Oedipus at Colonus · Character

Creon

Thebes's ruler, who comes to Colonus with soldiers and smooth words, determined to drag Oedipus home by any means.

supporting

Also known as Creon Zeus, Creon Burghers

As a supporting figure in Oedipus at Colonus, Creon is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Brother of Jocasta, now reigning at Thebes.

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Creon arrives claiming to speak for Thebes and for Oedipus's own good, but his courtesy is a mask: he has already seized Ismene and his guards soon take Antigone. He embodies the city's cynical calculus — Oedipus is valuable only because of the oracle attached to his grave. His lawless grab for the old man and his daughters forces Theseus to intervene, and his defeat at Athens's hands exposes how hollow his piety and kinship-talk really are.

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Character Web

11 connections

A slice of how Creon sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Rivalry
Psychological

Character groups

Immediate Theban Conflict
Protagonist
Offstage Theban Legacy

+6 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Breaking point

The emotional and psychological peak occurs when Oedipus, once a figure of shame and blindness, is revealed as…

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Relationships

Antigone
rivalry · negative
Antigone opposes Creon's attempts to forcibly take Oedipus back to Thebes, defending her… How this plays out →
Oedipus
rivalry · negative
Theseus
rivalry · negative
Ismene
rivalry · negative
Apollo
psychological · negative
Ismene
rivalry · negative
Antigone
rivalry · negative
Antigone opposes Creon's attempts to forcibly take Oedipus back to Thebes, defending her… How this plays out →

Antigone
Antigone opposes Creon's attempts to forcibly take Oedipus back to Thebes, defending her father's will.
Oedipus
Creon is Oedipus's manipulative brother-in-law who tries to coerce him into returning to Thebes for political gain.
Theseus
Creon and Theseus clash as Creon tries to abduct Oedipus's daughters, leading to Theseus's intervention.
Ismene
Creon kidnaps Ismene to use as leverage against Oedipus, showing his ruthless manipulation.
Apollo
Creon uses Apollo's oracles to justify his actions, manipulating divine authority for political ends.
Ismene
Creon kidnaps Ismene to use as leverage against Oedipus, showing his ruthless manipulation.
Antigone
Antigone opposes Creon's attempts to forcibly take Oedipus back to Thebes, defending her father's will.

Relationship notes

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In the story

Creon appears across 2 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Chapter companion notes

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