Antigone Essay

879 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Similarities and differences between antigone and creon

Antigone is a Greek tragedy written by Sophocles that has two tragic heroes, Antigone herself and Creon. A tragic hero is the main character in a tragedy that makes an error in his or her actions that leads to his or her downfall. Creon is the tragic hero in Antigone because he reveals all the characteristics of a tragic hero. Creon’s tragic flaw is his pride. Creon’s stubbornness, his abuse of power, and his actions that resulted in his downfall in the play are three of the ways in which Creon can be the tragic hero. Creon is the tragic hero in Antigone for many reasons. His stubbornness by not wanting to be proven wrong because of his pride is one of the many reasons Creon is the tragic character. Creon believes it is okay to give Eteocles a proper burial because he died, as a man should, fight for his country. On the other hand, Creon treats Polyneices’ death in a distasteful, uncaring manner. Creon believed Polyneices’ should not receive a proper burial because Polyneices’ broke his exile to come back with fire and sword against his native city and the shrines of his father’s gods, whose idea was to split his blood and sell his own people into slavery. Creon also said that anyone that touches Polyneices’ or says the least prayer for him would be stoned to death. The Choragus attempted to inform Creon that he made a mistake by saying nobody can bury Polyneices, but it is to no avail. When Creon finds out someone has buried Polyneices, he assumes it is the men, the anarchists, that buried him because they want money, but Antigone is really the one that buries Polyneices. When the people of Thebes tried to tell Creon Antigone did the right thing, he did not want to listen to them. Creon believed that if he made an ex... ... middle of paper ... ...d that even though he is rich, if he has no one to share it with, then he has nothing. This shows how Creon’s actions are the most important quality that makes him a tragic hero. The downfall of Thebes is a result of Creon’s stubbornness, his abuse of power, and his actions that caused his downfall. Creon thought that by being the king of Thebes, he could do whatever he wanted and have everything go his way and make everyone only follow his laws. Creon’s role as king also made him think it is okay for him to break Gods laws and make his own laws for his people to follow without confronting his people first. Creon caused all of the chaos in Thebes by trying to make his laws equal to Gods laws. Teiresias foreshadows that it will have a bad ending and it does. In my opinion, the major downfall of Thebes is Creon’s poor ability to differentiate right from wrong.

Show More
Related

  • Antigone

    1762 Words  | 4 Pages

    Creon's pride is that of a tyrant. He is inflexible and unyielding, unwilling throughout the play to listen to advice or Antigone. Creon’s love for the city-state cause him to abandon all other beliefs. He tries to enforce this upon the people of Thebes.

    Read More

  • Creon's Role in Antigone

    435 Words  | 1 Pages

    This “spark” caused Creon to intensify his punishments towards Antigone, which in turn caused a chain reaction of events and eventually led to his tragic decline. Being portrayed as a menacing villain throughout the play, Creon began as an honorable man; however, overwhelming events and confrontations caused Creon to evolve into this monstrous figure. This play, Antigone, was titled after one of the play’s main characters; however, the title could have been “Creon”, due to Creon’s influence throughout the play. Creon was a major influence to the play’s plot as it involves Creon within a majority of the scenes, from beginning to end. Throughout the play, Creon’s tragic countdown is expressed, beginning with him as king of Thebes to the death of his beloved family.

    Read More

  • Antigone Essay

    1377 Words  | 3 Pages

    The character must decide whether or not to allow the employee’s cousin to work in their restaurant. The cousin must provide for his family through the cold winter or they will become homeless. The character also knows that the law requires him to check the citizenship of all employees and forbids him to hire anyone who is in the country illegally.

    Read More

  • Creon Beliefs In Elizabeth Wyckoff's Antigone

    1180 Words  | 3 Pages

    Yet, Creon is to blame for this lose. His inability to settle on his views directly causes the death of his family. He loses his son, Haemon, and his wife, Eurydice, to suicide (1235-1237). Moreover, he could have taken the advice of Haemon to not be stubborn and to free Antigone. This would have led to a much different outcome. Still, Creon risked everything to prove his willfulness. Ironically, the thing that leads to Creon’s ruin is exactly what tears him apart in the end. The battle over Polyneices burial led to the death of Creon’s closest loved ones. Overall, he is left to live in despair, without a family, and with the city of Thebes turned against him. It is impossible to ignore the effect of Creon’s hubris in Antigone.

    Read More

  • Antigone Argumentative Essay

    760 Words  | 2 Pages

    Since Creon has a tragic flaw of hubris and comes to an increased awareness about his wrongdoings, it is clear that he perfectly fits the characteristics of a tragic hero. Many readers may not be able to visualize how difficult it is for someone who loses something very important to them, unless they have experienced it firsthand. Creon's choices in the story are an example that signifies the use of the brain instead of emotions that could interfere with the decision. When given the choice of different paths, one should make compromises to satisfy not only themselves, but others around them when needed. Without doing this, it can lead to several disputes and severe devastation in life.

    Read More

  • Sophocles' Antigone - Creon's Flaws

    525 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the play Antigone, I choose Creon to be the tragic hero because he is the King of Thebes and he looses everything he has. Creon being King makes the audience believe that something like that can happen to the King then what can happen to us. Antigone the niece of Creon, The sister of Polyneices was punished by Creon for burying Polyneces after his death, Creon has forbidden anybody to do so. Once Creon punished Antigone the blind prophet Teiresias told him that the Gods will take revenge for his actions, then Creon tried to change everything but he is too late. Creon's tragic flaws were his stubbornness, the abuse of power and the actions he took to cause the downfall of the Thebes.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Antigone By Sophocles

    958 Words  | 2 Pages

    A person once said, “The Antigone [is] one of the most sublime and in every respect most excellent works of art of all time” (Hegel). The play Antigone [is] written in the 6th century by the writer Sophocles (Willocks). Sophocles is a play writer and he made tragedies more complex. A tragedy always ends in defeat or death, has a hero who is confronted by hostile forces and has a tragic hero who has to make a choice difficult moral choice. The main character is usually the tragic heroine. A tragic hero is a person who has a dramatic change in fortune, morally good, heroic in stature or social position, true to life and consistent (Willocks). Creon is the king and he believes whatever he said should be obeyed. He did not listen to the Greek

    Read More

  • Antigone, the Real Tragic Hero in Sophocles' Antigone

    643 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Creon: A Tragic Hero

    852 Words  | 2 Pages

    Over time, history has given society many to whom we call true heroes. There are many reasons these heroes have been looked up to such as: bravery, dedication, confidence, and inspiration. However, a tragic hero requires a few different qualities. Aristotle describes a tragic hero as a “member of royalty,” someone who “must fall from tremendous good fortune,” and someone who creates pity for him or herself (“Connections: A Theory” 2000). In Greek drama, Sophocles’ Antigone and Euripides’ Medea both contain several possible tragic heroes including Medea, Jason, and Creon. More specifically, in Antigone Creon exemplifies the qualities of a tragic hero best due to his prominent power as king of Thebes, the way he holds strong to his stubborn pride, and the sympathy felt for him in his tragic downfall.

    Read More

  • moralant Free Antigone Essays: Do the Right Thing

    541 Words  | 2 Pages

    Antigone did the right thing by defileing Creon's strict orders on burying Polynices because the unalterable laws of the gods and our morals are higher than the blasphemous laws of man. Creon gave strict orders not to bury Polynices because he lead a rebellion, which turned to rout, in Thebes against Creon, their omnipotent king. Antigone could not bare to watch her brother become consumed by vultures' talons and dogs. Creon finds out that somebody buried Polynices' body and sent people out to get the person who preformed the burial. Antigone is guilty and although she is to be wed to Creon's son, Haemon. He sentences her to be put in a cave with food and water and let the gods decide what to do with her. He was warned by a blind profit not to do this, but he chooses to anyway, leaving him with a dead son, a dead wife, and self-imposed exile.

    Read More

  • Antigone by Sophocles

    973 Words  | 2 Pages

    A tragic hero can be defined as someone with a substantial personality flaw that causes them to endure great suffering with a reversal of character near the end. Antigone possesses certain traits that could potentially render her the tragic hero, but Creon truly embodies all characteristics. Creon is the tragic hero in “Antigone” due to several qualities he displays throughout the play; he can’t accept a diminished view of himself, he endures great suffering and he is enlightened in the end. In the beginning of the play Creon presents a strong confident image, although it becomes apparent self-doubt is present due to his inability to accept a diminished view of himself. Whilst giving the orders to murder anyone who tries to bury Antigone’s brother, Creon refuses the advice of his trusted council because they suggest he may be in the wrong.

    Read More

  • Creon' Exemplification of Aristotle's Tragic Hero in Antigone by Sophocles

    1509 Words  | 4 Pages

    Throughout literary history, tragic heroes have been defined as a great or virtuous character in a dramatic tragedy who is destined for downfall, suffering, or defeat. However, philosophers such as Aristotle tried to find connections between tragic heroes in Greek plays. This in-depth analysis of tragic heroes lead Aristotle to create six criteria for a true tragic hero: He or she has to be a Noble figure of royalty and noble in character, has to be imperfect by design, has a flaw or error that is a choice, is punished excessively for this choice flaw, has to undergo a downfall that leads to a realization, and the story of this tragic hero has to make the audience reach a moment of catharsis or purging of emotions. A prime example of a tragic hero that fits all of these criteria is Creon from the play Antigone, written by Sophocles in 441 BC. The story of Antigone is a tragedy that describes a stubborn and proud king named Creon who refuses to allow a burial for the brother of Antigone. Creon’s excessive pride leads to a series of unfortunate events resulting in the death of Antigone, his son Haemon, and his wife Eurydice. Throughout the course of the play, Creon undergoes each standard that is required by Aristotle’s terms to be a tragic hero.

    Read More

  • Antigone

    561 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the play Antigone, the debate over who is the real tragic hero is and the controversy of Greek ideals in the Antigone continues on to this day. Who is the tragic hero in Antigone? Is it Antigone herself or is it Creon the ruler of Thebes? The belief that Antigone is, is a strong one. Still there are people who think Creon is the tragic hero. Antigone is widely thought as the tragic her. The play is named after her. In addition, she is the antagonist in it. Many people usually associate the antagonist, the good guy as a tragic hero. Look at much television shows, especially cartoons, the good person usually wins. Then there are those who might think Creon was the tragic hero because the gods were against him, and that he truly loved his country. There are five criteria or standards you must meet first in order to be a tragic hero. First, you must be a person of high character or status. The character must not be too overwhelmingly evil or good. Then they must be brought from happiness to misery. Then brought from happiness to misery. Second, the hero enacts a harmartia, "wrong act." This either may be a flaw in judgment or an error. Third, the hero experiences a perpateia, reversal of fortune. This is the tragic downfall or plot twist in the story. Fourth, the hero recognizes his or her responsibility. Fifth, the story ends with a catastrophe. The catastrophe either may be an emotional event, this even may be a death.

    Read More

  • The Importance of Antigone

    634 Words  | 2 Pages

    When the play starts, it starts with Antigone talking with her sister, Ismene. She talks about burying her brother, Polynices. Even though Ismene reminds her that this would be illegal, she goes ahead and buries Polynices anyways. Because of this, Antigone is a more important character than Creon because this action alone started the play’s entire chain of events. Without this, Thebes would have gone on as usual, and Creon would have been king of Thebes.

    Read More

  • The Role of Creon in Sophocles' Oedipus the King

    775 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the beginning of the story Creon visits the oracle at Delphi to find out what the curse on Thebes is being caused by. Upon his arrival to Thebes he informs Oedipus of what the oracle said:

    Read More

More about Antigone Essay

Open Document