The Greek Gods Did Not Think Before They Acted

Heroes are often individuals who are revered for their noble actions, courageous deeds, or simply remarkable feats. They are remembered and commended throughout their life span and after their passing as they touch the people around them in a positive manner. Comparable to modern day heroes, the heroes presented in the Greek tragedies in 400 B.C are also dignified and highly recognized. However, by elaborating the imperfections of the man or the woman and the resulting problems, Greek tragedies often root from a fatal flaw. By placing power on their emotions when making decisions, they are unable to come to terms with the repercussions at an early stage. When they finally step back and rationally understand situations it essentially is too late. In Sophocles’ play Antigone, the author follows the Aristotalean principles of a tragic heroine in contriving the character Antigone.

One distinct component of a tragic hero that Antigone comprises of is that she comes from a noble family that holds a dignified stance in society and has good morals. As a descendent of the Labdacus family, Antigone comes from nobility as her father was once the King of Thebes. After her father passes away, Antigone’s uncle, Creon, becomes the new King. Consequently, Antigone attains a noble birth and comes from a family of a high status in the social hierarchy of Thebes. Despite these blood relationships with a family of high rank, Antigone never fails to remain faithful to her true morals. When she first comes to realize that Creon is forbidding the burial of Polynices, she questions his logic wondering “What! has not Creon to the tomb preferred/ one of our brothers, and with contumely/ Withheld it from the other?” (Sophocles 2). Antigone portrays her ...

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... is the last scene before her suicide, Antigone asks the God’s for forgiveness and aid in the actions she commits. Through Antigone’s various actions and decisions, the essential tragic hero component of catharsis is also deliberately prevalent.

Ultimately, Sophocles establishes the character Antigone on the basis of Aristotalean principles of a tragic hero, in his play Antigone. Not only does Antigone come from a dignified family of high nobility, but she also comprises genuine morals and ethics. Additionally, she possesses a tragic flaw of hubris which eventually leads to her downfall. Despite her eventual death, she is able to reach a state of recognition and awareness while still evoking different emotions amongst the readers every step of the way. In a world with many flaws, it is vital that we remain true to ourselves by standing strong in our suppositions.