so that they do not do the same mistakes as
Creon in their real lives.
8. Creon as a king with ‘tragic flaws’ that lead him to his ‘death’.
Above, the writer has explained that Creon, as a human being, has some
‘weaknesses’ (in characteristics), that cause him make errors of judgment. And the
writer sees that the errors of judgment done by Creon turn into oppression to the
innocent people. What is meant by the innocent people here are the people who have
lower status, have less power, less wealth, and lower authority than Creon. Based on
the text, the people are the other citizens of Thebes (except Creon, of course), who
are controlled by Creon since he is their king. So, the innocent people, to whom
Creon does oppression, later are called as ‘the oppressed’ in this thesis.
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The ‘weaknesses’ meant by the writer are the weaknesses whether they are
inherited by Creon or those that reveal after he becomes the king of Thebes. First, the
writer analyzes that actually ‘being a king’ makes Creon enter a system with absolute
power (later it is called as the system of absolute power). This system forces him to
reveal his inherited ‘weaknesses’ mentioned above. By being a king, the system of
absolute power strengthens the characteristics (weaknesses), so that they are
apparently observed by the readers and the audiences after he becomes a king. It can
be said that ‘being a king’ is a means or vehicle to reveal his inherited ‘weaknesses’.
Second, the writer also analyzes that there are also ‘weaknesses’ reveal after Creon
becomes a king. The writer sees that the system of absolute power actually forces
Creon to posses the weaknesses. On other words, there is oppression from the system
of absolute power done to Creon, so that he possesses the weaknesses.
And, the ‘weaknesses’ bring Creon to his downfall. It means that the
‘weaknesses’ are Creon’s tragic flaws. Aristotle states that the tragic flaws must be
possessed by a tragic hero (Bate, 1952: 18). And according to Hugh Holman and
William Harmon, in their A Handbook to Literature (5th edition), tragic flaw is a flaw
or an imperfection or weakness in the tragic hero that causes his or her downfall
(1986: 507).
The example of the issue above is relating to Creon’s loyalty to Thebes.
Before he becomes a king, Creon is already a loyal citizen. After he becomes a king,
of course, his loyalty to the city is bigger than before. But then, the oppression done
by the system of absolute power causes this loyal characteristic turns into some
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‘weaknesses’, such as: his loyalty turns into self-absorbed or self-centered. The
reason is because everything Creon does only focuses on his thought to be loyal to
Thebes. It means that Creon’s thoughts and attitudes are only centered in how to
show that he is loyal to the city, which is to put the city’s interest as the first priority.
This makes Creon ignore the other important interests, such as: religion and family
interests, whereas, the interests also need to be concerned in too, by remembering that
his role in society is not only becoming a king, but also becoming a father, a husband,
and a human being who must obey the God’s laws too.
Then, how the ‘weaknesses’ (whether the inherited weaknesses or those that
reveal after he becomes a king) can be Creon’s tragic flaws? The writer analyzes that
Creon’s weaknesses, actually encourage Creon to do oppression toward the Weak or
the innocent people (the oppressed). By observing the text, the writer finds the
oppressed people are represented by Antigone. The writer sees that Antigone is the
representation of the oppressed, and not the other characters (such as: Haemon,
Eurydice, the Guard, and the other citizens of Thebes) because Antigone and her
defiance of Creon’s policy become the important issues in the play. Though actually,
Creon also does oppression toward the other characters, such as: to the Guard,
Haemon, and Eurydice, however, Creon’s oppression toward Antigone is the most
apparent issue in the text. Then, this thesis also views that besides Antigone is one of
the oppressed people, the fact that she is a woman, who lives in patriarchal society,
makes her position weaker in front of Creon, so that Creon has stronger authority to
do oppression to Antigone (the oppressed).
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The example of Creon’s oppression can be seen when he does oppression
toward Antigone (the oppressed). It begins when Creon reveals a policy to unbury the
body of Antigone’s brother (Polyneices), since he has betrayed Thebes by leading the
Argive Army to attack Thebes. This policy becomes a trigger for Antigone to do the
rebellion to Creon since she disagrees with the policy. The writer analyzes that her
love to her family motivates her to do the rebellion, since she can not accept that her
brother’s body is left unburied, which means that his soul can not enter the
Underworld. So, she decides to give necessary purification for her beloved brother’s
body.
Antigone: Only that our friend Creon has decided To discriminate between our brothers’ corpses. Eteocles, he buried with full honors, To light his way to hell in a blaze of glory. But poor dear Polyneices-his remains Are not allowed a decent burial. He must be left unmourned, without a grave. A happy hunting ground for birds To peck for tidbits. (Prologue, 121)… Antigone: I intend to give my brother a burial I’ll be glad to die in the attempt If it’s a crime, then it’s a crime that God commands. I then could face my brother as a friend and look him in the eyes. (Prologue, 123) The writer views that the factor, which makes Creon is able to do the
oppression, by revealing the policy, since he is the king of Thebes, who has power
and authority to make policies. Due he places the highest position in the city, it means
that he has authority and power to control the citizens, who do not have power and
authority to defy the king’s orders because of their lower status.
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Then, the other example of the oppression done by Creon is when he reveals
his second policy to punish Antigone for disobeying his policy by giving Polyneices’
body a necessary purification. Creon decides to punish Antigone by taking her to a
deserted spot without food.
Creon : I’ll take her to a deserted spot. And bury her alive in trench. She’ll have enough food to avoid the curse. (Scene 3, 138) The writer sees that Creon is able to do this oppression since he is the king,
who has the right to make policies, and because he is a man, who dominates the
society and considers women as second class citizens. The fact that Antigone is a
woman, and she does a rebellion toward Creon, who is a man, also becomes a trigger
for his intention to punish her. It is such a humiliation thing for him knowing that he
is defied by a woman, whose position is ‘only’ as second class citizens in the society.
Creon : We can’t go about kowtowing by women. If I must lose my throne, let it be a man That takes it from me. I can’t have people saying that My will has been defeated by a woman. (Scene 3, 136) So, it can be said that Antigone is the ‘victim’ of the oppression done by Creon. That
is why she becomes an appropriate character to represent ‘the oppressed’.
From the issue of Antigone’s defiance toward Creon, the writer analyzes that
Creon’s weaknesses can be observed from the ways how he handles the problem
relating to Antigone’s defiance. From here, the readers and the audiences can
apparently see his strictness to the rules, his arrogance, his obstinacy, his
authoritarian characteristic, his self-absorbed characteristic, his narrow-mindedness,
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his male-chauvinistic and his unwise characteristic, that have been explained above.
Then, it should be remembered that these weaknesses in characteristic can reveal and
become strong in Creon since he becomes the king of Thebes. On other words, the
readers and the audiences can observe Creon’s weaknesses when Creon enters the
system that drives him to be an authoritarian king with an absolute power.
Next, by observing the text, the writer finds that Creon’s weaknesses
encourage Creon to do oppression toward the oppressed. Then, the writer sees that the
oppression brings Creon to adversity, since the oppression results in the deaths of his
beloved people (Antigone, Haemon, and Eurydice). The deaths of his beloved people,
of course, make Creon suffering or miserable. Then, what makes Creon more
miserable is that he must face the fact that he is the one who causes the deaths of his
beloved people. Or according to Sylvan Barnett, William Burto, Lesley Ferris, and
Gerald Rabkin in their Types of Drama: Plays and Contexts (8th edition), Creon
suffers since he must live with the knowledge that the deaths of his beloved people,
as well as Antigone, are his responsibility (2001: 87). It can be said that he must face
the truth that he actually kills his beloved people. The Messenger considers that
Haemon’s death is Creon’s responsibility since he has punished Antigone, which
causes the suicide of Antigone.
Messenger: Haemon is dead. Committed suicide. Chorus : He killed himself? His father didn’t do it? Messenger: Suicide, because Creon has murdered her (Scene 6, 147) Creon, himself, also states that the deaths of his beloved people are his responsibility
as follows:
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Creon : Wrong! How could I have been so wrong? And these deaths I caused (the deaths of Antigone and Haemon) -you have seen them-in my own family by my stubbornness. Oh my son, so young, to die so young, And all because of me. (Scene 6, 149)… Creon : Nobody else to share the blames. Just me… I killed you. I killed you, my dear. (Scene 6, 149) And, what makes him more suffering because of entering the system of
absolute power, is that his duty to face the truth that all his sacrifices done for the city
becomes useless. The reason is because all his sacrifices for the city do not bring the
city and the citizens to prosperity. On the other hand, his sacrifices end in his
adversity or his downfall.
Creon : God has taken his revenge. Leapt on my head and beaten me. And trampled on the only joy I had. And all the years that I have labored-wasted. (Scene 6, 149)
Based on the explanation above, it can be concluded that the deaths of his
beloved people, the truth that he causes the deaths of his beloved people, also the fact
that all his sacrifices are wasteful since they end in his adversity, make Creon loose a
lot, and finally he comes to his downfall. Creon’s downfall can be observed in Scene
6. Creon’s condition is told by the Messenger as follows:
Messenger: Citizens of Thebes, who knows how long Their luck will last? Whether you’re up or down, It’s all pure chance. You can’t predict what’s coming. Take Creon now. I thought he was doing well- The savior of his country, King of Thebes, And a proud father of a lovely family. He’s lost a lot. Oh yes, he’s wealthy still, But wealth can’t buy you happiness. What’s the use of money without the means of enjoying it?
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His wealth’s no more to him than a puff of smoke. You can’t say that Creon lives, He’s just a walking corpse. (Scene 6, 147) Creon’s downfall also can be observed through Creon’s statements. His
statements below show that Creon becomes a miserable person since he must live
with the knowledge that he has killed his beloved people.
Creon : Lead me away, a wreck, a useless wreck. I’ll keep out the way. I killed them both. Everything has crumbled. I feel A huge weight on my head. (Scene 6, 149) And, the hero’s downfall is the result of tragedy (Kennedy and Gioia, 1999:
1295). It means that Creon’s downfall is the result of Sophocles’ Antigone. So, it
implies that the downfall must exist in the hero’s part. In their Types of Drama: Plays
and Contexts, Sylvan Barnett, William Burto, Lesley Ferris, and Gerald Rabkin quote
Byron’s statement. Byron states that “all tragedies are finished by a death”. This does
not mean that tragedy must end with the death of the hero, but the hero’s ‘death’
means his downfall from his prosperity, which shows that he has lost a lot.
So, it can be concluded that Creon’s weaknesses in characteristics, such as:
too strict to the rules, arrogant, obstinate, authoritarian, self-absorbed, narrow-
minded, male-chauvinistic, and unwise are the factors that cause his downfall. It
means that they are Creon’s tragic flaws. Aristotle says that the hero’s downfall is the
result of his hamartia or his tragic flaw, which can be meant as his weaknesses in
characteristics (Kennedy and Gioia, 1999: 1295).
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According to Harcourt Brace Jovanovich in his A World Enclosed:
TRAGEDY, a flaw causes the hero to make some terrible mistakes and some
disastrous choices (1973: 222). Based on the theory, this thesis sees that ‘being a
king’ (by entering the system of absolute power) is also Creon’s tragic flaw, besides
the ‘weaknesses’ above. The reason is because entering the system of absolute power
drives him to be an authoritarian king. Then, by being an authoritarian king, Creon
possesses the ‘weaknesses’ mentioned above, which cause his downfall that has been
explained above. So, it can be said that ‘being a king’ (entering the system of absolute
power) becomes Creon’s tragic flaw since it brings Creon from his prosperity to his
adversity.
There is still an important thing to discuss relating to the hero’s tragic flaw,
which is about the concept of ‘tragic flaw’ in Ancient Greek Tragedy. In their
Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama, X. J. Kennedy and Dana
Gioia state that the downfall of a hero follows from his very nature (2001: 1296). It
means that the tragic flaw is a part of the hero’s destiny or fate, just like his downfall.
It means that the ‘flaw’ or the ‘weakness’ in tragedy can not be overcome or
prevented by the hero, since it is a fate. Based on McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of
World Drama, the dramatic action in tragedy was not mere theatre. It was a reflection
of a Greek vision of life that encompassed man’s noble accomplishments-his power
of imagination, his intelligence, poetic spirit, and sense of justice-in relationship to
his weaknesses, his inability to finally order, know, or set anything right, especially in
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conflict with the gods and his “fate” (1984: 395). The theory implies that the Greek
tragedy deals with a noble’s man weaknesses, which are actually his fate.
So, no matter how hard the hero tries to prevent, this is still going to happen,
and actually, the hero realizes it. This also can be seen in what happen to Creon when
he attempts to undo his policies by burying Polyneices’ body and to set Antigone
free. It can be observed in the text that actually Creon realizes that this can not be
prevented. He realizes that the disaster is going to happen in Thebes anyway.
Creon : Can’t fight against what’s destined. It is hard, but I’ll change my mind. (Scene 5, 146) So, this is a sure that the hero experiences the ‘flaw’ and his downfall, since
they have been his path of life to experience it. So, it can be said that the ‘weakness’
experienced by the hero is the ‘weakness by fate’.
It can be concluded that the facts that Creon becomes a king, and then, he
possesses the ‘weaknesses’ are his fates of his destinies. The fact that the
‘weaknesses’ encourage Creon to do the oppression, and the oppression causes the
deaths of his beloved people, then this event brings to his downfall, are also Creon’s
fates or destinies that he can not prevent or overcome, or according to H. D. F. Kitto
in his Form and Meaning in Drama: A Study of Six Great Plays and of Hamlet, the
ruin of Creon is the working of a universal law and it is ‘what would happen’ (1956:
174),
Servant: My lord, what you see before your eyes- It isn’t all. You’d better come inside Creon : What fresh disaster could I suffer now? Servant: Your wife, the mother of this corpse, is dead.
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Only a moment ago. She stabbed herself. Creon : Oh, death. Can I never wash it away? Why are you destroying me? What is your message now? Why stab me again? My wife dead too? Servant: see for yourself. They’ve brought the body out. Creon : oh… Another blow. What else has fate in store? My wife, my son. (Scene 6, 149) Chorus’ statements below show that a destiny can not be prevented by human beings,
no matter how strong they are, including by Creon.
Chorus : There’s nothing can win fight against The force of destiny, nor wealth, or military might, Or city walls, or ships that breasts the sea. (Scene 4, 143) Then, by considering Creon’s oppression to the oppressed (represented by
Antigone) and Creon’s tragic incidents (Creon’s downfall), the writer finds that in the
end of the play, the readers’ and the audiences’ sympathy, admiration, and respect are
not for Creon as the oppressor, but their sympathy, admiration, and respect are for the
oppressed. The writer finds that the readers and the audiences consider that the
downfall is Creon’s consequence of what he has done to the oppressed (the
consequence of Creon’s oppression). The writer believes that their sympathy,
admiration, and respect are for the oppressed by considering that Sophocles’ Antigone
is a humanistic play (Kitto, 1984: 154). Since the play has humanity with its theme, it
tends to stand for the oppressed. That is why in the play, it can be seen that Creon is
portrayed as an authoritarian king with absolute power that does actions, which are
considered as an insult of humanity, because the actions are forms of oppression.
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In order to ensure that Antigone is a humanity play, the writer takes Creon’s
action to unbury Polyneices’ body as the example to show that the action is an insult
of humanity. Creon reveals the decree to unbury Polyneices’ body since he had
betrayed Thebes by leading The Argive Army to fight against Thebes. Then, through
the report of the Guard, Creon finds out that someone has given necessary
purification to the body. It means that the person has defied Creon’s order. Relating
to this issue, the Chorus thinks that this burial perhaps was done by the Gods.
Chorus : I think I see the hand of God I this, Bringing about the body’s burial. Scene 2, 127) Creon disagrees with the Chorus’ statements. Creon says that it is impossible
that the God cares with the man who had betrayed his own motherland and burned the
God’s temples (Scene 2, 127). But, actually, the Gods care with the man though he
had betrayed his own mother land, and the man deserves the rites of burial. The
reason is because he is a human being, and every human being or every man deserves
to get the rites of burial when they die, which shows humanity. So, what Creon does
is an insult to humanity.
By reviewing the explanation above, the writer concludes that whatever the
readers’ and the audiences’ point of views about who the tragic hero of the play is,
ultimately, their sympathy, admiration, and respect are for the oppressed, who is
represented by Antigone. So, the oppressed gains their sympathy, admiration, and
respect in the end.
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Next, the writer also finds that it is not only the oppressed who becomes the
victim of Creon’s oppression, but actually, Creon himself is also a victim. The writer
views that Creon is the victim of the system that drives him to be an authoritarian
king, which is the system of absolute power, because this system actually forces
Creon to posses the ‘weaknesses’ mentioned before, and these ‘weaknesses’
encourage Creon to do the oppression. And finally, the oppression causes Creon’s
downfall. This makes Creon the tragic hero of the play. So, it can be concluded that
the system of absolute power brings Creon to his downfall. The system of absolute
power makes him a miserable person. On other words, Creon, the tragic hero, is the
victim of the system of absolute power.
Based on the understanding that Creon is the victim of the system of absolute
power, the writer finds that it is not only the oppressed who deserves to get the
sympathy, admiration, and respect from the readers and the audiences, but Creon also
should get their sympathy, admiration, and respect. The writer sees that Creon
deserves to get their sympathy because Creon must experience the downfall and he
must suffer more than he deserves, since Creon is basically a good person with his
positive sides as a human being. The writer also views that Creon deserves to get
their respect since actually, the basic intention of Creon in revealing the policy to
unbury Polyneices’ body is not based on personal hatred, but because he tries to stand
for the nation and he tries to act in the best interests of Thebes.
Creon : By such measures (to unbury Polynices’ body), I’ll make this city-great (Scene 1, 125)
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Then, the writer analyzes that Creon deserves to get their admiration due to
his willingness to learn and his willingness to undo his actions (by setting Antigone
free and by burying Polyneices’ body) though he knows that it is impossible to fight
against the destiny. Besides, he is willing to accept the consequences of his actions.
Creon : Can’t fight against what’s destined. It is hard. But I’ll change my mind. You servants- Bring axes, hurry, and come with me. I must Personally undo what I have done. I shouldn’t have tried being unorthodox. I’ll follow the established laws in the future. (Scene 5, 146) So, there is still another important thing can be derived from Creon as a king.
The writer concludes that both of the oppressed and the oppressor are ‘victims’, and
both of them deserve to get the readers’ and the audiences’ sympathy, respect, and
admiration. The writer views that this is the power of Sophocles’ Antigone, which is
to provide a balance between the oppressed and the oppressor.
But, the writer’s research does not stop in only analyzing that Creon, as an
authoritarian king, qualifies Aristotelian tragic hero, who is actually the victim of the
system of absolute power (the surface representation of Creon as a king). The writer
sees that the text of the play has hidden intentions in entering Creon to the system,
which drives him to be an authoritarian king, and then this situation makes him the
tragic hero. In the last part of the analysis, the writer is going to find the hidden
intentions by finding out what Creon as tragic hero is to represent.
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C. The Depth Representation of Creon as a King.
Gibson in his Towards a Postmodern Theory of Narrative defines “depth
representation” in the book as follows:
“Representation of depth”, on the other hand, means penetrating the visible. In James’ terms, it “guess[es] the unseen from the seen” (ibid. p. 3). This is the representation of essences, general features, types which thus depends on and expresses ontological conviction. It pierces through the veil of the visible to what the visible supposedly secretes or embodies, capturing the distilled essence and saturating language in it (Gibson, 1996: 82).
It means that the depth representation observes and defines the invisible
things or the unseen things from the surface representation (the visible things) of a
work. It can be said that it goes beyond the visible. It tries to find things that lay
behind the surface representation by doing deeper considerations of the work, and by
seeing the surface representation from various points of views.
In this part, the writer tries to find the hidden intentions of the text in making
Creon an authoritarian king, then in making him the tragic hero of the play. In order
to achieve the aim, the writer is going to find what Creon as tragic hero is to
represent.
But, at first, it is urgent to understand that the text of the play brings a
message to be delivered to the readers and the audiences. Since Sophocles’ Antigone
is a play with humanity as its theme, the writer finds parts of the text to show the
humanistic values.
The first form of humanity can be found in the text is burial rites for the dead
body of human beings, so that their soul can enter the Underworld or Hades. The
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writer finds that it is the right of every human being to be buried when they die, no
matter who he or she is. It can be found in the text that burial rite for the dead body is
a must for the Greeks, and it already becomes a common knowledge. Even, they
consider it as a divine law. According to H. D. F. Kitto in his Form and Meaning in
Drama: A Study of Six Great Plays and of Hamlet, it was believed by the Greeks that
unless a body was buried, literally or symbolically, the soul of the dead man could
not find rest in Hades (1984: 147). From the text, the issue above can be seen when
the citizens of Thebes have a point of view that the dead body of Polyneices
(Antigone’s brother) must be buried though he had already become a betrayal for
Thebes. They see that though Polyneices is considered as being disloyal to Thebes, he
still has the right to have burial right since he is a human being. The issue about the
importance of burial right is said by Antigone and Teiresias.
Antigone: Isn’t a man’s right to burial decreed By divine justice? (Scene 2, 131) Teiresias (to Creon): The man is dead (Polyneices) No need to persecute him. You can give way, with good grace, to a corpse. (Scene 5, 144) The second form to show humanity can be found in the text is about
someone’s love to his or her family. This can be seen in Antigone when she decides
to bury her brother’s body so that his soul can enter the Underworld. She does this
because she loves his brother. She can not accept that the body of someone she loves
is treated badly because his body is being left unburied. Or according to H. D. F Kitto
in his Form and Meaning: A Study of Six Great Plays and of Hamlet, burying
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Polyneices’ body is Antigone’s instinct because of her love to her family (1984: 149).
This issue also can be found in the text as follows.
Antigone: What I can’t stand passively submitting To my own brother’s body being unburied. (Scene 2, 132) The third form of humanity can be found in the text is the obligation for
human beings to obey the God’s laws. It can be seen in the text that the citizens of
Thebes respect the God’s laws since they are divine justice, and they realize that it is
their obligation as human beings to obey the God’s laws. This issue can be seen in
Antigone when she buries Polyneices’ body. Besides she does this due to her love to
her brother, she does this because she obeys the God’s law to bury the dead body so
that his soul can enter the Underworld. She calls it as the “unwritten law of heaven”.
Antigone: These divine laws are not just temporary measures. They stand forever. (Scene 2, 131) The fourth form of humanity can be found in the text is a love between a man
and a woman. It is a nature of human being to love the other human being with
different sex, for example: a man’s love to a woman, or vice versa. The writer finds
that the issue of romantic love can be seen in Antigone and Haemon. Though there is
no conversation between Antigone and Haemon to show their love between each
other in the text, their love is told by Ismene (Antigone’s younger sister). For
addition, Sophocles does not write a scene for Antigone and Haemon since the fifth-
century Greeks had no interest in romantic love (Kitto, 1984: 162). So, Sophocles
uses the other character to tell the romantic love between Antigone and Haemon, that
is Ismene. Ismene implicitly says in her statements that Antigone and Haemon are
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deeply in love each other by saying that Antigone is going to be Haemon’s bride, and
they are so well suited to each other (Scene 2, 134).
Fifth, the next form of humanity can be found in the text is about the feeling
of sympathy and understanding on someone’s grief. It is the nature of a human being
to feel sympathy when he or she knows that someone is facing a difficult condition or
a pathetic event, such as: the death of someone’s family member. This issue can be
seen when Antigone must face the truth that she already lost his brothers in war
(Eteocles and Polyneices), moreover she must find out that the dead body of
Polyneices is not allowed to be buried. The feeling of sympathy is shown by the
citizens of Thebes, and they understand that Antigone’s action in giving her brother’s
body a necessary purification shows her love to her brother. The sympathy from the
citizens of Thebes to Antigone is told by Haemon.
Haemon: The people feel sorry for Antigone. (Scene 3, 135)
The sixth form of humanity can be found in the text is about respecting
women. Though in the era, women are considered as second class citizens, women
are also human beings who must be respected, moreover if the woman has done an
action which is considered as the right action. This can be seen when Haemon puts
respect to Antigone for burying her brother’s body. Haemon says that he is
subservient to Antigone because he thinks that Antigone has done the right thing by
burying her brother’s body (Scene 3, 138).
So, above, the writer has elaborated the humanistic values that can be found in
the text. And the writer sees that the humanistic values above are disobeyed by Creon
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as an authoritarian king through his actions in revealing the decrees to unbury
Polyneices’ body and to punish Antigone because she gave a necessary purification
for the body of her brother (Polyneices). The writer views that what Creon does is a
form of oppression to Antigone, so that this thesis takes Antigone as the
representation of the “oppressed”.
Then, the writer analyzes that by considering the oppression done by Creon as
a form of disobedience to the humanistic values, the readers and the audiences give
their sympathy, respect, and admiration for the oppressed. And, the writer concludes
that this is the message that the text tries to reveal. Since Sophocles’ Antigone is a
humanity play, it tends to stand for the oppressed. It is obviously seen from the text
that the playwright tries to drive the readers’ and the audiences’ sympathy,
admiration, and respect to the oppressed, and of course, not for the oppressor.
Then, the writer views that in order to bring the message to the readers and
the audiences (so that they can derive the massage), the text needs a character to be
the oppressor, so that there will be the oppressed. Apparently, if there is no the
oppressor, then there will be no the oppressed.
The character, who is going to be the oppressor, is brought to enter the
system, which makes the character posses an absolute power as the quality to do the
oppression. The writer finds that the system, which makes it possible for the character
to posses absolute power is the system of ‘being the king’. So, with this absolute
power, the character can do the oppression. Then of course, the only character that
can posses the absolute power is the king of the city.
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Since the message brought by the text states that the oppressed gains the
readers’ and the audiences’ sympathy, respect, and admiration in the end, the
oppressor must be brought to his downfall that makes him miserable or suffering (his
downfall), in order to show that the downfall is the consequences of his oppression
done toward the oppressed. Then, because of it, the oppressed can gain their
sympathy, admiration, and respect in the end. It means that Creon, as the oppressor,
must be brought to his downfall. Then, the way to bring Creon to his downfall is by
making him the tragic hero of the play, since the play is a tragedy, which results or
ends in the tragic hero’s downfall (Kennedy and Gioia, 1999: 1295). It means that
Creon as a tragic hero shows “something”.
Before coming to the conclusion, it is urgent to know the chronology of
events to make Creon, as the oppressed, comes to his adversity as the consequences
of his oppression. By the text, Creon is brought to enter the system of absolute power
by being the king of Thebes. And, the system forces him to posses the ‘weaknesses’
in characteristics, such as: arrogant, authoritarian, self-absorbed, narrow-minded,
unwise, obstinate, and being too strict to the rules. The ‘weaknesses’ drive Creon to
be an authoritarian king with an absolute power. Then, by being an authoritarian king,
Creon does the actions as forms of oppression. And then, the oppression causes the
deaths of his beloved people that signify his ‘death’ or his downfall. His downfall
continues with the fact that he must live with the knowledge that he causes the deaths
of his beloved people, and realizing that all his sacrifices are wasteful. These facts
make him the tragic hero of the play. Then, finally, by observing the end of the play,
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the readers and the audiences will see that the tragic hero, who is also the oppressor,
comes to his downfall.
It can be concluded from the explanation above that Creon is actually
intended to be the tragic hero (who actually becomes the ‘victim’ of the system of
absolute power) and he must experience the tragic incidents that bring to his
downfall, in order to show to the readers and the audiences that being an oppressor
can bring someone to his downfall. And finally, the readers and the audiences can
feel sympathy, admiration, and respect to the person who is being oppressed (the
oppressed).
So, from the explanation above, it can be said that in order to uplift the
message, the text ‘victimizes’ Creon by making him the tragic hero. So, the writer
finds that if there is no Creon as the oppressor and as the tragic hero, there will be no
the oppressed. Then, if there is no the oppressed, the message can not be delivered to
the readers and the audiences. On other words, Creon becomes the ‘victim’ of the
text to uplift the message that the text wants to emphasize. And this is actually the
thing behind Creon as a tragic hero. Finally, this is the depth representation of Creon
as a king.
To make it clearer, the writer is also going to use the theory from Ferdinand
de Saussure, which is quoted by Raman Shelden, Peter Widowson, and Peter Brooker
in their A Reader’s Guide to Contemporary Literary Theory. According to them,
Saussure states that words are not symbols which correspond to referents, but rather
are ‘signs’ which are made up of two parts (like two sides of a sheet of paper): a
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mark, either written or spoken, called a ‘signifier’, and a concept (what is ‘thought’
when the mark is made), called a ‘signified’ (1997: 67). It means that a thing meant
by a speaker or a writer does not have to be the thing that the common people have a
view about the thing (literal). But the thing meant by the speaker or the writer can
refer to something else, or it can be called as metaphor.
Then, based on the explanation by Raman Shelden, Peter Widowson, and
Peter Brooker in their A Reader’s Guide to Contemporary Literary Theory,
Saussure’s concept of “sign” is developed by Roland Barthes into the concept of
“metalanguage” (1997: 156). It means that the ‘signified’ (explained above) can be
another ‘signifier’, so another ‘signified’ will be found out. Then, this concept still
can be developed into larger context, so there will be other ‘signifiers’ and
‘signifieds’.
So, based on this theory, the writer sees that Creon as a king (signifier I) is
seen as the tragic hero (signified I). Then, Creon as a tragic hero (signifier II) shows
something which can not be seen merely as literal, but in order to draw the meaning,
Creon as a tragic hero must be seen metaphorically. And the writer finds that Creon
as a tragic hero (signifier II) represents that Creon is the ‘victim’ of the text (signified
II). The system can be seen through the picture below:
Creon as a king Creon as a Tragic Hero
Signifier I signified I Creon is the ‘victim’ of
the text
Signifier II signified II
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CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION
The main purpose of this thesis is to define the hidden intentions of the text in
making Creon an authoritarian king, which drives him to be an oppressor, and then,
this brings him to his downfall. In order to achieve the aim, the writer finds the
surface and depth representation of Creon as a king by answering three problem
formulations: what are the qualities of Creon as a king, what are Creon’s traits that
make him the tragic hero, and what is Creon as tragic hero to represent.
After doing analysis, the writer finds Creon’s qualities as a king are: loyal to
Thebes, too strict to the rules, arrogant, obstinate (stubborn), authoritarian, self-
absorbed, male-chauvinistic, unwise, fond of his family, narrow-minded, noble,
wealthy, not greedy, intelligent, and powerful. Then, in order to find the surface
representation of Creon as a king, the writer proves that Creon with his traits qualifies
Aristotelian tragic hero. Creon’s significant characteristics which make him the tragic
hero are: Creon as a king with the qualities of a noble person, Creon as a king with
the qualities of a person with ‘high estate’, Creon as a king with the qualities of a
person with ‘high character’, Creon as a person who is better than the ordinary people
in rank and mind, Creon as a person with significance and importance, Creon as a
king with the qualities of a person with consistency, Creon as a king who is neither
utterly villainous nor eminently virtuous, and Creon as a king with ‘tragic flaws’ that
lead him to his ‘death’. Then, the writer finds that his tragic flaws are ‘being a king’
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and his ‘weaknesses’ in characteristics, such as: too strict to the rules, arrogant,
obstinate (stubborn), authoritarian, self-absorbed, male-chauvinistic, unwise, and
narrow-minded. The writer sees that ‘being a king’ and his ‘weaknesses’ in
characteristics drive him to be an oppressor, so that he must experience a downfall.
The writer also finds that in the end, the oppressed gains the readers’ and the
audiences’ sympathy, admiration, and respect, since Sophocles’ Antigone is a
humanity play, which tends to stand for the oppressed (represented by Antigone) as
the victim of oppression done by Creon. But, if it is observed more, the writer finds
that Creon himself is actually the ‘victim’ of the system which drives him to be an
authoritarian king, so that he does oppression. And then, the oppression causes his
downfall which is signified by the deaths of his beloved people (Haemon, Eurydice,
and Antigone). So, both of the oppressed and the oppressor are victim, and both of
them deserve to get the readers’ and the audiences’ sympathy, admiration, and
respect.
It has been stated above that since Sophocles’ Antigone is a humanity play,
which tends to stand for the oppressed, the message that the text wants to emphasize
is that the oppressed gains the readers’ and the audiences’ sympathy, admiration, and
respect in the end. So, the writer finds that if there is no the oppressor, there will be
no the oppressed. It means that the text needs the oppressor to uplift the message.
Then, the writer finds that in order to uplift the message, the text must
‘victimize’ a character to be the oppressor to be brought to his downfall to show that
his downfall is the consequences of his oppression. The text must have a character to
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be the oppressor, so that the oppressed can reveal, and finally the message of the text
can be delivered to the readers and the audiences. Then, this thesis finds that the text
makes Creon as the oppressor, by intentionally making him the tragic hero to be
brought to his downfall. So, it can be concluded that Creon becomes the ‘victim’ to
uplift the message of the text.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Abrams, M. H. A Glossary of Literary Terms (6th edition). Harcourt Brace: Jovanovich College Publishers, 1985. Barnett, Sylvan, William Burto, and William Cain. Literature for Composition. New York: Longman, 2005. Barnett, Sylvan, William Burto, Lesley Ferris, and Gerald Rabkin. Types of Drama: Plays and Contexts (8th edition). New York: Longman, 2001. Barranger, Milly. S. Understanding Plays (2nd edition). Massachusetts. A Division of Simon and Schuster, Inc. 1994. Barry, Peter. The Beginning Theory: An Introduction to Literature and Cultural Theory (2nd edition). Manchester and New York: Manchester University Press, 2002. Bate, Walter Jackson. Criticisms: The Major Texts. New York: Harcourt Brace, and Company, 1952. Bressler, Charles E. Literary Criticisms: An Introduction to Theory and Practice (2nd edition). New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, 1999. Brockett, Oscar. G. History of Theatre (7th edition). Massachusetts: A Simon and Schuster Company Needhan Heights, 1995. Das, Bijay Kumar. Twentieth Century Literature Criticisms (4th revised and enlarged). Delhi: Atlantic Publishers and Distributors, 2002. Gibson, Andrew. Towards a Postmodern Theory of Narrative. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1996. Guth, Hans P. and Gabrielle L. Rico. Discovering Literature: Stories, Poems, and Plays (2nd edition). New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1997. Guth, Hans P, The Literary Heritage. Massachusetts: D. C. Heath and Company, 1981. Hochman, Stanley. McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of World Literature (2nd edition). USA: McGraw-Hill Incorporation, 1984.
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Jovanovich, Harcourt Brace. A World Enclosed: TRAGEDY. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Incorporation, 1973. Kennedy, X. J. and Dana Gioia. Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. New York: Longman, 2001. Kitto, H. D. F. Form and Meaning in Drama: A Study of Six Great Plays and of Hamlet. London: Methuen and Company Ltd, 1956. Murphy, M. J. Understanding Unseen. London: George Allen and Unwin Ltd, 1971. Norwood, Gilbert. Greek Tragedy. New York: Hill and Wong.
Richter, David. H. The Critical Tradition: Classics Texts and Contemporary Trends (2nd edition). Boston: Bedford Books, 1998. Rohberger, Marry and Samuel H. Woods, Jr. Reading and Writing about Literature. New York: Random House Inc. 1971. Robert, Edgar. V. and Henry E. Jacobs. Fiction: An Introduction to Reading and Writing (2nd edition). New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1989. Selden, Raman, Peter Widowson, and Peter Brooker. A Reader’s Guide to Contemporary Literary Theory. London: Prentice Hall, 1997. Sophocles. Antigone. 441 B. C. The Literary Heritage. ed. Hans P. Guth. Massachusetts: D. C. Heath and Company, 1981. pp. 119-150. Setyarini. The Emergence of Feminist Ideas in Sophocles’ Antigone. Undergraduate Thesis. Yogyakarta: Sanata Dharma University, 2002. http://www.123helpme.com/preview.asp?id=60640
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APPENDIX
Summary of Sophocles’ Antigone
Sophocles’ Antigone tells about the tragic hero of the play, Creon, who must
face his terrible fate. Creon becomes the king of Thebes after the deaths of the former
kings, Polyneices and Eteocles.
For a time, the two brothers, Polyneices and Eteocles, together ruled Thebes
after their fathers, Oedipus (who was once the king of Thebes) left Thebes. But then,
they quarreled, and the elder brother, Polyneices had to leave Thebes. He went to the
city of Argos and turned into a traitor against Thebes. Then, he led the Argive Army
to fight against his own mother land. In the combat, the two brothers met, and finally
they killed each other.
Based on this case, Creon, as the new king of Thebes, reveals a policy to
unbury Polyneices’ body, because he had betrayed Thebes. Creon states that the
traitor does not deserve a decent burial. On the other hand, Creon decides to bury
Eteocles’ body in an honorable rite because he is considered as a hero for protecting
Thebes from the Argive Army and died because of it.
Antigone, the sister of the two brothers disagrees with Creon’s policy. She
decides to bury his brother’s body (Polyneices’ body), so that his soul can enter the
underworld. It means that Antigone has disobeyed Creon’s policy. After knowing the
defiance of Antigone, Creon reveals a new policy to punish Antigone for disobeying
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the law he made. He orders the Guard to take Antigone to a deserted spot without
food.
Haemon, Creon’s son, who is also Antigone’s lover, does not agree with
Creon’s policy to punish Antigone. He tells Creon to undo the policy because
according to him, what has been done by Antigone is a noble action. But Creon is still
unwilling to undo his policy.
Then, a blind prophet, Teiresias comes to Creon and tells him about his
prophecy relating to Creon’s policies. Teiresias tells that if Creon is unwilling to undo
the policies, a disaster will happen in Thebes. It will bring Creon and the citizens of
Thebes into misery. At first, Creon is unwilling to accept the prophecy and unwilling
to undo his policies. But finally, he decides to undo his policies because he can not
pretend that he is unworried about Teiresias’ prophecy.
Then, he personally undoes his policies by burying Polyneces’ body first.
Then he will set Antigone free. Unfortunately, it is too late for him to save Antigone,
because he finds that Antigone has committed suicide by hanging herself in a noose
of linen. Creon also sees Haemon is killing himself in front of his eyes. What’s more,
Creon finds out that Eurydice, Creon’s wife, stabs herself after knowing the death of
her son.
Finally, the play ends with the downfall of Creon as a king. He is not anymore
a prosperous person, but he bcomes a miserable person for knowing the facts that the
deaths of his beloved people are caused by him.