Antigone the Tragic Hero

A third example that shows Antigone is brave is when Antigone has already been caught, and is being questioned by Creon, “I knew that I should have to die, of course. With or without your order,” (138). This quote exhibits Antigone’s bravery because she understands the fact that she is going to die from getting caught giving Polynices a proper burial. She’s going to die sometime, so she thought that she should feel that she should make life ... ... middle of paper ... ...g to Antigone after she had been discovered in the process of burying Polynices, “Justice, / that dwells with the gods below, knows such law,”(138). Antigone is saying this to Creon after she had been caught trying to bury Polynices.

Who on earth alive in the midst of so much grief as I, could fail to find this death a rich reward?” (374) Antigone was willing to risk her own life for the sake of her dead brother’s pride. Creon wants Antigone to know that he has control over her. She defied him and now he has no choice but to punish her. Otherwise it would mean a bruise on his reputation as a ruler. It would prove that he was of weak character, especially since a girl went against him.

Other critics argue that Creon is the tragic hero of Antigone. They say that his noble quality is his caring for Antigone and Ismene when thier father was persecuted. Those who stand behind Creon also argue that Antigone never had a true epiphany, a key element in being a tragic hero. Creon, on the other hand, realized his mistake when Teiresias made his prophecy. He is forced to live, knowing that three people are dead because of his ignorance, which is a punishment worse than death.

However, Antigone places her individual conscience and love for her brother Polyneices above and against the power and authority of the state, which costs her life. "You ought to realize we are only women, not meant in nature to fight against men, and that we are ruled, by those who are stronger, to obedience in this and even more painful matters." In the opening of the play, Antigone and Ismene meet in the night. Antigone laments Creon's decree that whoever tries to bury Polyneices or mourn for him must be stoned to death. Although Ismene declares that the sisters lack any power in the situation, Antigone insists that she will bury Polyneices, and asks for Ismene's help.

Antigone is the protagonist in the story Antigone. She is a young girl who rises up against her uncle, King Creon to defend what she believes in. King Creon is seen amongst the society as a dictator and feels no one should go against his orders. One of King Creon’s orders is to not give Antigone’s brother, Polyneices, a proper burial because he thought Polyneices was a traitor. Antigone, however, chooses to bury her brother because in her heart she feels it is the right thing to do, knowing full well that Creon disapproves and has made it clear that if anyone attempts to touch Polyneices, they will be stoned in public.

She also truly believes in the Gods and that by dying a martyr, she will gain kleos. Antigone doesn’t want to marry Haemon and therefore, plots her own death. She does this by committing a crime punishable by death, making a fool out of her uncle and ultimately, committing her own death by way of hanging.

I will either kill them, or myself, or both.” This can explain Antigone’s excessive desire to bury her brother and even further be supported in lines 25-28 when Antigone challenges her sister’s loyalty. Aristotle himself said that a tragic hero should be neither better nor worse normally than a normal person. With that being said Antigone’s sister, Ismene, was in the same position as her. Originally invoking a sense of naturalism this changes with Ismene’s refusal to help bury their brother. The lack of support for Antigone’s plan leaves her no choice, but distances herself from her sister who obviously doesn’t share the same family loyalty beliefs as her (Lines 77-81).

Antigone and Winton are very different individuals, however they both share the same quality of determination. When faced with the challenge of protecting others over the consequence of their own demise; both characters chose to die trying saving others from the evils of humanity. Antigone knew that her brother Polyneices deserved the respect of a proper burial, despite the choices he made when he was alive. Antigone, determined to bury her brother went against the advice of her sister and the the command of the King. “Go away, Ismene: I shall be hating you soon, and the dead will too, For your words are hateful.

Her actions affect many of her other countrymen negatively because they cause problems within the royal family, disagreement among the people and directly relate to the death of three people including her own. By burying her brother, Antigone knowingly and willingly went against royal orders and in doing so chooses her own death. She knows as well as anyone in the town that death would come to all that disobeyed Creon's order. Antigone says to this "no one will ever convict me for a traitor,"(Act I: Scene II: Line 361) and decides to bury the body, this is quite ironic because by burying her brother a traitor is exactly what she is convicted of being. Antigone's actions went against her homeland.

This statement truly exemplifies Antigone’s recognition of her fate due to her actions. Antigone is stating that she knew of her tragic fate of death, and accepts that this is her destiny. The will of the gods is more powerful than Antigone’s actions, and she knows that she cannot do anything to change this. Therefore, Antigone decides to act on her free will by burying her brother. She knows that this action will result in a penalty of death, but she also can recognize that she’s destined to death by fate.