Antigone is one of the greatest tragedies ever written by Sophocles. There is a controversial question about this play: Who is the tragic hero? Could it be Antigone or Creon? Even though the play’s name is Antigone, but as I read the story. A sensible and responsible king, Creon, is a tragic hero because of his power madness, self-righteousness, and ruthlessness. He is the center of the play, which causes events to happen. The first tragic fall that leads Creon to his downfall is his power madness. His power madness fall can be supported by Antigone’s dialogue, “Further: he has the matter so it that anyone who dares attempt the act will die by stoning in the town.” (Antigone 2). The quote means that anyone who didn’t follow Creon’s decree will die. Another support can be seen when Creon said, “ Not to take sides with any who disobey.” (Antigone 8). This quote shows that he wants everyone to obey him and anyone who disobeys him will get in trouble. The last support can be found when Creon said, “ Not to take sides with any who disobey.” (Antigone 8). This quote shows that he wants everyone to obey him and anyone who disobeys him will get in trouble. The last support can be found when Creon said, “But he who crosses law, or forces it, or hopes to bring the …show more content…
On the other hand, he is power madness, self-righteousness, and ruthlessness. Because of these bad characteristics lead him to his downfall. He does not aware of how bad his flaw is taken over him, even Tiresias, a blind prophet, warns him about his fate. He does not want to listen and accused Tiresias that he is telling a lie. Although he realized it at the end, by then it is too late. It is all his fault that Antigone, Haemon, and his wife, Eurydice die. His authority also makes the citizens of Thebes scare of him. Because they fear that what Creon did the Polynices will happen to them. All of this tragedy happen because of his tragic
In the play Antigone, the tragedies that happened to Antigone and Creon were painful. The tragic hero archetype can be applied to both and it has been argued who fits best to the archetype. Creon is the person that fits best in the tragic hero archetype because he suffered more, and realized his mistakes that cost him great pain. Creon suffered more emotionally because his son killed himself and his wife due to his actions. He let his pride conquer him, which led to Haimon dying because he put Antigone to death and his wife’s death after hearing the news of his son.
“Antigone” is a play written by Sophocles. It is a dramatic play that focuses on a feud between a royal family where Antigone, the princess is set on giving her dead brother a burial but this is restricted by the present king, Creon. Both of them have a tragic story. Many may believe that Antigone is a tragic hero, I think Creon is more of a tragic hero.
Creon has this realization when the chorus says, “Since my hair changed from black to white Teiresias has never given a false prophecy.” (lines 1222-1223) This leads Creon to second guess his actions, believe Teiresias, and finally, change his mind he says, “Tell me what to do. Speak up. I’ll do it. Alas-it’s difficult. But i'll give up. I’ll not do what I’d set my heart on” (lines 1229-1238) Creon realizes his pride has taken over and in order to save his son and the fate of Thebes he'll do whatever it takes to try and save Antigone and Haemon. Creon eventually finds out that Antigone, Haemon, and his wife Eurydice have killed themselves because of his doings. Creon says, “Servants-hurry and lead me off, get me away from here, for now what I am in life is nothing.” (lines 1467-1469) Creon is facing his doom and faces that fact that because of his pride he killed his only son and wife. He also understands that his fate was discovered by his own actions, he will live in misery and with guilt for the rest of his
Throughout the play, Creon shows many examples of how he is imperfect. One example would be how he believes that the state is primary to his family and relationships, “If this is your pleasure, Creon, treating our city’s enemy and our friend this way … the power is yours, I suppose, to enforce it with the laws, both for the dead and all of us, the living,” this quotation said by the leader of the chorus describes how the elder people of Thebes respect their family more than the state, but they held back on their opinions, knowing of what Creon, the leader, wanted to hear (235-240). Another example of how Creon shows the audience of how he is imperfect is when, Creon meets with Haemon. Creon argues with Haemon about how people should act towards the country which they reside in, “But whoever steps out of line, violates the laws or presumes to hand out orders to his superiors, he’ll win no praise from me. But that man the city places in authority, his orders must be obeyed, large and small, right and wrong,” Creon believes since he has the highest throne in his country, that he should be obeyed whether the circumstance (745-751). Lastly, Creon demonstrates to the audience that he is imperfect by wanting to protect his country too much. This is visible when Creon sentences Antigone to a slow death, because of burying her brother, who was outcasted as a traitor. Creon put the state over his family which will lead to the complete
King Creon’s tragic flaw is hubris. He does not listen to advice given to him by the blind prophet Teiresias. When Teiresias tells Creon, “Give in to the dead man, then: do not fight with a corpse- what glory is it to kill a man who is dead? Think, I beg you: It is for your own good that I speak as I do. You should be able to yield for your own good” (Antigone 36-40). King Creon does not like the fact that the prophet believes he is wrong and should do what everyone else has so far advised him to do. He accuses Teiresias as giving him such a prophecy because of bribery from others and a hunger for gold. Hubris is also revealed from King Creon in Scene III. Creon’s son, Haemon, tells Creon that the people of Thebes believe they have never seen a girl die such a shameful death and that the people live in fear of Creon. Haemon tells Creon he also believes Antigone should have been allowed to bury Polyneices and should be set free. King Creon responds with, “You consider it right for a man of my years and experience to go to school to a boy?” (Antigone 95-96). This shows that Creon does not believe a man of such age, “wisdom”, and “experience” should listen to anyone or change because of anyone else’s
Many of our heros in today’s society have many tragic changes in their lives, such as pop stars, athletes and celebrities. Antigone is similar to today’s society because there were many tragic heroes in the play. Antigone is a play that was written by the philosopher Sophocles. The play was written and performed in the city of Athens in Greece. Creon is an example in this play of a tragic hero. He is a good example because he has all of the tragic hero qualities. These two qualities that are the most visible are his hamartia and hubris.
A tragedy, as defined by Ms. Tozar, is “the story of a falling from a high place to a lower place by a character.” In other words, a tragedy is a story of an individual who starts in a high position and descends throughout the story to end in a position that is lower than original position. The individual who makes the descent is known as the tragic hero. The tragic hero, as defined by Ms. Tozar, is “the character who falls from grace as a result of fate and/or a weakness. In the drama, Antigone by Sophocles, one could argue that there are many tragic heroes. However, the one who stands above them all is that of the character of Creon. Creon is understood by most as the tragic hero in Antigone as evident in his
The story Antigone by Sophocles, a Greek tragedy, the story of a downfall of a good and noble individual who has a tragic flaw, unwittingly tempts fate and brings upon themselves great amounts of sorrow and suffering. Transition any consider Antigone a tragic hero because she is a good and noble individual, Creon has more characteristics of a tragic hero and Antigone seems to be more of the antagonist of the story. Transition Creon is the true tragic hero because he shows a flaw in his character, he tempts fate by putting a law, and he brings to himself a great amount of sorrow and suffering. Throughout the story, Creon the self centered protagonist will lead to his own downfall Creon and Haemon speak both of their point of views and after Creon disagrees with Haemon they get in an argument and Creon ends up saying, “The people of Thebes!/ Since when do I take my orders from the people of Thebes?/(...
Greek tragedy would not be complete with out a tragic hero. Sophocles wrote Antigone with a specific character in mind for this part. Based on Aristotle’s definition, Creon is the tragic hero of Antigone.
A tragic hero is a character in a play that is known for being dignified but has a flaw that assists in his or her downfall. Antigone is a Greek tragic piece written by Sophocles. In the theatrical production the use of power and morality versus law is evident. The promotion to the conflict was that Creon created a law in which enabled Polynieces, Antigone’s brother, to be buried in the proper way. As it is the way of the gods Antigone found it fit to bury her brother causing her to disobey the law of Thebes. Both Antigone and Creon, the main characters, could represent a tragic hero. However Creon is more eligible for being the tragic hero because he fits the definition. Aristotle’s idea of a tragic hero was that the character was of
In the play Antigone, Creon starts off as the loyal king of Thebes. He is loyal to the gods and loyal to the welfare of Thebes. However, over the course of the play, Creon degenerates into a tyrant. His degeneration is showing his character development. Creon’s pride about the human law also develops throughout the play, creating conflict with the divine law. When Antigone rebels against his law, he becomes stubborn, and makes myopic decisions and grows into his hamartia. Besides his hamartia, Creon’s position as the king makes him a power hungry man. His power madness degenerates him into becoming a ruthless and vindictive man, even to his family. However, over the course of the play, Creon begins to see that because of the laws of men, he was being blinded of what’s
Sophocles, a great tragedian, was the one who gave Greek tragedies their traditional form. An important part of traditional Greek tragedies is the presence of a tragic hero. All tragic heroes should have the characteristics of rank, a tragic flaw, a downfall, and a recognition of mistakes. The seemingly tragic hero is Antigone. She wants to bury her brother Polyneices even though this would be going against Creon, who is her uncle and the king. When Antigone buries Polyneices Creon sentences her to death because of it. In Antigone by Sophocles the tragic hero is not Antigone because she only meets the characteristic of a tragic flaw, hers being pride, but doesn 't meet the other three characteristics of a
In the Greek tragedy Antigone, the characters Antigone and Creon can both be thought of as the tragic hero of the play. Though Antigone does show some of these characteristics of a tragic hero, Creon demonstrates the attributes more clearly and concisely. Creon is the King of Thebes, as well as the uncle of Antigone. Creon took the throne after a tragic quarrel between his two nephews, Eteocles and Polyneices. Despite his harsh governing and his crude ideals, he is not good or bad. Creon is the tragic hero of the play Antigone, because of his superiority in his society, his nobility, and his tragic flaw, self-pride.
Every Greek tragedy must have a tragic hero. In Sophocle’s play, Antigone, the most tragic hero is Creon. He is an essentially good man of high position who takes pride in his role as king. He possesses the tragic flaws of excessive pride and an oversized ego. This causes the tragic reversal that leads to his emotional ruin and eventual remorse and repentance.
Sophocles’ Antigone is, without a doubt, one of the greatest tragedies ever written. There are many questions that somebody could ask about this work, but this one intrigues me the most: Who is the tragic hero? Could it be Antigone? Or could it be Creon? Antigone might be the name of the tragedy, but I believe that Creon is the winning candidate. His role in the plot of this tragedy, his sensible tragic fault, and his dynamic character are the obvious reasons why I chose him as the tragic hero.