Justin Ernst
Creon is guilty of disobeying traditional laws resulting in the deaths of three people. The first time Creon disobeyed traditional law is when he bans the burial of his own nephew, Polynieces.
“ANTIGONE
Look—what’s Creon doing with our two brothers?
He’s honouring one with a full funeral
and treating the other one disgracefully!...
He’s (Polynieces) to have no funeral or lament,
but to be left unburied and unwept,...” (25-37)
When Antigone speaks up against his actions, he treats her disrespectfully and gives her a harsh sentencing.
“CREON
Then go down to the dead. If you must love,
love them. No woman’s going to govern me—
no, no—not while I’m still alive.” (599-601)
Eventually, Creon makes the decision to put the living Antigone in a sealed tomb, which is against the gods’ laws
“CREON
I’ll take her on a path no people use,
and hide her in a cavern in the rocks,
while still alive.” (884-888)
Only after the blind prophet Teiresias tells him that he is angering the gods does he realize and publicly say that he did the wrong thing.
“CREON
Aaiii—mistakes made by a foolish mind,
cruel mistakes that bring on death.
You see us here, all in one family—
the killer and the killed.” (1406-1409)
Creon obviously knows he’s guilty and even calls himself the killer. Creon’s peripeteia happens at this moment.
Before he realized he was wrong, Antigone kill herself in her tomb. Haemon, his son, also killed himself when he learned of Antigone’s death because she was his fiancé. His wife kills herself when she learns of Haemon’s death.
Creon is guilty because he made choices that were against the gods’ laws. He pays the price by losing his closest relatives: his wife and son.
