There are Similarities!

Is it possible that similarities could exist between two opposite Greek heroes? In fact, Odysseus from The Odyssey and Creon from Antigone are paragons in expounding how this is possible. Odysseus is an epic hero, whereas Creon is a tragic hero. However, they do share similar traits: both of them are not completely good or bad, are flawed, and lastly, their punishments exceed their crimes. These traits demonstrate the similarity of these two different heroes.


It is difficult to adjudicate who is the better or worse person between Creon and Odysseus; obviously, both are neither wholly good nor bad. For example, Creon, the new king of Thebes, made a strong law proclaiming that no one should bury Polyneices’ body and that whoever does will be put to death. Creon said, “No one shall bury him, no one mourn for him,” (Pro.20) and, “The penalty-Stoning to death in the public square!” (Pro.26). When Creon found out that Antigone had buried Polyneices despite his law, he gave her a different punishment. He said, “You, there, take [Antigone and Ismene] away and guard them well” (Sc.2.163-164). This reveals his stubbornness regarding his harsh law and also that he is not as terrible as he seems. Another example is Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, who defended Ithaca for ten years in the Trojan War, in which he was victorious. “He plundered the stronghold on the proud height of Troy” (Tell The Story.4-5). He would seem like a noble person, but his sleeping with other women and forsaking Penelope, his faithful wife, shows otherwise. “Though he fought shy of her and her desire, he lay with her each night” (Bk.5. 82-83).


Another similarity of the two characters is that they are flawed. Creon’s flaw is his excessive pride. He says, “My voice is the one voice giving orders in this city!” (Sc.3.105). He is domineering and wants to be the only one giving orders to people because he is the king. In addition, though he is a strong leader, Creon is also kind of stubborn, and thus conflicts arise between him and Haimon, his son. He is saying, “You’ll never marry her while she lives,” eventually caused the death of Haimon (Sc.3.119). For Odysseus, his flaw is that he is too curious. Through his curiosity, he draws near too Polyphemus, who ate Odysseus’s men. “It is Odysseus’ famed curiosity that leads him to the Cyclops’s cave and that makes him insist on waiting for the barbaric giant.” (The Cyclops 8-9).


In retribution of their crimes, Creon and Odysseus are punished, but their punishments exceed their crimes. Creon ultimately punishes Antigone, but soon he was bereaved of his family and left by himself. Creon says, “Haimon my son, so young, so young to die” (Ex.91), and a messenger says, “The queen is dead” (Ex.102). That is not the end: Antigone, his niece; his son Haimon, Antigone’s lover; and the Queen commit suicide, and he is left all by himself. Furthermore, Odysseus’s punishments are that he cannot see his family for over twenty years, and that he loses all of his comrades during his long journey home. “Grant that Odysseus, raider of cities never / see his home” (Bk.9.531-532), and “Let him lose all companions, and return / under strange sail to bitter days at home…” (Bk.9.537-538)


All of the above information proves that there are similarities between the two different heroes of very different stories. Briefly, these similarities are: Creon and Odysseus are not completely good or bad, both have some flaw in character, and their punishments exceed the extent of their crimes. Behind the opposite heroes’ differences, lie similarities waiting to be found. Read it! Have an open mind!