Haemon’s Speech Analysis

Haemons Speech Analysis Pride and stubbornness can be harmful things, and Haemon touches upon this at bottom his speech to Creon as he attempts to dissuade his father from taking Antigones life. Using rhetorical devices such as tone, ethical, emotional, logical appeal, and metaphor, Haemon manages to make an impact on Creons eventual decision as he speaks in Antigones defense.Starting at the beginning of his speech, Haemon ventures to convince Creon to change his mind about his harsh sentiment against Antigone, not by raising his voice or attempting to beat his earnest views into his father, but by using great tact and endeavoring to find a plebeian ground with Creon, possibly trying to understanding his fathers position on the matter at hand. First, Haemon alleges that reason is Gods crowning hold to man, and that his father is right to warn him against losing that reason.He even keenly asserts that he never wants to say that Creon has reasoned badly, continuing on to make diff erent mindful concessions. However, when this thoughtful mode of speaking doesnt take any immediate effect, Haemon starts to become more candid with his words, implying (although not directly) that Creons actions are inequitable and stubborn, taking care to adopt a point of view that is constructively criticizing as opposed to being completely insulting. He rationally cautions his father against the wit of him having all of the power, noting that if Creon continues upon that path he will eventually turn out an empty man.He states that even people like his father must be able to stop, listen, and learn from othersnot be completely fixed and unchangeable, because no man in the world is completely infallible. A few lines afterwards in the speech, in addition to his amiable tone, Haemon also begins to use some emotional appeal, acknowledging his love and respect for his father, affirming that nothing is closer to him than his fathers happiness, and that he values his fathers fortune a s much as his own.Haemon also logically recognizes his youthfulness and lack of wisdom as well, although he sharp uses what the people of Thebes have been muttering and whispering to support his argument, using aspects of ethical appeal to attest that Antigones innocence is what the people of his fathers urban center would want, realizing that while Creon would like first and foremost to be a good ruler, e also wishes to be well-liked by his people. Then coming to closing lines of his speech, Haemon begins to divagate in clever metaphors here and there, first comparing a stubborn tree being torn up and then a fast and never-slackened flat solid going head over heels and under the water to his father, indicating that this is the type of thing what will happen if Creon thinks that he alone can be right.And in the very end, Haemon leaves his father with some loaded words, advising that Creon listen to him, because while men should be right by instinct, they are all too apt(predica te) to be led astray, and that the smartest thing would be to learn from those who can are willing to teach them how to stay, or even make their own paths, in life.