Antigone vs. Creon: Who Is the More Tragic Character?

Antigone is a one-act play by Sophocles. It is about a woman, Antigone, who is put to death for giving her brother a proper burial. This act was forbidden by her uncle, the ruler at the time, Creon. I believe that, between Antigone and Creon, Creon is the more tragic figure of the two. He is the one who gets disobeyed; friends are bribed to go against him; he ends up losing his wife, son, and niece; and he is the one who gets called out for his way of ruling.

At the beginning of the play, it is revealed to us that Creon has declared the burial of Polynices, Antigone’s brother, illegal. While talking, Ismene tries to remind her sister of this, but Antigone does not listen, “No, he has no right to keep me from my own.” Here Creon was, trying to do what he thought was best for his people, and his own relative is planning on going behind his back and breaking his law.

Another point in the play, we realize that many of the people that talk to Croen and try to give him advice were originally promised money from other people to do so. And if that wasn’t the case, than Creon assumes this anyway because he believes “Money- you demolish cities, root men from their homes, you train and twist good minds and set them on to the most atrocious schemes. No limit, you make them adept at every kind of outrage, every godless crime- money!” Compared to Antigone, who was just put to death by her own uncle, Creon’s story throughout this play is far more tragic. He is constantly having to watch his back, making sure that the people closest to him aren’t just getting paid to do it.

Towards the end of the play Creon starts losing everyone he loves. Because he killed his son’s bride, his son decides to kill himself. Because their son died, his wife decides to kill herself. Just before this, too, he loses his own mother and brother when they found out that they had married one another.

After sentencing Antigone to death, a lot of the other townspeople start questioning his judgment. They do not believe that it was right of Creon to punish her so cruelly for such an act. Again, here Creon was, trying to do his best for the people, trying to uphold the laws, and they’re just bashing him. Questioning his motives, asking why, hurting his feelings.

Those are the reasons I believe that Creon is the most tragic figure in Sophocles’ Antigone.