Wisdom is the Key

A detailed Summary of Wisdom is the Key


The struggle with understanding the needs of individual's rights versus the rights of the higher power of government leads to political destruction within the state. "Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely" (Lord Acton). Sophocles, author of the novel Antigone, displays acts of power corruption and explores the idea of a individual risking their life for free will and divine law against the positive law of the government. Sophocles seems to stress the significant importance of open communication and the willingness to compromise for the well being of society. The leadership qualities and decisions causes corruption, the unwillingness to compromise leads to destruction, a new hero is form.

In Antigone, King Creon is the most powerful man in Thebes. He makes the laws and punishes the ones who break the law. Creon's decision to deny the burial of Polynices body is the central conflict of the story. Creon states, "if I tolerate treachery at home c


an I crush subversion anywhere in the city" (Antigone, 1947, p.144). Here, it shows that Creon must punish individuals that break the laws in order to keep his state stable and from corrupting. I believe that Creon is not strong and intelligent enough to be a good leader. Creon displays his lack of intelligence as his decision for denying burial of Polynice's body is certainly not an intelligent one because it interferes with the laws of the Gods and if you

defy the Gods, you will be punish. Teiresias states this about Creon's decision to have Antigone sent to her death, "[o]nly a fool is governed by self-will" (Antigone, 1947, p.153). Creon's decisions makes the Gods mad at him but it also makes the people of Thebes mad as they oppose to the punishing of Antigone. Creon's greed and pride makes him fail to see the fact that he makes a massive mistake in his Kingship and now he must pay for the circumstances that comes with defying the laws of the Gods from above. <

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Approximate Word count = 655
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

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