The Tragic Heroes in Sophocles’ Tragedy, Antigone Essay

     Finally, Creon is a dynamic character. He undergoes changes in emotion throughout the work. He realizes his mistakes when Tiresias forecasts the future. Thus, Creon attempts to correct himself by releasing Antigone. But he is too late. He is forced to live, knowing that three people are dead as a result of his actions. This punishment is worse than death. Although Creon’s self-righteousness and inflexibility did not change until the end of the play, his motivations traveled from patriotic ones to personal ones. This created a major portion of the

“Tell me briefly—not in some lengthy speech— were you aware there was a proclamation forbidding what you did?” (503-505). The actions, context of Antigone’s words, and also the ideas she proposed, very indepthly contrasted with Creon’s character. Thus resulting in there being a verbal confrontation between the two characters. The conflict between the two caused conflicting motivations such as stubbornness, disrespect, and anger to be projected with Creon’s character. Ultimately, these conflicting motivations develop Creon as a tragic hero by portraying that he knew, the decisions he made were of error, and the character interactions advance the plot by causing conflict throughout the play. Creon had also begun to change throughout the play,

Antigone versus Creon In the play Antigone, the character Antigone serves as a foil character for Creon in an attempt to show Creon the wrong in his judgement. The play is based around the belief of right by burial which Creon so happens to be denying a certain man of that right, Polynices, one of Antigone's brothers. Antigone serves a foil for Creon through most of her actions throughout the play. She buries her brother not once but twice, she argues with Creon over the right by burial belief, and Creon has a chain reaction of loss that was caused by Antigone’s death.

Creon and Antigone are thought of as people of different kinds in the play. In the readers sense they might vary bit from bit. But when looking at the text and comparing Creon and Antigone there is a strong similarity in their character and their personality trait. When it comes to the scene of Antigone’s death, just before she dies, she asks the guard to write down the letter to her lover. They don’t mention Antigone telling the Guard who the lover is. But in the end

In Antigones case, her tragic flaw is pride. This is shown various times throughout the play. For instance, she says that "Creon is not strong enough to stand in my [her] way." She says this when talking about going against the kings, Creon, wishes and bury her bother. She also says,"All these men here would praise me were their lips not frozen shut with fear of you." Saying such things is a very daring act considering that he is the King and has anger issues.

Creon, unlike Antigone, shows all of the characteristics of a Greek tragic hero. He is an ordinary person, with way to much power. This is one situation as to why the sole ruler form of government was soon diminished. Creon’s actions derived from his human flaws or his fear of loosing his place as king. Creon also ends up facing suffering because due to his prideful attitude, it caused the death of three loved ones, his son, niece, and wife. Even though a tragic hero is nothing like a hero we would hear being describe today, they both teach important lessons. A hero teaches the reader right decisions and the correct course, while a tragic hero

Antigone's tragedy was a story that is unbearable, and horrific when it is fully understood in the sense of the magnitude of all of the factors that came together to form a fragile, problematic situation. The joint murder of her brothers that was committed against each other, they turned against each other, driven by the lust for power and control. An opinion about how and why the conflict began, is that megalomania was an overwhelming aspect of the provocateur. Creon’s choice between honoring one brother and leaving the other to decompose shamefully with no honor at all. The way these enabling events led to the formation of a partially self-detrimental plan by Antigone, who was appalled that a decision such as that could've even been considered, much less imposed. For her to deal with the turn of events in such a quick succession can be seen as cruel and unbearable, which is one of the aspects

Sophocles symbolizes family over authority by using Antigone and Creon to conflict each other's core beliefs, showing that Antigone is willing to die to honor the love for her family, while Creon is willing to kill to honor and enforce his own authority at any cost. As we see in the story, when Antigone's brothers die, she chooses to bury Polyneices even though she knows this will cost her her life. In the play when Antigone tells her sister what she’s going to do, ismene says, ”But think of the danger! Think what Creon will do! ANTIGONE: Creon is not enough to stand in my way” This shows Antigone represents family for the great lengths she will go to to honor her brother. By contrast, Sophocles paints Creon to symbolize authority through murder of his own bloodline. In the play he plans to kill Antigone for choosing her love for her brother over his rule, and so he plans out her execution although she is family to Creon. The Choragos asks Creon “Do you really intend to steal this girl from your son?,” which then he responds by saying “No; Death will do that for me.” Which shows the reader that Creon is unsympathetic to who Antigone is in relation to him. He disregards the importance of family to uphold his authoritative values. By the end of the play the author has shown us Creon has come to realize his ways have cost him his family, and he regrets his decisions.

Finally, based on Aristotle’s definition, Creon is the tragic hero of Antigone because his downfall and suffering leave him humbled and enlightened. Upon the death of Eteocles and Polynices, Creon becomes king. Creon builds a proper burial for Eteocles; while, Polynices shall not be buried. Antigone breaks Creon’s law by helping Polynices by giving him a proper burial. “Die then, and love the dead if thou must; No women shall be the master while I live”(Sophocles 57). Cron wants to punish anyone who goes beyond his intentions, and Antigone must face the consequence and go to jail for that.Creon will never have anyone over him. “Hast no

Antigone and Creon are both strong willed and will risk their lives and positions to fight for what they feel is right. Both characters also express hubris. Even so Antigone and Creon are completely different because they are fighting for completely different things. Antigone attacks Creon by accusing him of hubris. “I never thought your moral edicts had such force they nullified the laws of heaven.” (210). Antigone strongly disagrees with Creon. Creon is fighting for law and order, and heavily believes that Polyneces should not be buried because he is a traitor. Antigone is fighting for Polyneces to have a proper burial, and for justice and understanding. These two characters conflict in almost everyway imaginable.

This conflicting argument leads to Creon being a tragic character in the play. An example would be in Act 2, “Then go down to the dead. If you must love, love them. No women’s going to govern me- no, no- not while I’m still alive,” (Creon- Line 600). Accordingly, the quote contrasts Antigone's words because Antigone wants to abide by the rule of the gods, while Creon wants to follow his own political law. Creon doesn’t consider Antigone’s explication and would rather have her killed for her notion of the burial of Polynices. The interaction error keeps Creon from perceiving that he is unjust. Another example why Creon is a tragic hero is when he verbalizes, “ In all of Thebes, you’re the only one who looks at things that way...These views of yours - so different from the rest- don’t they bring you any sense of shame?” (Line 575-580). Furthermore, the quote shows how Creon disacords with Antigone and concludes the people of Thebes believe in his rule rather than Antigone's views on the burial of her brother. Therefore, Creon is a tragic hero because his rule, results in Antigone

In the story of “Antigone” Antigone wanted to give her brother a proper burial that was a law King Creon had made. Antigone loved her brother and was not satisfied with her brother’s improper burial. Even though if anyone in the city disobeys Creon’s law will be immediately punished, she did not have concern for herself only for her family. Creon was acting out of hatred and humility and did not have any concern for his new law that most did not agree with. When comparing Antigone and Creon it is apparent that Antigone is the stronger one of the two because she is able look past herself and do what was right for her family.

In Antigone, Creon’s mind is pulled in two opposite directions: His hubris, and, in contrast, his human duty to the gods. His decision to not follow the gods’ decrees and the consequences of that decision are used by Sophocles to remind the audience to stand with the gods.

This tragedy was to be expected because of Antigone and Creon’s personalities. Antigone is stubborn and rebellious. She loved her brother, Polynices, deeply and was devastated when he died. Creon used brute divine right to punish Antigone by not allowing Polynices to be buried, devastating her even further. I feel that both characters were wrong. Antigone loved her brother and I’m sure she made that perfectly clear whilst he was alive. Because of this, Antigone should not have risked her life to defend her brother’s

Creon meant to clarify to his son that anyone who commits a crime should be punished - even if the criminal is a member of one's family. Creon's doctrine says that once the state decides something, the law applies to everybody. Therefore, he sees no alternative other than to leave the body unburied for the state. Creon would do anything for the sake of the community whereas Antigone is devoted to her family. The situations mentioned above create tensions in the play because Antigone and Creon are bi-polar in their beliefs.