There is No Happiness Where There are No Morals

Though perhaps laden with good intentions, King Creon only proves himself repetitively to be a character of unsound moral and emotional judgment. Undeniably, Creon is a good ruler, in the lawful sense. Throughout the play, he demonstrates this positive role of leadership through several different progressive actions. An example perhaps most commendable is his ability to create laws and jurisdictions and stick to them for the apparent good of the state. After announcing his newly formed law that “Polyneices… is to have no burial” as a symbolic act representing Creon’s loyalty to what he believes is best for the state , he refuses to deter from it, even as it is broken by Antigone, even as his son Haimon fights against it with all his reason, and even after the people of the state ask him to step down from his resolution. Such attributes of determination and passion for the benefit of the state shine through as inarguable evidence that Creon reigns true to his title as king, strictly in the logistical and political sense of the word. However, his unwavering determination acts as both his claim to the throne as well as his immense downfall. In refusing to relent upon his law, Creon only solidifies his moral inadequacy, one which was entirely shattered within his first decree. This is because the law itself was made not out of moral reason or logic, but rather out of an immature need for revenge and punishment, one that crossed both the gods’ will as well as the morals of his son and Antigone. And thus, in tangible proof of Creon’s wrong decision, he is punished. He is punished by the death of Antigone and the suicide of his son, and punished lastly with the words of Choragos: “There is no happiness where there is no wisdom, no wisdom but in submission to the gods. Big words and always punished, and proud men in old age learn to be wise.”