Creon bases his laws on his own ethics and refuses to take the advice of the state, as he believes that he, as ruler is superior. When he is talking to the Leader of the chorus about Polynices' burial he states "These are my principles. Never at my hands will the traitor be honored above the patriot" (p. 68 lines 232-33). While saying this he is blatantly stating that his principals guide him. He first defines his principals then he says that he will never go against them, and that he will not tolerate anyone else going against him, either. For others to honor a traitor, in Creon's eyes, would be traitorous in it's own rite because he is not now being honored as a king should. Creon would view a traitor honored as an attack on his absolute power. Creon shows that he thinks he is the definitive power when he is talking to Haemon, telling him that he will not be allo

wed to marry Antigone. When Haemon objects Creon defends himself by saying

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so they say, well could this concept not extend to a ruler? Whether Creon was a good ruler or not is simply a matter of perspective. People in Creon's world didn't agree with his laws because they had a different set of ethics. What Creon did wasn't wrong, it was simply different.

Show me the man who rules his household well: I'll show you someone fit to rule the state...But whoever steps out of line, violates the laws or presumes to hand out orders to his superiors, he'll win no praise from me. But that man the city places in authority, his orders must be obeyed, large and small, right and wrong (p.94 lines 739-51).

The people of Creon's state are skeptical of his ethics based laws, and the way he uses his power, and do not think he is fit to rule. The king's own chorus seems to be one of the most skeptical forces in the play. Unsure of the outcome of Creon's decision about Polynices' posthumous fate the Leader of the chorus tells him, "The power is yours, I suppose, to enforce it with the laws, both for the dead and all of us" (p. 69 lines 238-39). While the leader supposes that Creon has the power he is none the less unconvinced that Creon should not be using it in this way. But Creon's most severe critic remains Antigone, who flagrantly disregarded his laws and buried her brother despite them.

Some common words found in the essay are:
Antigone Thebes, Antigone Sophocles, Antigone Haemon, Seeing Creon, People Creon's, ethics creon, Effect Ethics, creon power, creon bases laws, traitor honored, fit rule, leader chorus, creon bases, bases laws, people creon's, honor traitor, ones below,
Approximate Word count = 981
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)