Many may view Creon's decision to kill his niece Antigone to be cruel and inhumane. However, in his defense, this decision was the only one that would gain him a certain respect in the eyes of his people. He struggles through his role as king and works hard to prove to the people of the kingdom that he is a worthy ruler. .
King Creon locked himself into a commitment in issuing a decree warning of the ensuing death of whoever buries Polynices. He made this declaration before knowing that his niece, Antigone, had been the "culprit," and couldn't back out of his pledge. Creon's main concerns were political and social order and the happiness of the people he ruled. When Antigone admitted to burying her brother, Creon had no other choice than to follow through on his promise and execute his niece. Antigone had explained to him that by obeying civil law rather than divine law, he must conform to the state power and punish her; she accepted her death like the strong woman she was. Creon needs the support of the state and must do things that he loathes in order to gain it. While this one action of punishment results in the death of his son and his wife as well, King Creon's law-abiding choice left him along, without a family. .
King Creon seems to value his political position more than his family when making the decision to put his niece Antigone to death. He did, however, stick to his word like an honest man should. As the king, he has a responsibility to the people of his state, and must be loyal and true to them. He needed to prove his credibility to them and certainly did by sacrificing his own niece to prove a point and follow through on his words. This shows the characteristics of a strong-willed, moral man who knows that staying true to his word is important. He gained the respect of the people he ruled and made sure that everyone knew he was on the side of the state. .
