Compare And Contrast Star Wars And Creon

Tragic heroes have similar traits and share many qualities. Almost every tragic hero has a fatal flaw that ultimately leads to their downfall. Antigone’s Creon and Star Wars’ Anakin Skywalker fit perfectly into this mold. There is no greater consequence of the tragic heroes’ fatal flaw than causing death or pain to those that they love the most; Anakin and Creon are both guilty of this. These two characters had a lot in common, they both had large egos, they always thought they were right and would not listen to advice from others. Anakin was born with “the force” and was very powerful. He was the “chosen one” who would someday bring balance to the force and bring peace to the galaxy. Unfortunately, Anakin was weak and was easily influenced

Both of these characters had great power but they feared losing that power or being seen as weak. Creon, by not allowing Polyneices to be buried, set the tragic events into motion. Creon wanted to show his strength through this decree, he wanted to be obeyed and he wanted to be seen as strong and unwavering. When he discovered that Antigone had buried her brother he sentenced her to death. When advisors told him he should reconsider his decision, he would not listen “Do you want me to show myself weak before the people/or to break my sworn word? No and I will not, the woman dies” (Sophocles 2.26-28). Creon was afraid to be seen as weak and would not back down. Creon’s son Haemon, who loved Antigone, attempted to change his mind but once again, Creon would not give in. Throughout the Star Wars trilogy, fear of losing power and fear of being seen as weak is ever present. Anakin was taught by the jedi to control that fear because it can lead to the dark side. Unfortunately, Anakin lost the battle, “Anakin fears losing power, his desire for power and agency becomes more important than the life of his loved ones and the good of the galaxy” (Katz). Anakin was under so much pressure from both sides that he lost his way and made bad decisions. Although his decision to leave the Jedi was heavily influenced by his desire to save Padme, once she died, he got lost in his desire for control and to

They are usually born of a noble birth, they have an imperfection that makes them human and relatable, they have a fatal flaw, their flaw leads to some kind of realization and they meet a significant downfall. Creon and Anakin both fit perfectly into this mold. They were both trying to do the right thing and they both honestly thought they were making good decisions. They caused death to their loved ones and realized too late that their fear and pride caused their demise. Anakin is introduced to the audience as a child and a slave, he is sympathetic and sweet. As he grows up, his fear grows along with his power. He falls in love and makes terrible decisions with the best of intentions. Creon is already a man when introduced to the audience and he wastes no time instilling fear into his subjects. The audience does not get to see him grow up or know his back story, if he had a traumatic childhood that was known, he might be a bit more relatable. Society wants to understand its heroes and their motivations; the ones who are more “human” tend to be more popular and possibly even beloved. Making a mistake out of love is understandable to most people but making a decision to cause terror and compliance is not very relatable. The ability to see ourselves, our flaws, our weakness, and our strengths in our heroes makes them more likable and understood, even when