Research Paper Outline For Antigone

“According to Aristotle, the function of tragedy is to arouse pity and fear in audience so that we may be purged or cleansed, of these unsettling emotions.” (“What is” 739) This “purging” is clearly effective in Sophocles’ Antigone which is about a young woman’s will to do what is right by the Gods. Also, according to Aristotle, “a tragedy can arouse twin emotions of pity and fear only if it presents a certain type of hero or heroine who is neither completely good nor completely bad” (“What is” 739). He or she must also be “highly renowned and prosperous,” have a tragic flaw, learn a lesson, and suffer greatly (“What is” 739). Therefore, in Antigone by Sophocles, Creon is the tragic hero because he is a king who has the tragic flaw of

In the play Antigone by Sophocles there is more than one tragic hero. In the story the tragic hero of this play is Creon which is the king of Thebes. Creon’s flaw is his pride and stubbornness. He expressed these traits when challenged by his niece Antigone, and even his own son, through many different ideas, actions, and words.

Sophocles’ play Antigone continues the calamitous story of the Theban royal family, recounting the conflict between Creon’s authority as king and Antigone’s sense of justice. While many of the events of the play are certainly tragic, whether or not Antigone and its characters should be considered tragic is less definite. Aristotle’s theory of a tragic hero calls for a basically good character who experiences a fall due to some flaw or error, experiencing a transformative realization and catharsis as a result. When considered together, the traits of both Antigone and Creon come together to fulfill all of the requirements for the play to be a tragedy, but neither character can be considered an Aristotelian tragic hero standing alone.

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.

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

One of the greatest Greek plays is Antigone. Antigone is a tragic Sophoclean play, which portray two great examples for a tragic hero. I believe Creon and Antigone, the main characters of the play to be tragic heroes. A tragic hero is a character who is known for being dignified and has a flaw that assists to his or her downfall. Both Creon and Antigone are dignified and flawed in their own ways, having a similar tragic flaw.

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.

The tragic hero of a story has to have his/her tragic flaw. Creon and Antigone both shared the beliefs of freedom and the protection of personal dignity; those must be their tragic flaws. Creon believed that if he made a direct command he would carry it out all the way and not bend the rules for anyone. That shows how stubborn he was and how heartless and vile he was. Those are the traits of his tragic flaw. Antigone believed that everyone has their equal rights no matter whom they are fighting for, especially if they are part of her family. She would be stubborn and would not bend her ideals for anyone like Creon. She would go as far as it would take for her to get her point across. A tragic hero must realize that he/she has a tragic flaw and must then try to change themselves.

There has always been a great debate over who is the true tragic hero in Sophocles' Antigone. Many scholars would stake claim to Antigone possessing all the necessary characteristics of a true tragic hero, but many others would argue that Creon holds many qualities as well. It is hard to discount Antigone as a tragic hero, because in fact, the play bears her name, but from careful reading, Creon meets Aristotle's criteria exactly and fits perfectly into the role. In order to determine whether or not Creon is the true tragic hero, one must answer the question: 'What is a Tragic Hero?' In Aristotle's Poetics, he discusses the basic criteria regarding a tragic hero. Aristotle

Creon: The Tragic Hero “One cannot balance tragedy in the scales Unless one weighs it with the tragic heart.” - StephenVincent Bene T. In the play Antigone, by Sophocles, I think Creon is the tragic hero in this play because he has a lot of pride, he thinks he is in control of everyone because he is the king, and he doesn’t listen to people. His main focus was his pride.

Creon is the tragic hero in the following ways: he is stubborn, prideful, and emotional. Creon is the best tragic hero. He is the first king in the play Antigone. When I read the play I was so interested in it that I want to not stop reading. This play can grab your attention quicker than you will know it.

The Ancient Greek philosopher, Aristotle, once said, “A man doesn't become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall." The quote is a broad description of what a tragic hero is. In the eyes of Aristotle, to be considered a tragic hero, a character would have to have a fatal flaw that would lead to his and/or surrounding characters untimely downfalls. In the play “Antigone” by Sophocles, Creon harbors a belief that continuously impedes upon his life. His intransigent belief in the superiority of the state is his hamartia, and when fueled on by the actions of his foil character and niece, Antigone, leads to his own character’s demise and ultimately the death of Antigone herself, his son Haemon, and his wife.

(Sophocles pg.84) That quote shows how Antigone’s flaw is due to strong sense of family

Since the definition of a tragic hero is a character who makes an error through judgement that unavoidably embarks to their own destruction, in which they lose everything and realize their mistakes when it’s too late. Then, In the play “Antigone” Creon is the tragic hero. Early in the play of “Antigone,” Sophocles characterizes Creon as a moral and just leader. Creon’s laws and punishments were acceptable and rational. However this is not the case throughout the play. When the play is coming to a closing, due to Creon’s hubris, or enormous pride, over took him, which cause his own destruction. However, understanding the essay can be hard to understand without the background. This is where the story of Antigone starts from. Two brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices are fighting against one another for the throne of Thebes. Both are slain in the ensuing battle. Since the battle led to both of their deaths, someone had to rule Thebes. Creon, being the uncle of Eteocles and Polyneices, became the new ruler of Thebes. Creon has issued a decree to give funeral honors to Eteocles for defending the city, while he leaves Polyneices to be unburied for being a traitor. Antigone feels like it’s her obligation to bury Polyneices, although under Creon’s edict, whoever was to do this would incur the death penalty.