ipl-logo

Qualities Of The Tragic Hero In Sophocles Antigone

688 Words3 Pages

In Sophocles’ Antigone, Antigone and Creon both have qualities of a tragic hero according to Aristotle’s definition. Aristotle believes a tragic hero is a decent human, but falls due to a weakness in one’s character. In the plot, Antigone decides to bury her brother, which defies the laws of Creon, the dictator of Thebes. Antigone believes she must hold her family values and the gods’ beliefs with utmost respect. Antigone refuses to deny her crime, so she is sentenced to be death by Creon. Antigone is the tragic hero because she inspires pity and fear when her devotion to the gods and her morals lead to her downfall. Antigone obeys the morals set by her family and the gods, so she stimulates fear and pity. Antigone causes fear in others …show more content…

Creon threatens Antigone with death because she defied his laws. Antigone believes she was destined for death when she remarks, “Oh god, the voice of death. It’s come. It’s here” (1025). Antigone ignites pity from others by acting as if she is bound to death. Antigone believes in her prophecy of death, so she wants to die for her family. Many citizens of Thebes feel bad for Antigone because she and her family are plagued by death. Since Antigone is the tragic hero, she suffers a downfall due to her tragic flaw, living while being bound by …show more content…

Aristotle believes a tragic hero “must not be the spectacle of a virtuous man brought from prosperity to adversity”; however, Creon lacks the morality during his reign as king of Thebes. When Polynices is killed, Creon decides “he must be left unburied, his corpse/ carrion for the birds and dogs to tear,/ an obscenity for the citizens to behold”(229-231). As the leader of Thebes, Creon struggles to understand the ethics of the gods or citizens because he focuses on ruling his country for himself. Also, Creon fails to prosper in leading the state of Thebes because he rules as a dictator. Creon is angered by the questions on his rule, so he remarks “Am I to rule this land for others–or myself” (823). Creon lacks the decency as a ruler to reign with fairness to his

Show More
Related
228 Words | 1 Pages

Antigone Antigone was wronged and Antigone is tragic hero because she wanted to get a proper grave site, Creon was her uncle, Antigone was the good one. Antigone wants her brother to be buried but her uncle wouldn’t let her. Her uncle Creon was a very mean man.

Read More
487 Words | 2 Pages

He was told by his son that he would kill himself if he didn’t release Antigone. Despite hearing this, he did not listen to him. After hearing the prophecy that since he refused to bury Polyneices and punishing Antigone, the gods will curse him. Later, he founds out that his son killed himself after seeing that Antigone hanged herself and her wife upon seeing her son’s dead body. Creon’s unwillingness to listen to his son and prophet ultimately led to the deaths of Antigone, his son, and his wife.

Read More
734 Words | 3 Pages

Antigone is one of the greatest tragedies ever written by Sophocles. There is a controversial question about this play: Who is the tragic hero? Could it be Antigone or Creon? Even though the play’s name is Antigone, but as I read the story. A sensible and responsible king, Creon, is a tragic hero because of his power madness, self-righteousness, and ruthlessness.

Read More
636 Words | 3 Pages

How could Creon be a tragic hero in a story whose title is Antigone? Creon's faults are quickly found when reading the story; Antigone explores the conflict between Antigone and Creon. The tragedy unfolds as Antigone is punished for her defiance, and the consequences of her actions cause a domino effect throughout the royal family, leading to tragedy and loss. In every tragedy, there needs to be a tragic hero. A tragic hero is best defined as someone who possesses both admirable qualities and flaws.

Read More
574 Words | 3 Pages

Who is the tragic hero in Sophocles’ story Antigone? Antigone is a tragic poem written by one of the most popular poets in history, Sophocles. It is a story of a girl who goes against man’s law in order to protect her brother and the gods laws. Unfortunately for her, the King, Creon, was a strong believer in mans law and protecting it at all costs. The story capitalizes on that conflict and how it was dealt with, but in the end Creon was the Tragic hero because of his excessive pride, his crave for power, and his misjudgement that eventually leads to his fate and downfall.

Read More
1321 Words | 6 Pages

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.

Read More
749 Words | 3 Pages

The Tragic Hero There has been some debate over which character in Sophocles', Antigone is the tragic hero of the tragedy. Two characters in general show most, if not all of the qualities of being a tragic hero. Both Antigone and Creon show some of the qualities of being a tragic hero. Antigone show four of the five qualities, but Creon shows all of the five qualities of being a tragic hero. That being said Creon is the tragic hero of Sophocles', Antigone.

Read More
843 Words | 4 Pages

Creon believes she should die and sentences Antigone to death, but Creon is convinced it is wrong to do that, but before he can redeem his punishment for Antigone, she hangs herself. This causing a rippling effect of Haemon, Creon's son, and the Queen killing themselves. This all happened because of the tragic hero Creon, causing him to be the blame of the whole story, losing everything he had. Sophocles uses the tragic hero archetype in order to demonstrate the theme that what seems right is not always the best way to handle something. Creon, the tragic hero, the ruler of Thebes has many values in this story like wealth, family, and respect, but loses all of this.

Read More
774 Words | 4 Pages

When he found that out, that made him feel as if he didn’t have control over the people. He is the king so he think he should have complete power over them. King Creon tells Sentry, “ May entertain you now; but unless you bring me the man, You will get little profit from them in the end” (1.140). The way king Creon says this, he believe his punishment

Read More
1139 Words | 5 Pages

Creon is the tragic hero in the Greek play “Antigone” because of his characteristics and the flaws that he creates as the story progresses. Creon is know as the tragic hero in Antigone. One of the many traits that show him actually being the tragic hero is the fact that he was born into nobility. The

Read More
487 Words | 2 Pages

Creon sends Antigone off to her death, losing his own son and wife soon after. It may seem like Antigone is the tragic hero, but she isn’t. A tragic hero has excessive pride, loses many people close to them, and is physically or spiritually wounded by what happens. Creon displays these traits and more.

Read More
1893 Words | 8 Pages

She hopes the people of Thebes will honor her for her bold actions. Antigone and Creon are arguing about Antigone’s actions. Creon believes it was wrong to go against him, and that she should be punished. Antigone accepts the consequences of her actions but she

Read More
660 Words | 3 Pages

Almost always, in Greek tragedies a “tragic hero” has a hamartia, or tragic flaw, which will cause their concluding demise. In the Greek playwright, Antigone written by Sophocles, the interesting character, Creon, is a prime example of this. According the Aristotle’s theory, to be a tragic hero you have to have three traits: a flaw, a fall, and acceptance of your current situation. Creon’s flaw is his ego, which blinds him and lures him to do rather profane activities. Due to Creon’s ego, him losing everything caused by that very hamartia, and acceptance of the series of unfortunate events that occurred; Creon is the tragic hero in Antigone

Read More
1234 Words | 5 Pages

“Not so self-centered that you never listen to other people” (Hugh Hefner). In the story of Antigone, Creon shows the characteristics of a tragic hero, as he is the king he shows his self-confident and he does not recognize his flaws until the end of the story. All of this leads into his downfall in the tragedy and causes him to realized what he had done. Creon is a tragic hero because of his self-righteousness, his excessive pride, and he does not listen to the opinion of others.

Read More
1092 Words | 5 Pages

In Sophocles’ play Antigone, Creon, the king of Thebes, best represents a tragic hero. Creon demonstrates goodness in his intentions for Thebes as well as his fragile state due to the fact that he recently lost several family members. Creon, newly named king, finds himself as highest ranking official around, showing superiority. Creon often acts stubborn and prideful, his tragic flaw. And lastly, he must come to terms with the fact that he caused the death of his wife, son, and niece.

Read More

More about Qualities Of The Tragic Hero In Sophocles Antigone

Open Document