Antigone Creon is a Failed Statesman

Three dead bodies, angry Gods, and a bad omen foreseen by a prophet come true. Such are the effects of a foolish king’s actions. In Sophocles’s Antigone, Creon fails as a statesman because of three primary faults: he makes governing decisions without taking advice from others, he abuses his absolute power as a king, and he has an extremely quick and volatile temper. The foremost of Creon’s faults is making his decisions …

…situations. An explosive temper can lead to the loss of friends or, in Creon’s case, loved ones. A statesman must have many qualities that Creon does not possess. Most of these qualities come from one’s own morals and beliefs, but also by incorporating the philosophies of others, listening to others, and accepting one’s faults. Creon does not manage to do any of these, which contributes heavily to his failure as a statesman.