Examples Of Creon In Antigone

Aristotle once said, "A man doesn't become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall." In the play, Antigone, by Sophocles, King Creon is the main tragic hero, because of the decisions he made leading to his destruction. After the death of Polyneices and Eteocles, Creon was crowned King of Thebes. All of the citizens of thebes feared Creon because of the prideful tone he showed in his first speech, and in Aristotle’s description of a tragic hero, the character almost always displays excessive pride. Another decision that Aristotle said most tragic heroes go through is an error in judgement, which Creon made when sentencing Antigone to death. While some may argue that Antigone is the tragic hero, she did not display as many characteristics

Hubris is a trait that Creon displayed from the beginning of the play by the way he spoke to his sentries, his niece, his son, and other people who tried to help him. When the sentry came to the palace the first time to tell Creon about the criminal who attempted to bury Polyneices, Creon was so angry the person was not caught that he told the innocent Sentry, “Your very voice distresses me.” Out of Creon’s own frustration, he blamed the Sentry’s voice for the bad news instead of taking responsibility for not catching the criminal the first time. After Antigone was caught for trying to bury Polyneices, Creon once again did not want to be seen as weak if he called off the death sentence, so he planned to kill his own niece. Antigone tried to convince Creon that her crime was holy, but even if Creon thought she was right he would never admit it. King Creon is so prideful in his reputation that he would never take responsibility for his incorrect decision. The sentry also believed the King had the inability to admit his wrongs when he told Creon, “How

Antigone died a tragic death, and she can be seen as an inspirational hero for women, however she does not display the characteristics of Aristotle’s tragic hero as well as Creon. While Antigone showed pride in scene 2 by saying, “I should have praise and honor for what I have done” after burying Polyneices, Creon showed excessive pride throughout almost all of the scenes. Likewise, one of Aristotle’s requirements to be recognized as a tragic hero states that, “The character’s fate must be greater than deserved.” Antigone committed suicide, which was not the final result she wanted from burying her brother, but killing herself was a choice of her own. Her decision to kill herself shows that she was not afraid to die, however Creon was afraid to lose his family. So, in the end Antigone got what she wanted, which was a proper burial for Polyneices, to die a hero, and to live an eternity with Haimon, but Creon did not get what he wished for. For Creon, the play ended with his furious son killing himself right in front of Creon, and his wife stabbing herself in vein of him. While both character’s fates were greater than they deserved, Creon will suffer from guilt for as long as he is living, he also dreadfully said, “Let death come quickly, and be kind to me. I would not ever see the sun