Tragic Hero In Sophocles Antigone

We’ve all heard of a tragic hero, but what about a tragic heroine? The idea of the classic tragic hero was described by Aristotle as a character whose tragic flaw, usually pride, led to their ultimate downfall. Sophocles’ however presents the hero as a heroine. Antigone embodies the tragic hero in Sophocles’ dramatic work, “Antigone”, in the form of a heroine. Her hamartia, pride in her family and divine law, attribute greatly to her ultimate downfall facilitated by Creon. By showing her pride for both her life takes some drastic turns which in effect could have been avoided if her pride in her family and divine law were abolished or deemed non-existent in the first place. Antigone is the tragic heroine, not Creon. Antigone displays pride for

Creon also has a great downfall just like Antigone due to pride. Since Creon wrongly orders Antigone to be killed therefore disobeying divine laws his son and wife have to pay with death. Antigone is the tragic heroine though despite Creon’s downfall. Realize that by the end of Sophocles' dramatic work, “Antigone”, Creon’s mind was plagued by wishes of power and greed in the beginning of the play. When Creon loses his wife and son due to his disobedience of divine laws he finally realizes what is important. Creon finally realizes that divine law is above human law. He reaches clarity by realizing divine law’s importance. Therefore the ending of the play does not end with Creon in downfall or at downfall. It ends with him at his high point in the work of drama whether he realizes it or not. His mind is finally free of its quest for power and domination. Therefore, he does not meet Aristotle’s requirements for being the tragic hero in Sophocles’ “Antigone” because at the end of the work he is not at an ultimate low. He is actually in a better position because he has a clear view of divine law and its importance to not only himself, but