The Downfall of Creon The Tragic Hero
At the end of the play Antigone, Creon’s family members end their own lives because of Creo. He then has to live with the pain and guilt of their loss. Antigone knew that she was risking her life by burying her brother, even though Creon’s new decree clearly stated no one is to bury Polyneices. At the end of the play, Antigone sadly ended her own life and has no pain or guilt to bear since she is not alive anymore. Creon is more of a tragic hero than Antigone because of the fact that he provoked both his son and wife to die , he went from king to nothing, he realizes that he is responsible for their death's and will forever live with the guilt.
Antigone is the protagonist in the play. She wanted to give
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Creon’s son Haemon ended his life after finding his fiance Antigone dead. Eurydice, Creon’s wife also ends her life after hearing that her son Haemon is dead. Most of Creon’s family ended their own lives and now he realizes he is responsible. He is the only one left in his family besides Ismene. Creon has to live with the guilt of not making the correct decisions and not controlling his excessive pride. Creon was well respected and had the city of Thebes under control, until he created an unfair law that caused him to loose his family. Creon was the King of Thebes, but at the end of the play he is nothing. Creon’s family is dead because of his hubris. He feels miserable and guilty for what he has done. He lost title, family, and his pride especially when he thought he was always right. Near the end of the play, Creon wanted to do the right thing and give Polyneices a proper funeral. He also wanted to liberate Antigone with the help of others, but it was too late because Antigone ended her life. While she was locked in the cave. She thought about how she would never get married and how risking her life for her brother is only making her life worse. Creon did not die at the end of the play, but he does have to live with no family member left to be by his side. He will have to live with the guilt of always knowing that it was all his fault that Haemon, Antigone, and Eurydice ended their own lives at the
After being locked up in a dark, damp cave, Antigone was fed up with wallowing in her own pity, and takes her own life by “hang[ing] by the neck in a fine linen noose, strangled in her veils,” (1347–1348). Seeing the graceful young woman embraced in the arms of his own son, Creon immediately swells with anger towards un-masculine Haemon because of his display of love, and the significance of Antigone’s death goes straight over his head. Her strong sense of self – knowing who she is, what she values, and what makes her happy – enables her to make regretless decisions that alter her time to come. One of those decisions instigated Haemon’s fate to be sealed as well, prompting Eurydice, mother of the prince, to join her son in the underworld. Not long after becoming aware of her child’s downfall, Eurydice sacrifices her life at the heart of the palace, and “raised a cry for the noble fate of Megareus, the hero killed in the first assault, then for Haemon, then with her dying breath she called down torments on [Creon’s] head–[Creon] killed her sons,” (1429–1432). Creon’s heart fills with grief, for the fault of these three deaths lies with him, and pathetic self-pities are the only thoughts running through his mind. Despite the three-deceased’s blood lying
First family is a big part the play. Antigone thinks it is her duty is bury her older brother Polynices, who became a traitor this the kingdom. However Antigone Uncle Creon commanded no one to bury Polynices. After Antigone was caught trying to bury her brother the guards bought her to her uncle, and her uncle tried to help her and not kill her at first. When Antigone says she will bury him again if he lets her go Creon thinks he has no choice, but to put her to death. Even though Creon tried to help Antigone his son; Haemon did not understand why he was doing that to her. Creon had to make a choice in this story between his family and his job, his choice has his job. In the result of that he had lost his niece, son, and wife all of them taking their own lives.
Unlike the king that dies with his image and fame, a self sacrificing individual dies with the start of their legacy. After the death of King Oedipus, Eteocles and Polynices fought each other for the crown. Unfortunately, they both were killed by each other leaving Creon the king of Thebes. Creon’s law states that no one shall bury a traitor. Because Antigone, sister of Polyneices, broke Creon's law of a traitor, she was punished. In the play, "Antigone" by Sophobles, Creon's decisions are the reason for his destruction. Creon is the tragic hero of this play because he passes from happiness to misery, recognizes clearly, but too late the error of his ways, and responds with dignity and nobility once he has recognize his error.
The term “tragic hero” was first used by the Greek philosopher Aristotle. Aristotle defined this hero as someone neither better or worse than the average person. Tragic heroes are people with bravery and of a noble position, but they also have an imperfect nature. When tragic heroes show a weakness, usually pride, the audience can relate better to them. This relationship causes stronger and more passionate feelings from the people towards the downfall of the tragic hero. The hero’s punishment will be greater than what is deserved, and the hero must make a self-discovery along the way. Creon makes the decision to punish Antigone for burying her brother after he declared, “Polyneices, I say, is to have no burial: no man is to touch him or say the least prayer for him; he shall lie on the plain, unburied; and the birds and the scavenging dogs can do with him whatever they like.” Creon makes this decision based on his beliefs and thoughts alone, not on the opinions of others under him (too much pride.) This is the error in judgment that Creon made, and the reason for his change in character throughout the story.
To begin with in Antigone, King Creon is a harbinger of tragedy. Creon directly cause the deaths of multiple characters within the play. In the text Creon says “ then go down to the dead. If you must love,
Antigone, a play that follows Oedipus Rex, is written by a Greek tragic writer named Sophocles. Antigone is about a girl named Antigone who disobeys the King’s, whose name is Creon, order by burying her brother’s, Polynices, body. This will then lead to the death of the King’s wife, Eurydice, niece, Antigone, and son, Haemon. There are many deaths in this story but there can only be one tragic hero in this type of play. Many people believe that the tragic hero is Antigone because she dies after burying her brother, but others argue that Creon is the tragic hero. Creon fits the definition of a tragic hero more than Antigone does because his arrogance, pride and judgement led to his demise. His judgement
...ut her son’s death, she goes and slits her throat. Creon then feels Antigone’s direct action when he is all alone at the end of the play. His edict caused so much pain in suffering for his family, he led them all to suicide.
"Whoever thinks that he alone possesses intelligence, the gift of eloquence, he and no one else, and character too…such men, I tell you, spread them open—you will find them empty" (791-794). In the play “Antigone”, Sophocle illustrated the definition of a tragic hero. In the beginning of the set, Creon was portrayed as a just leader. He had good, rational reasons for his laws and punishments. But by the end of the play, Creon’s hubris had taken over. The bravery of Antigone's rebellious act caused Creon to bring out his hidden characteristics. Antigone, Creon’s niece, experienced the heartbreaking death of her two brothers. Eteocles had been buried. However, the traditional burial of Polyneices had been prohibited. Enraged with a broken heart,
...ish / I have killed my own son and wife / I look for comfort; my comfort lies here dead. / Whatever my hands have touched has come to nothing. / Fate has brought all my pride to a thought of dust.” (Exodus. 142-146). Fate takes control and Creon’s family is dead. He grieves and wants to die with his family because he sees no purpose of living. This is when the readers experience a catharsis. Creon’s tragic flaw, ignorance and disrespect, indicates Antigone’s catastrophic outcome.
“Pride comes before the fall.” This proverb, listed in the bible, means that a lot of the times, pride leads to the downfall of a person. A person who puts themselves above all others, is bound to fall at one point or another, even if it is for the good or for the bad. In Antigone by Sophocles, the protagonist, Antigone, wants to do everything in her power in order to avenge her brother’s death. By doing this, she puts the life of herself, and some of the people around her in danger. On the other hand, the antagonist, Creon, is also very prideful. In his mind, everything revolves around him, and he has to take responsibility for everyone. In the play The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar is warned by many people
...o loose many members of his family. The grief he must have felt for these decisions is hard to comprehend. Whether or not Creon wanted to be king was not a circumstance that he had power over. But since he was king he know had a responsibility to lead and protect his people. This meant punishing those that opposed the state of Thebes family or not. Therefore it was a correct decision. It served to good of the whole not Creon’s own selfish desires. Antigone defied this decision putting her in the same category of her brother – a trader of the state. Therefore she must also be punished in much the same way as a criminal of the state was punished. Through looking at the history of the time period, the statements of the chorus, and the critical analysis offered, I believe it was Sophocles to portray the character of Creon as the character that acted correctly.
The qualities Creon and Antigone express in the beginning of the play condemn them to their fates at the end. Antigone 's conviction in her religious beliefs and understanding of the punishments from Creon 's edict leads her to see that her actions have no other consequences than death, but yet, she must bury Polyneices ' body, and her quote to Ismene, "but that man shall I / bury. For me, the doer, death is best," represents that (71-72). Another exchange between Antigone and Ismene shows Antigone 's knowledge of her fate with Ismene stating, "Alas for me. Am I outside your fate?" and Antigone replying, "Yes. For you chose to live when I chose death" (554-555). Antigone maintains her agency throughout the play including her suicide, choosing death. Although this death was in a different way than what Creon was assuming would happen, Antigone fulfilled the fate she always knew was
The ending of the story was greatly influenced by Creon’s unwise choices from the very beginning. One of his first acts as king was to refuse the burial of Polyneices. The Greeks believe in the power of the Gods, and the necessity of a proper burial for a soul to be at peace. Instead of setting an example of Polyneices, this only makes the people question him more, especially because they believe Antigone’s crime was honorable, and utterly right in the eyes of the Gods. Creon did not settle for just denying him a grave, however.
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.
Antigone- Daughter and sister of Oedipus, last of the Labdacus family. Her dialogues with Ismene reveal her to be as stubborn as her uncle. In her, the ideal of the female character is boldly outlined. She defies Creon’s decree despite the consequences she may face, in order to honor her deceased brother. She has blue eyes, long, slightly curly black hair, stoic demeanor, pallid olive-colored (similar to Mediterranean) complexion, and wears a peplos with a himation .