The Epic Hero In Antigone: The Tragic Hero

Brutus’ ultimate downfall by one or two negative traits would have shocked the intended audience and perhaps affected how they viewed themselves, making Brutus a very effective character. Shakespeare created a slightly flawed character have a moment of clarity followed by a violent death, and he did this to notify the public of a major problem with his day’s ethics. The noble Brutus was destroyed by a handful of minute details in his own character. This alarming message is the reason this play is still studied. Works Cited "Hero."

This deception is evident soon after when Banquo is concerned about the witches trying “to win us harm. / The instruments of darkness tell us truths /... ... middle of paper ... ...ower illustrate that even at the root of even the noblest man, can lie chaos and terror. In an ironic twist near the end of the play, Macbeth laments life and at the same time provides a perfect description of his own: “It is a tale / Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, / Signifying nothing” (V. v. 29-31). Although Macbeth has strived to become king, in reality his power was nothing but an illusion, created by his twisted fantasies and the sin residing within him. Works Cited Pilkington, Elaine.

We can see him questioning himself in his aside in Act I scene 3 "Why do I yield to that suggestion whose horrid image ... Are less than horrible imaginings;"6. He cannot seem to be able to control his thoughts. He lets his ambition to become king run a wild. The murder of Duncan is the first and biggest step in Macbeth's moral degradation. From here evil deeds become easier because he feels he has gone too far to turn around.

Shakespeare illuminates the flaw of Brutus as his uncanny ability in poor judgment and faulty reasoning that leads him to make the decisions he does. Brutus is being manipulated by Cassius and is trying to find any possibly logical reason for killing Caesar. The problem with that is there is no reason Caesar should have died. Brutus attempts to earn the plebeians' loyalty by asking. Had you rather Caesar live and die all slaves?

It is hard to imagine Othello as a man who could be led to murder his innocent wife at this point in the play. Being the crafty villain that Iago is though, he consistently and cleverly manipulates the trusting Othello un... ... middle of paper ... ... the exact opposite and wins everyone over. One last word play that is quite powerful in the play is how Othello always described Iago as, "honest" Iago. After the murder of Desdemona and as Iago's scheme is about to be unveiled, it is pitiful when Othello still insist, "My friend, thy husband; honest, honest Iago" (V. ii. 151).

Gifted with the darkest attributes intertwined in his imperfect characteristics, Shakespeare’s Richard III displays his anti-hero traits afflicted with thorns of villains: “Plots have I laid, inductions dangerous / By drunken prophecies, libels, and dreams” (I.i.32-33). Richard possesses the idealism and ambition of a heroic figure that is destined to great achievements and power; however, as one who believes that “the end justifies the means”, Richard rejects moral value and tradition as he is willing to do anything to accomplish his goal to the crown. The society, even his family and closest friends, repudiate him as a deformed outcast. Nevertheless, he cheers for himself as the champion and irredeemable villain by turning entirely to revenge of taking self-served power. By distinguishing virtue ethics to take revenge on the human society that alienates him and centering his life on self-advancement towards kingship, Richard is the literary archetype of an anti-hero.

And yet the riddle lay above the ken...and called for prophets skill...but then I came...and slew her." These features of Oedipus' personality lead him inevitably to assume that he, the great Oedipus, liberator of his people, could not possibly be the murderer that they seek. Hence, it is Oedipus' inflated ego that causes his fate to be so severe and his downfall so great at the end of the play. Furthermore, despite Teiresias' words early in the play, Oedipus refuses to believe the truth that he is responsible for Laios' death. His arrogance leads him to unknowingly curse himself, thus making his fate worse:

Oedipus’ decision to be prideful, stubborn, and rash all contributes to his impending doom. In Thebes, the law of free will prevails over men. Although Oedipus has already fulfilled his destiny, his excessive pride pushes him to reveal the truth of the murder of King Laius. Had Oedipus not acted upon that pride, he would have never realized that he had achieved his dreadful prophecy. Oedipus ignores the dangerous warnings of his companions, and instead increases the urgency of the hunt for the murderer.

The main characteristics of a hero are that they can do heroic things, but retain their nobility. If we sacrifice the truth for progress then we are no better than the monsters that we fight. Lying and cheating to get things done is wrong and usually has bad consequences. Another reaso... ... middle of paper ... ...did not fight with morals. As Odysseus is killing the suitors he explained how he hated the fact that they had drained his estate and courted his wife.

Shakespeare draws an amazing face of a man made to be a villain by ambition, desire and an imbalance of good and evil. Macbeth, unhappy and unsatisfied with his social position, caused his feelings to snowball into the ambition that led him to the murder of Duncan. “I have no spur To prick the sides of my intent, but only Vaulting ambition, which O’erleaps itself And falls on th’other” (Act 1 sc. 7 pg 41) By using an aside, Shakespeare allows Macbeth to reveal his ambitions. And uses Macbeth’s ambition to create irony, in that his ambition was what brought him to power, yet it also leads him to his tragic downfall.