Sophocles Antigone - The Tragic Hero - 1306 Words

The Tragic Hero in Antigone Being a human incorporates drama. It is part of living in society, and often inevitable. In theatre, successful drama plays use timeless issues that can still be found present in most civilization. Amongst the seven Sophocles’ plays that managed to survive 25 centuries in complete form, lies one of the most famous tragedies in human-history, Antigone. The main controversial conflict in this historically-influential play is the importance of divine law versus man-made state laws. These are presented through the characters Antigone and Creon, respectively. According to Aristotle, a tragedy is defined as: â€Å"A hero destroyed by the excess of his virtues†. The dictionary definition of the word hero is â€Å"a person noted†¦show more content†¦The sentry was just doing his job of telling the king about what had happened, but Creon’s way of dealing with it is by threatening his life, generating fear in the people around him. Sub sequently, the most relevant example takes place in Scene two, when he sentences Antigone to death: ANTIGONE. Creon, what more do you want than my death? CREON. Nothing. That gives me everything. (2.106-108). Creon takes these measures to make sure that no one dares to break his rules. He could’ve forgiven Antigone, considering that she is his son’s bride and has a valid reason for her actions, but decides not to. He doesn’t forgive her just to show the people that he is to be taken seriously and to show his power through fear. â€Å"If I permit my own family to rebel / How shall I earn the world’s obedience?†(3.32-33). At this point in scene three, Creon explains to his son that he will not change his mind because it will make him look weak to the people. Creon’s fear-inducing method establishes a barrier between him and his advisors that makes it hard for them to give feedback. This helps assembling his tragic flaw, and eventually his downfall. Creon’s heedlessness plays a big part in the inflexibility of his authoritharian decision-making. After deciding to kill Antigone, he gets plenty of advice against, but decides to ignore it. Being king of Thebes, CreonShow MoreRelatedThe Tragic Hero Of Sophocles Antigone1835 Words   |  8 Pagesbecome a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall.† Aristotle believed that a tragic hero was one who was noble by nature yet endowed with a tragic flaw or hamartia. This hero is oftentimes more dignified than us average people, but his/her* personality and character traits make their stories relatable. Over the course of his life, different virtues are revealed, but they eventually exhibit an imperfection which leads to his inevitable downfall. In Sophocles s tragic play of Antigone, Oedipus’sRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of Antigone By Sophocles1075 Words   |  5 PagesGreek philosopher Aristotle, â€Å"A man cannot become a hero until he can see the root of hi s own downfall.† Thus, according to Aristotle, the tragic hero must be able to discern how his actions caused his demise. The tragic hero has a tragic flaw, known as hamartia, recognizes that this flaw contributes to his misfortune because of an error in judgment, but is nonetheless deserving of sympathy. Creon, the hero of the drama Antigone by Sophocles, fulfills this definition. He exhibits hubris, hisRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of Sophocles Antigone876 Words   |  4 Pagesunlike figures found in mythology with such tales as Sophocles’ Antigone.They do what they believe is beneficial or right despite the adversity they will meet. Sometimes their fight results in their death. This is true not only of Antigone, but also of Abraham Lincoln. While Abraham Lincoln may not be considered a tragic hero he is similar to Antigone because both were fulfilling a divine order. Antigone is the title character of Sophocles’ Antigone. She is the daughter of Oedipus, who coupled withRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of Sophocles Antigone1056 Words   |  5 Pagesthe title of tragic hero in the play Antigone Author by Sophocles. I would like to start off by saying that it will be very challenging for me to have the passion that I usually have. But I will still stand in front of you. As I said before I am here to argue the title of tragic hero in the play Antigone. I could see that some of you are confused by the word tragic hero. No need to concern for I will tell you. The great Aristotle was one of the earliest men who defined a tragic hero. His descriptionRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of Sophocles Antigone1805 Words   |  8 PagesOne of the authors at the forefront of Greek tragedies was Sophocles. One of Sophocles most famous pieces of work is, Antigone. Written in 440 B.C in Athens, Greece, Sophocles uses this play to dramatize a series of events that unfold s when pride becomes more important than loyalty to family. Controversy still remains today of whom the tragic hero of Antigone is, but some scholars believe that Antigone herself is the tragic hero. Antigone goes past conventional expectations to stand up for her brotherRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of Sophocles Antigone1521 Words   |  7 PagesAn Aristotelian tragic hero is a literary character who makes a judgment that ultimately leads to his or her own destruction. An example of a true Aristotelian tragic hero is Creon from Sophocles’ play, Antigone. Creon is the tragic hero because he goes through the five stages of a tragic hero which leads to his destruction. His tragic flaw is him being afraid to admit that he has made a mistake. He is too proud of his power and his ability to make laws which leads to his son and wife committingRead MoreThe Real Tragic Hero Of Sophocles Antigone3370 Words   |  14 PagesCarlberg English 102 9 December 2014 The Real Tragic Hero in the Play Antigone A tragic hero according to Aristotle is someone who is of high nobility, and has a major internal character flaw. That flaw will eventually by the characters ultimate demise which is most likely death. If their demise doesn’t end in a death the tragic hero usually goes through a catharsis. The most common flaws of a tragic hero are hubris, pride, and stubbornness. Tragic heroes can be found throughout most tragedy themedRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of Sophocles Antigone Essay1357 Words   |  6 Pagesdraws on the emotions of the audience is to get them to relate to the tragic hero, and that is why it was so important for a tragedy to have a proper one. Antigone features the perfect example of a hero in a tragedy. In Antigone, King Creon is the tragic hero since he is adherent to a moral mean, he is life-like, he exhibits a tragic quality which results in a plot reversal, and ends in a moment of lament. Creon is the ideal tragic hero, since he’s morally upstanding but not blameless at the same timeRead MoreEssay on Creon as the Tragic Hero of Sophocles Antigone997 Words   |  4 PagesCreon as the Tragic Hero of Sophocles Antigone   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Who is the true tragic hero in Sophocles Antigone?   This question has been the subject of a great debate for numerous years.   Equal arguments exist that portray Antigone as the tragic heroine in the play and Creon as the tragic hero.   Aristotle, in his study of Greek drama entitled Poetics, provided the framework that determines the tragic hero of a work.   Though Antigone definitely possesses the characteristics and qualities thatRead More Creon is the Tragic Hero in Sophocles Antigone Essay627 Words   |  3 Pages Creon is the Tragic Hero of Antigone nbsp; When the title of a play is a characters name, it is normally assumed that the character is the protagonist of the play. In Sophocles Antigone, most people probably believe Antigone to be the tragic heroine, even after they have finished watching the play. It may be argued, however, that Creon, not Antigone, is the tragic character. When we examine the nature and concept of the Greek Tragedy and what it means to be a tragic character, it becomes