Is Creon Tragic Hero

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.

In order for a character to qualify as the tragic hero they must posses all of these qualities: high standing, a major flaw, and a downfall. A tragic hero is someone that is usually of royalty, of nobility, honest, or brave. During the story they usually show a major flaw or weakness. This usually leads to their downfall, loss of power, or even death. Many stories have tragic heroes.

Similarly, Creon is a good leader to his people. He punishes evil and rewards good as mentioned above. He is seen by the people, as well as his own son, to have "goodness" in his "leadership" (lines 691). Thus, Creon’s noble character seen through the love of his country, through the just decision to punish Polyneices, and through his good leadership qualifies him for the 1st criterion of being a tragic hero.

As a final point, Creon is a tragic hero because he witnesses his mistakes he made. He actually takes it as a man and doesn’t blame others for his actions. His actions towards his son drove him to do what he did. Haemon wanted to be with his wife, the love of his life. Creon didn’t want him in any part of that. He felt the need that Haemon’s wife should be punished. When Creon tells Haemon his thoughts about his wife, Haemon broke away then. Creon thinks about what he has said and what he has

Aristotle once said, regarding his principles that a certain character is a tragic hero, "A man cannot become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall." This quotation is an accurate statement regarding the actions between Creon in the beginning of the play, and at the end once he has lost his family. A tragic hero is defined as a character of noble stature, the hero is imperfect allowing the audience to relate to him, as well as the hero’s downfall is caused by his own fate, leading to the punishment exceeding the crime and the character’s realization leading to the fall. The audience experiences a catharsis at the end of the play, which allows the audience feel that society is “right” again. All six of

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.

Creon is first portrayed as a leader with rational laws and consequences for breaking them. But by the end of the play, Creon is a completely different character; he has let his excessive pride and hubris take over him. He doesn’t realize his change in character until it is brought to him through the prophecy of Teiresias, when it is already too late. Creon can be identified as a tragic hero because he shows great signs of stubbornness and pride. Considering he is the King of Thebes, he follows his rules and laws without listening to his citizen’s concerns, nor does he care about the gods wishes. His role as a hubris influences many of his choices, he believes in only his own thoughts and wishes. Creon abuses his power just because he can, without thinking of the consequences.

In the story of Antigone, an argument of who is the tragic hero between Antigone and Creon exists. I firmly believe Creon is the tragic hero of the play. Creon becomes the typical fallen hero in Greek drama. He faces many conflicts, internally and externally, and undergoes quite a bit of painful emotions. One might say Antigone should receive the title of being the tragic hero, but Creon plays a more significant role by learning his lesson the hard way and ending up as the classic tragic hero who loses everything at the end of the dramatic play.

Creon is the tragic hero because he was too late to save herself, the son Haemon found out. He stabbed himself with his father’s sword in front of him. Holding his wife I guess and the wife got told by the guard choragus about her son, so she killed herself too. Creon lost everything he loved from not burying his nephew, instead of Eteocles he could of gave both of them an honoring military burial. But, no so he got what he deserved. He lost a son. A wife and a new daughter for something that could’ve been stopped by himself.

The qualifications of a tragic hero vary between Aristotle and Shakespeare. Aristotle thinks of a tragic hero as someone who is a noble character by choice and makes his/her own destiny, while Shakespeare sees a tragic hero as someone who is born of nobility and born to be important. Although both tragic hero's end in a tragic death that effects many people, not all tragic hero's fit perfectly into both categories. In Sophocles’ Antigone, Creon is considered a tragic hero. Creon follows Aristotle's definition of a tragic hero by being a noble character by choice, having important potential, and falls due to "miscalculations" with circumstances that are beyond control.

Creon said, ?...And whoever places a friend above the good of his own county, he is nothing: I have no use for him.? (203-205). Again, his high standards and honor for his country are shown in great detail: ?I could never stand by silent, watching destruction march against our city, putting safety to rout? (207-208). Creon shows a high sense of morality when he properly buried Eteocles, and then is showing his noble character by not burying Polyneices, who attacked Creon?s country; again his value of his country is shown. Creon is a good ruler because he like any king would punish evil and reward good. Creon is seen by the chorus to have ?goodness? and leadership. (Lines 691). The chorus praises Creon for his loyalty to the country after the great war, they look forward to his kingly rule and nobility in the future by saying, ?. . . Creon, the new man for the great new day?(Lines 173). Love of his country and his punishment of Polyneices show this great nobility and loyalty talked about by the chorus. Clearly Creon qualifies under the first criterion of being a tragic hero.

Oedipus is the quintessential Greek tragic hero; his story marks a tale of inevitable distress and sorrow. However, in Antigone, this was not the case and the tragic hero was not easily identifiable. A tragic hero is a character, usually of high birth, neither completely good nor evil, whose downfall is brought about by some weakness or error in judgement. In Sophocles' Greek tragedy, Creon is portrayed as a struggling king who must come to the reality that his actions are in favor against him. Stubbornness and excessive pride are the driving force behind Creon’s downfall as a tragic hero. He is reluctant to acknowledge the views of others, ignores familial values, and executes his rule as a king in a tyrannical manner.

There has been a lot of discussion about what truly defines a tragic hero. If we take a look at the work of well known Philosopher Aristotle, he clearly defined what is needed for a character to be considered a tragic hero. He pointed out 5 specific traits that the person must have to fit the role. They must have skewed judgement, which normally puts them in the position that they are facing. The character must have a realization during the story, there should be an event where they find out that their immoral ways have led them down a path of destruction. They should figure out their wrong doings on their own by taking the time to reflect upon themselves and understand the mistakes they have been making in life, and how to correct them. The person should be filled with pride, as if no one can touch

The idea of two tragic heroes converging within one story may come across and seem as a common occurrence in tragedies, but among these great stories and heroes within them, there can only be one true tragic hero. According to the Greek philosopher, Aristotle, and his theory on the Nature of Tragedy, he believes the attributes and actions of a true tragic hero contains six main ideas. The play Antigone, by Sophocles, may be nebulous towards the readers, thinking of the possibility of two tragic heroes, Creon and Antigone; however, it is only apt for one character to show all the qualifications; and from all of Aristotle’s theories and choices made, Creon clearly can be seen as the only tragic hero. Above what all may believe and despite the name of the play, Creon’s actions, role of duty, and personality traits prove Aristotle’s Nature of a Tragedy Theory and state that the only true tragic hero in Antigone points to Creon.