Antigone is a tragic hero. In order to be a tragic hero the character should fit into most if not all six categories of what makes a tragic hero a tragic hero. In this essay, I will be arguing that Antigone is a tragic hero. Antigone is a tragic hero because she fell from grace and is a person of high status. Antigone was soon to be the princess of Thebes. All of that changed when she heard the horrible news that her brother, Polyneices, was killed in battle by Eteocles, her other brother fighting for Thebes. Eteocles was supposed to get a full military burial for the sacrifice he made to Thebes but Polyneices was supposed to be left alone where the dogs and scavengers can slowly eat him away. Antigone was not going to let her brother be left out without a proper burial to go to the afterlife. So, she decided to take action. She was later caught in the act and she was sentenced from death leaving her to not become the soon to be the queen of Thebes. This is why she can be considered a tragic hero because she fell from grace and her power. The second thing to be considered a tragic hero is that the hero or heroine must have a tragic flaw that results in their downfall. This can fit for Antigone because her …show more content…
Some greater good was achieved by Antigone’s downfall and the audience is not left feeling sad. When Antigone was sent off to be buried Creon knew that he had made a huge mistake and ordered that Polyneices is should build a tomb for Polyneices. So even though Antigone died, her sacrifice was not in vein. She made Creon realize that he shouldn’t mess with destiny and moral laws. She made Creon realize that he can’t be stubborn to the point where he doesn’t listen to anyone or anything besides himself. So at the end of the play although Antigone, Haimon and Creon’s wife is dead, it was not all for nothing. It made Creon realize that he was a fool for what he
After the arguments above, readers should recognize that Creon is the tragic hero of Antigone. Creon and Antigone are both main person of the play, but Creon more of a tragic hero than Antigone. Creon’s dominance in society, his high rank, and his tragic flaw self-pride helps prove this topic. Because of Creon’s sophisticated characteristics and position in the story, it makes Antigone’s character seem less of a major character. Almost every reader thinks that since Antigone is the protagonist, and the main character she is definitely the tragic hero. Creon is the tragic hero of the Greek Tragedy, Antigone because of his dominance, high rank, and self-pride.
Out of all of Sophocles’ works Antigone has a wide selection of tragedy. From preventing burials to commiting suicide there are many times you are greeted with a surprise. While many believe that Creon is the tragic hero in the play, many believe it is Antigone. She had the confidence to be able to stand up to Creon for what she know is right.This resulted in her going through many tragic events throughout the play but having the persistence to keep going without ever looking back.
Antigone is a great Greek tragedy by Sophocles. The story is about a young woman who has buried her brother by breaking king’s decree, and now she is punished for obeying God’s law. There are many arguments about who is the tragic hero in Sophocles’ Antigone. Some believe that it is Creon because he also has the characteristics of a tragic hero. Others believe that it is Antigone because the play bears her name. Antigone is the perfect hero, to exemplify the meaning of a tragic hero. In order to determine whether Antigone is the tragic hero, one will have to answer the question, what is a tragic hero? According to Aristotle, “The tragic hero is a character of noble stature and has greatness, he/she is not perfect, the hero's downfall and it is partially his/her own fault, and the hero's misfortunate is not wholly deserved.” (Aristotle) Antigone is a tragic hero because she has a high social standing in Thebes, she neither good nor bad, and her suffering appears to be unjust and unfair to the audience.
The word ‘hero’ comes from the ancient Greek. This means a person who face with trouble and also downfall as well. When a hero confronts downfall, the name of hero replaces with ‘tragic hero’. In Sophocles’ Antigone, there are two main characters that both of them seems to be tragic hero: Antigone and Creon. Although many considered to be one of the best tragic hero is Creon, Antigone contains all the qualities that are enough to set up the necessaries of tragic hero.
How she reacts to events and the ensuing consequences that occur, forms the plot of the play. At the very beginning Antigone chooses to bury polyneices even though it was against Creon's wishes. She had a choice to leave his body buried but she chose to unbury him which shows her stubbornness, and this is a common trait amongst protagonists. Creon also has this trait and shows it when he discovers her body. Antigone does not give up under any circumstances, which is both admirable and
Antigone is one of the best plays written but people have many questions about the play like, who is the best tragic hero. Antigone is about a princess who tries to bury her brother even though King Creon said not to. Creon plans on punishing Antigone for going against his word and is going to kill her. Antigone is going to get married and after she gets married she hangs herself. Creon is the greater tragic hero because he does not realise how his tragic flaw and free choice will affect him in the end..
A hero can be defined by, Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, as a character that exhibits courage and sacrifice for the greater good. Antigone can distinctly be identified as the hero in the story because
A tragic hero is described as a character who is neither good nor bad, they have tragic flaws, they must be born to royal bloodlines, and they must have a downfall and suffering. In the play Antigone there are two main characters who could be the tragic hero, Antigone and Creon. Antigone because she is the sister of the dead brother and Creon because he is the
I ruled out that Antigone probably was a tragic hero to a lesser extent, however, when she started to question her actions. A real hero of any sort always does what they think is right. Since Creon still hadn't changed his mind at that point, I was perplexed on who would become the one who regretted their actions later, and was eventually going to experience a catharsis.
The tragic hero of a story might not always be the protagonist; he or she may be the antagonist. According to Aristotle, a tragic hero must have certain characteristics: the hero must be born in a noble position, the hero must not be entirely good nor entirely evil, and the hero must suffer more than he deserves. A tragic hero must also have a tragic flaw which leads to a mistake and eventually, the hero’s doom. Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero must be used to determine the tragic hero of the story. In the play Antigone by Greek author Sophocles, Antigone, who is the protagonist, wishes to bury her brother Polyneices. However, Creon, the king, has made this act illegal because her brother attacked the city. Creon eventually discovers
In Sophocles' Antigone, the question of who the tragic hero really is, has been a subject of debate for a great number years. The story is about a young woman who has buried her brother by breaking king’s decree, and now she is punished for obeying the gods’ law. There are many arguments as to who is the tragic hero in Sophocles’ Antigone. Antigone is a tragic hero because she is highborn, irrational and evokes feelings of pity in the reader as she stands up to an impossible enemy, which are all characteristics of a tragic hero.
In conclusion, Antigone, compared to Creon is the tragic hero. Her strength of character and bravery led her to her tragic end but it was also through her heroic actions that the curse in her family came to an end. No such tragedy could have happened if the people were as brave as she was. It was her actions that led to the freedom of the
In the final act of the play, Antigone commits suicide while Ismene remains completely unscathed. This is Sophocles’s most direct evidence that Ismene’s conflict allows her to survive the horrors surrounding her. Her conflict has made it so she did not act rash and commit a crime and also made it so that she had to take time to think about what she was to do, which ultimately saves her. Also, Creon eventually realizes that he has been stubborn in his incessant use of law and tries to right his wrongs, but both his wife and son die because he was too late. Creon’s realization parallels Ismene’s conflicted nature throughout the whole story. While Antigone never sees Creon’s point of view, Creon finally understands hers, exactly like Ismene’s opinions of both sides, but due to his actions before he cannot fix what he has done. Ultimately, Ismene is the only character left untouched by the tragedies at the end of the story (at least untouched by fault), as opposed to Creon and Antigone, which shows that considering two conflicting ideas can result in a more rational or successful
This explains how Antigone is truly a hero. Another factor which also proves Antigone is a tragic hero is the fact that she has too much pride, which is called hubris in Greek term. Although Ismene reminds of the punishments she could have from burying Polyneices, Antigone sticks to her beliefs and is willing to break the law and tells her, “He has no right to keep me from my own” (128). Even when Ismene warned Antigone that she would not succeed, Antigone claims there is nothing that can stop her: “Go your own way; I will bury my
Antigone if she is caught. As the play moves on there is a building of this fear and pity that is felt for many of the characters that finally is resolved at the catastrophe. At that point the reader learns that Creon, the king, has lost his wife, his son, and his niece Antigone, all because he was too stubborn to give in as well as to afraid that if he did give in that he would be judged as an easy king. In a way this ending brings the two emotions together. The reader feels pity for Creon because of his great loss, but at the same time he feels a bit of fear because he wouldn’t want this type of tragedy to ever occur in his life.