his planned course of action. Kreon initially rejecting the prophet's advice to yield, subsequently conceded to the wise prophet's advise, but it was too late. Antigone had hung herself, Haimon had died of his own sword, and Eurydice, his wife, had killed herself out of grief.In attempting to prevent disorder, King Kreon bred disorder and became tyrannical. A destroyed man realizing his errors, Kreon lamented, "it's my fault. I killed you. Me, really me.... I'm waiting for my doom. I don't want to see another day" (507-519). Kreon's tragic downfall was the result of his hubris; he was consequently forced to live through the plague that he caused. The hubris demonstrated by Kreon is certainly not unique or wholly fictional. A plethora of historical examples also demonstrate that it does not take an evil man to make a mistake. The Catholic Church burned a nineteen year old girl at the stake for heresy. An amazing young lady, Joan of Arc led the French army in the Hundred Years War. She claimed to have heard the voice of God. The Church, however, was horrified that she could assume that God would speak to her, a lowly layman. God, apparently, only spoke to layman through priests. Pious individuals of the Church felt threatened that there would be no need for their institution if people thought they could directly contact God. She was ordered to be burnt at the stake, the most gruesome death that this young girl could possibly imagine. The Catholic Church was certainly not evil. Their pride caused them to destroy an innocent. Hundreds of years later, the Church realized its mistake. They repented for the cruelty imposed on this girl and canonized her, but their repentance was too late. One cannot revive the young girl or undo her suffering. Apologizing for past mistakes does not reparate what already occurred. An innocent girl's life was unfairly taken; the Church's crime was more than just hubris.And, such hubris is ...
