Antigone or Creon as the Tragic Hero in Antigone Essay

A tragic hero is a character in a play that is known for being dignified but has a flaw that assists in his or her downfall. Antigone is a Greek tragic piece written by Sophocles. In the theatrical production the use of power and morality versus law is evident. The promotion to the conflict was that Creon created a law in which enabled Polynieces, Antigone’s brother, to be buried in the proper way. As it is the way of the gods Antigone found it fit to bury her brother causing her to disobey the law of Thebes. Both Antigone and Creon, the main characters, could represent a tragic hero. However Creon is more eligible for being the tragic hero because he fits the definition. Aristotle’s idea of a tragic hero was that the character was of†¦show more content†¦Creon orders the guards to take Antigone away not caring for his sons feelings, since she is his fiancà ©e. Creon feels the law should stand despite the fact that Antigone was his niece or how moral her act w as. Bring her [Antigone] out! Let her die before his eyes... (Scene 3, 130). This quotes shows that Creon took his position as king seriously to the point where in he was willing to sacrifice the feelings of his own son. He was willing to be the cause of sons destruction just to prove that he is the king and always right. I will go... I buried her, I will set her free (scene 5, 102,104). Not only does this quote show leadership but also stubbornness he was risking his relationship with his son to prove that he was the leader of Thebes. Creon says another quote which shows his loyalty to his kingdom, I call to God to witness that if I saw my country headed for ruin, I should not be afraid to speak out plainly, (Sophocles, scene 1,24-26). It shows his strong sense of leadership which catches up with him in the end causing destruction. Tragic heroes have identifiable flaws which cause their destruction. In this situation Creon’s major flaw was that he was self-centered, and never listened he thought he was always right. Haemon points out that Creon needs to stop being narrow-minded and stubborn, ...Not far off when you shall pay back corpse for corpse... (Scene 5, 72-73). Teiresias the fortune teller warns Creon that his inflexible waysShow MoreRelatedCreon Is The Tragic Hero Of Antigone734 Words   |  3 Pagesnothing I havent seen in your griefs and mine†(Antigone 1-8). The Burial at Thebes is a version of Sophocles’ Antigone translated by Seamus Heaney. Antigone is a tragedy by the ancient Greek playwright Sophocles written around 442 BCE. The civil war is over. After the tragic death of the Oedipus, everyone would take the throne from one year to the next. Creon orders Eteocles to be buried with full honors, while Polynices body is left to rot. Creon says that â€Å"anyone who attempts to bury PolynicesRead MoreCreon: A Tragic Hero in Antigone606 Words   |  2 Pagesqualifications of a tragic hero vary between Aristotle and Shakespeare. Aristotle thinks of a tragic hero as someone who is a noble character by choice and makes his/her own destiny, while Shakespeare sees a tragic hero as someone who is born of nobility and born to be important. Although both tragic heros end in a tragic death that effects many people, not all tragic heros fit perfectly into both categories. In Sophocles’ Antigone, Creon is considered a tragic hero. Creon follows Aristotles definitionRead MoreEssay on Creon As The Tragic Hero In Antigone602 Words   |  3 PagesSophocles’ Antigone is, without a doubt, one of the greatest tragedies ever written. There are many questions that somebody could ask about this work, but this one intrigues me the most: Who is the tragic hero? Could it be Antigone? Or could it be Creon? Antigone might be the name of the tragedy, but I believe t hat Creon is the winning candidate. His role in the plot of this tragedy, his sensible tragic fault, and his dynamic character are the obvious reasons why I chose him as the tragic hero. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;FirstRead More The Tragic Hero: Creon or Antigone? Essay1293 Words   |  6 Pagestragedy Antigone, the characters Antigone and Creon can both be thought of as the tragic hero of the play. Though Antigone does show some of these characteristics of a tragic hero, Creon demonstrates the attributes more clearly and concisely. Creon is the King of Thebes, as well as the uncle of Antigone. Creon took the throne after a tragic quarrel between his two nephews, Eteocles and Polyneices. Despite his harsh governing and his crude ideals, he is not good or bad. Creon is the tragic hero of theRead More Creon as Tragic Hero of Sophocles Antigone Essay593 Words   |  3 PagesCreon as Tragic Hero of Sophocles Antigone There has always been a bit of confusion as to the tragic hero of the Greek Drama Antigone. Many assume that simply because the play is named for Antigone, that she is the tragic hero. However, evidence supports that Creon, and not Antigone, is the tragic hero of the play. Examining the factors that create a Greek Tragedy, and a tragic character, it is clear that the tragic hero is in fact Creon. First, take into account the timeframe in whichRead More Creon As Tragic Hero of Sophocles’ Antigone Essay836 Words   |  4 PagesCreon As Tragic Hero of Sophocles’ Antigone Since the play’s inception, there has always existed a contention concerning the true hero of Sophocles’ Antigone. It is a widely held belief that Antigone must be the main character simply because she and the drama share name. This is, of course, a very logical assumption. Certainly Sophocles must have at least meant her to be viewed as the protagonist, else he would not have given her the play’s title. Analytically speaking, however, Creon doesRead MoreEssay on Creon as the Tragic Hero in Sophocles Antigone1326 Words   |  6 PagesCreon as the Tragic Hero in Antigone     Ã‚   This essay will compare two of the characters in â€Å"Antigone†, Antigone and Creon, in an effort to determine the identity of the tragic hero in this tale.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To identify the tragic hero in Sophocles’ renowned play â€Å"Antigone†, we should first consider both the elements present in Greek tragedies and what characteristics define a tragic hero. Aristotle’s definition of tragedy is: â€Å"Tragedy is a story taking the hero from happiness to miseryRead MoreEssay on Creon As The Tragic Hero Of Antigone by Sophocles781 Words   |  4 PagesCreon As The Tragic Hero Of Antigone by Sophocles Greek tragedy would not be complete with out a tragic hero. Sophocles wrote Antigone with a specific character in mind for this part. Based on Aristotle’s definition, Creon is the tragic hero of Antigone. Creon fits Aristotle’s tragic hero traits as a significant person who is faced with difficult decisions. Creon is significant because he is king. This makes him both renowned and prosperous. Creon is not completely good nor completely bad;Read More Creon is the Tragic Hero in Sophocles Antigone Essay627 Words   |  3 Pages Creon is the Tragic Hero of Antigone nbsp; When the title of a play is a characters name, it is normally assumed that the character is the protagonist of the play. In Sophocles Antigone, most people probably believe Antigone to be the tragic heroine, even after they have finished watching the play. It may be argued, however, that Creon, not Antigone, is the tragic character. When we examine the nature and concept of the Greek Tragedy and what it means to be a tragic character, it becomesRead MoreEssay on Creon as the Tragic Hero of Sophocles Antigone997 Words   |  4 PagesCreon as the Tragic Hero of Sophocles Antigone   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Who is the true tragic hero in Sophocles Antigone?   This question has been the subject of a great debate for numerous years.   Equal arguments exist that portray Antigone as the tragic heroine in the play and Creon as the tragic hero.   Aristotle, in his study of Greek drama entitled Poetics, provided the framework that determines the tragic hero of a work.   Though Antigone definitely possesses the characteristics and qualities that