Creon and Oedipus are two of the main characters in the ancient Greek tragedy *Oedipus Rex* by Sophocles. They are also related by blood and marriage, which makes their relationship complicated and tense. In this article, we will explore how Creon is related to Oedipus and how their roles and personalities clash throughout the play.
Contents
Creon: The Brother-in-Law and the Rival
Creon is the brother of Jocasta, the queen of Thebes and the wife of Oedipus. He is also the uncle of Oedipus’s children: Antigone, Ismene, Eteocles, and Polynices. However, unbeknownst to everyone, Oedipus is actually the son of Jocasta and her previous husband, King Laius, who was killed by Oedipus on his way to Thebes. This means that Creon is also Oedipus’s uncle and brother-in-law.
Creon is a loyal and prudent man who serves as the regent of Thebes when Oedipus goes to consult the oracle at Delphi. He brings back the news that the plague that afflicts the city is caused by the presence of Laius’s murderer, who must be found and punished. He also supports Oedipus’s investigation and tries to calm him down when he accuses Creon of conspiring with the prophet Tiresias to overthrow him.
Creon argues that he has no desire to usurp Oedipus as king because he enjoys equal power and respect without the burden of responsibility. He says:
> Why should I want a troubled reign
>
> When I can rule without a crown?
>
> I have no natural craving for the name
>
> Of king, preferring fearlessly to be
>
> King’s friend. (Sophocles, *Oedipus Rex*, lines 651-655)
However, Creon’s words do not convince Oedipus, who banishes him from Thebes. Creon only returns when Jocasta commits suicide and Oedipus blinds himself after discovering the truth about his identity and his marriage. Creon then takes over as the king of Thebes and orders Oedipus to leave the city as well. He also decides to separate Oedipus from his daughters, who beg to stay with him.
Creon shows some compassion for Oedipus’s fate, but he also asserts his authority and follows the will of the gods. He says:
> You are not in a position
>
> To lay down laws for me; you are a man
>
> Whom all men hate; you are a man accursed
>
> By gods and men alike. (Sophocles, *Oedipus Rex*, lines 1434-1437)
Creon: The Manipulator and the Tyrant
In *Oedipus at Colonus*, a sequel to *Oedipus Rex*, Creon appears as a more cunning and ruthless character. He travels to Colonus, where Oedipus has taken refuge with his daughters, and tries to persuade him to return to Thebes. He claims that he wants to honor Oedipus as a hero and a benefactor of his homeland, but he actually wants to secure his own power by having Oedipus buried in Theban soil.
Creon uses flattery, threats, and deception to achieve his goal. He tells Oedipus that he is still loved by his people and that he can end his exile and misery by coming back to Thebes. He also warns him that his sons are fighting for the throne and that he can prevent a civil war by reconciling them. When Oedipus refuses to listen, Creon resorts to kidnapping Antigone and Ismene, hoping to blackmail Oedipus into submission.
Creon’s plan fails when Theseus, the king of Athens, intervenes and rescues Oedipus’s daughters. Theseus also protects Oedipus from Creon’s aggression and allows him to die peacefully in Colonus. Creon leaves empty-handed and humiliated, having provoked the wrath of both Athens and Thebes.
In *Antigone*, another sequel to *Oedipus Rex*, Creon becomes the main antagonist of the play. He is now the undisputed ruler of Thebes after the death of Oedipus’s sons, who killed each other in battle. He decrees that Eteocles, who defended Thebes, should be buried with honors, but Polynices, who attacked Thebes, should be left unburied as a traitor.
Creon’s edict defies the laws of the gods and the customs of the Greeks, who believed that every dead person deserved a proper burial. Antigone, Oedipus’s daughter and Creon’s niece, defies Creon’s order and buries Polynices, risking her own life. Creon sentences her to death, despite the pleas of his son Haemon, who is engaged to Antigone.
Creon’s stubbornness and pride lead to his downfall. He ignores the advice of Tiresias, who warns him that the gods are angry with him and that he will lose his son and his wife if he does not repent. He only changes his mind when it is too late. He finds Antigone dead by suicide, Haemon dead by his own sword, and his wife Eurydice dead by stabbing herself. Creon is left alone and miserable, lamenting his fate and his mistakes.
Creon says:
> I have been rash and foolish.
>
> I have killed my son and my wife.
>
> I look for comfort; my comfort lies here dead.
>
> Whatever my hands have touched has come to nothing.
>
> Fate has brought all my pride to a thought of dust. (Sophocles, *Antigone*, lines 1384-1388)
Conclusion
Creon is related to Oedipus by blood and marriage, but he is also his rival and his enemy. He goes from being a reasonable and loyal adviser to a manipulative and tyrannical ruler. He clashes with Oedipus over the truth, the power, and the justice. He also suffers the consequences of his actions, losing his family and his happiness.
According to SparkNotes, Creon represents the human law and the human need for an orderly society, but he also fails to balance it with the divine law and the human compassion. He is a complex and tragic character who mirrors and contrasts Oedipus in different ways.
