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Leadership in Oedpius (Click to select text)
Leaders come in many odd shapes and forms. As can be seen the character's of Sophocles' Oedipus the King and Antigone. Contained within these famous Greek tragedies one can see how leadership is fostered and the challenges encountered by the three characters of Oedipus, Creon and Antigone. Although they are tragic leaders, they are able to maintain an integrity that is vital in a leader. In comparing Oedipus, Antigone and Creon, there is a similarity between them in terms of the main characters' leadership in response to situations. In Oedipus the King, the main character that displays leadership in response to a situation is Oedipus. In this epic, Oedipus's leadership is greatly noted, especially upon our introduction of him and as the story progresses further. His leadership is easily recognized as he took charge when the Chorus and the Priest asked for his help to rescue Thebes from the plague. As a result Oedipus says, "In all my search, I have found helpful course, and that I have taken: I have sent Creon, Son of Menoikeus, brother of the Queen, to Delphi, Apollo's place of revelation, to learn there, if he can, What act or pledge of mine may save the city."(Sophocles pg 153) Once Creon returns with the message from the Oracle, Oedipus springs into action when he says, "I make this proclamation to all Thebans: If any man knows by whose hand Laios, son of Labdakos, met his death, I direct that man to tell me everything, no matter what he fears for having so long withheld it. Let it stand as promised that no further trouble will come to him, but he may leave the land in safety. Moreover: If anyone knows the murderer to be foreign, let him not keep silent: He shall have his reward from me. However, if he does conceal it; if any man fearing for his friend or for himself disobeys this edict, hear what I propose to do. I solemnly forbid the people of this country. Where power and throne are mine, ever to receive that man or speak to him, no matter who he is, or let him join in sacrifice, lustration, or in prayer. I decree that he be driven from every home, being, as he is, corruption itself to us: the Delphic Voice of Zeus has pronounced this revelation." (Sophocles pg 157-158) Here, Oedipus shows resolve and determination taking every step that is necessary to find the solution. Based on all of these statements of Oedipus, it is therefore agreeable that Oedipus was a strong and a leader that took action. In the play Antigone, there is a characters that responds to situations with leadership and this character is Creon who is King of Thebes and Antigone who is daughter of Oedipus and sister of Polyneices. But let's discuss Creon first. After the battle between Polyneices of Argus and Eteocles of Thebes, Polyneices successfully defends Thebes but he got killed in the battle as well as his brother. Creon gives a full military honor funeral for Eteocles for defending the city but as for Polyneices, Creon says, "Polyneices, I say, is to have no burial: no man is to touch him or say the least prayer for him; he shall lie on the plain, unburied; and the birds and the scavenging dogs can do with him whatever they like. This is my command, and you can see the wisdom behind it. As long as I am King, no traitor is going to be honored with the loyal man. But whoever shows by word and deed that he is on the side of the State, he shall have my respect while he is living and my reverence when he is dead."(Sophocles pg 534) Based on this, Creon shows excellent leadership under this situation because a war just finished and to make sure others will not do the same as Polyneices, that is commit treason, he gives this command so others would heed his warning and not to do what Polyneices has done. His actions are justifiable since any good leader would do the same to prevent another similar war from occurring. The second character from the play Antigone who displays admirable leadership qualities is Antigone herself. Antigone tries to help her brother without worrying about what will happen to her. She says, "I intend to give my brother burial and I'll be glad to die in the attempt. If it is a crime, then it's a crime that God commands." (Sophocles pg. 542) She had the conviction of a leader who believed in doing what she thought was right and was knew the consequences. Antigone doesn't only defies Creon's edict but also makes a mockery of it when he asks her about it. When asked if she knows the edict of her exclamation is "Of course I knew. Was it not publicly proclaimed." (Sophocles pg. 543) This line clearly shows that Antigone knows that she broke the edict and is not ashamed to admit it to the creator of the edict himself. Antigone also shows that she choose what to do not based on the law of the state but on the laws of the Gods. Antigone also embellishes her statement by telling Creon that he is a fool to judge her on what she has done. "I feel no twinges of regret. And if you think I am a fool, perhaps it is because a fool is judge" (Sophocles pg. 543). If anything this clearly states that she has conviction of a leader to do the right thing even when it proves difficult and will make sure that Creon knows this and her unfeigned gratitude for her dead brothers. A leader chooses to do what is right and honorable rather than what is easiest. In conclusion, the three leaders; Oedipus, Creon and Antigone are similar to the leadership they displayed and the conviction of their actions. Although their actions ended negatively, they were true to their roles of leadership when the situation demanded it. These characters have endured in the stories of Sophocles because of the universal content and the its ability to transcend time. Will we make the same decision when it comes time to become leader of our own small worlds? Oedipus, Creon and Antigone aren't commonly what one would refer to as a great leader but I feel a leader who maintained their integrity.
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