Greek philosopher Aristotle, “A man cannot become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall.” Thus, according to Aristotle, the tragic hero must be able to discern how his actions caused his demise. The tragic hero has a tragic flaw, known as hamartia, recognizes that this flaw contributes to his misfortune because of an error in judgment, but is nonetheless deserving of sympathy. Creon, the hero of the drama Antigone by Sophocles, fulfills this definition. He exhibits hubris, his
Creon is the Tragic Hero of Antigone When the title of a play is a character's name, it is normally assumed that the character is the protagonist of the play. In Sophocles' Antigone, most people probably believe Antigone to be the tragic heroine, even after they have finished watching the play. It may be argued, however, that Creon, not Antigone, is the tragic character. When we examine the nature and concept of the Greek Tragedy and what it means to be a tragic character, it becomes
Creon as the Tragic Hero in Antigone This essay will compare two of the characters in “Antigone”, Antigone and Creon, in an effort to determine the identity of the tragic hero in this tale. To identify the tragic hero in Sophocles’ renowned play “Antigone”, we should first consider both the elements present in Greek tragedies and what characteristics define a tragic hero. Aristotle’s definition of tragedy is: “Tragedy is a story taking the hero from happiness to misery
One of the authors at the forefront of Greek tragedies was Sophocles. One of Sophocles most famous pieces of work is, Antigone. Written in 440 B.C in Athens, Greece, Sophocles uses this play to dramatize a series of events that unfolds when pride becomes more important than loyalty to family. Controversy still remains today of whom the tragic hero of Antigone is, but some scholars believe that Antigone herself is the tragic hero. Antigone goes past conventional expectations to stand up for her brother
Carlberg English 102 9 December 2014 The Real Tragic Hero in the Play Antigone A tragic hero according to Aristotle is someone who is of high nobility, and has a major internal character flaw. That flaw will eventually by the characters ultimate demise which is most likely death. If their demise doesn’t end in a death the tragic hero usually goes through a catharsis. The most common flaws of a tragic hero are hubris, pride, and stubbornness. Tragic heroes can be found throughout most tragedy themed
Creon as the Tragic Hero of Sophocles' Antigone Who is the true tragic hero in Sophocles' Antigone? This question has been the subject of a great debate for numerous years. Equal arguments exist that portray Antigone as the tragic heroine in the play and Creon as the tragic hero. Aristotle, in his study of Greek drama entitled Poetics, provided the framework that determines the tragic hero of a work. Though Antigone definitely possesses the characteristics and qualities that
An Aristotelian tragic hero is a literary character who makes a judgment that ultimately leads to his or her own destruction. An example of a true Aristotelian tragic hero is Creon from Sophocles’ play, Antigone. Creon is the tragic hero because he goes through the five stages of a tragic hero which leads to his destruction. His tragic flaw is him being afraid to admit that he has made a mistake. He is too proud of his power and his ability to make laws which leads to his son and wife committing
become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall.” Aristotle believed that a tragic hero was one who was noble by nature yet endowed with a tragic flaw or hamartia. This hero is oftentimes more dignified than us average people, but his/her* personality and character traits make their stories relatable. Over the course of his life, different virtues are revealed, but they eventually exhibit an imperfection which leads to his inevitable downfall. In Sophocles 's tragic play of Antigone, Oedipus’s
the title of tragic hero in the play Antigone Author by Sophocles. I would like to start off by saying that it will be very challenging for me to have the passion that I usually have. But I will still stand in front of you. As I said before I am here to argue the title of tragic hero in the play Antigone. I could see that some of you are confused by the word "tragic hero". No need to concern for I will tell you. The great Aristotle was one of the earliest men who defined a tragic hero. His description
draws on the emotions of the audience is to get them to relate to the tragic hero, and that is why it was so important for a tragedy to have a proper one. Antigone features the perfect example of a hero in a tragedy. In Antigone, King Creon is the tragic hero since he is adherent to a moral mean, he is life-like, he exhibits a tragic quality which results in a plot reversal, and ends in a moment of lament. Creon is the ideal tragic hero, since he’s morally upstanding but not blameless at the same time