The Rulers Of The Thebes: Oedipus Vs. Creon

Matthew DeKoker

Honors English 12

Mrs. Kelly

09 October 2006

The Rulers of the Thebes: Oedipus vs. Creon

The stories of Oedipus Rex and Antigone highlight the ups and downs of Oedipus and Creon as they rule over the people of Thebes. Many of their mistakes are similar, but for the most part they were very different in their authority. Both characters show rage, pride and impulsiveness, but the way each character handles their problems as ruler was very different. Another example of differences between the two was how each is ruined and the way they handle their demise. By looking at each ruler's faults and weighing them out, we discover that Oedipus is the better ruler.

As each story unfolds, we notice many similar qualities being shown through the rule of Oedipus and the rule of Creon. Creon and Oedipus both portray rage and how impetuous they are at many times throughout these stories as they struggle with issues that they face as rulers. One example of this is when Oedipus encounters a chariot on the highway which pushes him off the road. Oedipus "struck him in [his] rage [...] [and] killed him" (Scene II. 283-288). This plus the fact show that the man he strikes down is actually his father, shows how impulsive and driven-by-rage Oedipus' actions are. Creon's harsh judgments against Antigone show his rage rashness as he sentences her to be buried alive. Another way their impulsiveness is shown is how both characters disregard what Teiresias tells them and Oedipus even fail to heed the warning from the Gods about the events that are destined to happen. Pride is what drives both characters to their ultimate demise, blinding them from seeing the evils that are occurring right before their very eyes. This pride prevents Oedipus from seeing the very fact that he is the murderer of King Laius which he has invested so much time and energy into finding. When Creon and his son, Haimon argue over principles of wisdom and rule, Haimon states that any man who thinks that " [he] alone can be right [...] who maintains that only he has the power to reason correctly, the gift to speak, the soul- a man like that, when you know him, turns out [...] the reasonable thing is to learn from those who can teach" (Scene III. 74-91). This shows that Creon is so full of pride that he refuses to accept that he does not know everything. He is so determined to be a perfect ruler that he denies the very idea that he could be imperfect. When his son suggests to him that he should listen to the advice of others since he does not know everything, Creon grows furious and responds, "You consider it right for a man of my years and experience to go to school to a boy?" (Scene III. 95-96). Pride, impulsiveness, and rage drive Creon and Oedipus to their destruction as they each struggle to be a good ruler in their stories.

Suffering is part of each story as the tragedy of each character unfolds. Both Oedipus and Creon come to their demise in the end, but how they got there is slightly different. According to the Oracle of Delphi, Oedipus is destined to kill his father and sleep with his mother. When Oedipus discovers this he flees in order to prevent this from happening and takes actions to ensure this will not happen. But fate grabs control of the story and an end result is that Oedipus' father is killed by his hand, and he has married his mother. Oedipus' ruin is by fate, it is uncontrollable and inescapable. Creon's destruction on the other hand, has been dealt to himself. It is his pride and his actions that have left him with nothing. It is not fate, but his own characteristics that have brought him to his death. The way that Oedipus handles his problems is in an open-to-suggestion and seemingly experienced manner. When he comes to the town of Thebes in the beginning, he comes to the people in a way where he is open to suggestions and answers to who killed Laius. This is shown by the first line of the play when he says:

"Children,

I would not have you speak through messengers,

And therefore I have come myself to hear you-

I, Oedipus who bear the famous name.

You, there, since you are eldest in the company,

Speak for them all, tell me what preys upon you,

Whether you come in dread, or crave some blessing: