King Creon Tragic Hero

Creon does things in his own way knowing that nobody around him agrees with what he is trying to do. In the beginning Creon has set a law against the burial of his nephew Polyneices, because of his crimes. Polyneices sister, Antigone does not agree with Creon, and she tells Ismene, her sister that Polyneices will have a proper burial. “Look- what’s Creon doing with our two brothers? He’s honouring one with a full funeral and treating the other one disgracefully! Eteocles, they say, has had his burial according to our customary rites, to win him the honour with the dead below. (Sophocles, 317). This quote shows how stubborn that Creon can be. Creon always has to be in control which will prove to be part of his flaw.

In the play, Creon sees his nephew as a traitor, and being the king, Creon illegalizes the burying of Polyneices. His stubbornness is represented with his intense emphasis on how Polyneices should be viewed as nothing more than a carcass. He is firmly set on this decision and nothing will change his mind. After Antigone defies Creon by honoring and burying Polyneices, she is sentenced to death. Haemon, Creon’s son, argues for Antigone’s life, but cannot get past his father’s pride, as described in Creon’s line, “‘So a man of my age, you are telling me, must take instruction from a man of his?’”

Tragic Heroism in Antigone In Greek Literature, there are three types of genres in stories. Those genres would be classified as Romantic, Comedy or Drama. In class, we read Antigone, which would be classified as a Drama because at the end she dies tragically due to her fate. Otherwise known as a tragic hero.

Aristotle once said, regarding his principles that a certain character is a tragic hero, "A man cannot become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall." This quotation is an accurate statement regarding the actions between Creon in the beginning of the play, and at the end once he has lost his family. A tragic hero is defined as a character of noble stature, the hero is imperfect allowing the audience to relate to him, as well as the hero’s downfall is caused by his own fate, leading to the punishment exceeding the crime and the character’s realization leading to the fall. The audience experiences a catharsis at the end of the play, which allows the audience feel that society is “right” again. All six of

There was a time in the middle of football season where my coach and I were arguing of what my coverage zone was in a passing play, I was so sure that I was correct that I argued with him about it in front of the whole team. He ended up telling me to do it his way for a play, I ended up getting an interception as soon as I listened to him. Almost the exact same situation happened to Creon in a lengthy play called Antigone by Sophocles. It’s a play about how the king Creon refused to give Antigone's close brother a proper burial, just for breaking the law. Now Antigone has gone on a quest to bury her brother.n the end Creon needed to learn that sometimes you have to take the advice of others and see their side of the story instead of thinking

A tragic hero is a character in a play that is known for being dignified but has a flaw that assists in his or her downfall. Antigone is a Greek tragic piece written by Sophocles. In the theatrical production the use of power and morality versus law is evident. The promotion to the conflict was that Creon created a law in which enabled Polynieces, Antigone’s brother, to be buried in the proper way. As it is the way of the gods Antigone found it fit to bury her brother causing her to disobey the law of Thebes. Both Antigone and Creon, the main characters, could represent a tragic hero. However Creon is more eligible for being the tragic hero because he fits the definition. Aristotle’s idea of a tragic hero was that the character was of

In the play Creon rejects the burial of Polyneices but still seems to value family heavily. When Creon speaks with Haemon he expresses that he should listen to his father’s choice over anything else “Stand by your father’s ideas in all things.” (Page 37), showing that Creon values family honor. Sophocles shows moments of family love throughout the play, Creon knows letting Antigone go after burying her brother is the right thing to do so he makes the decision to let her go free for the action she performed “I myself, since my judgement has turned and seen better ways, I bound her up and I will go and release her.” (Page 54), this shows that Creon truly loves Antigone and chose family over authority by freeing her. As Haemon finds out Antigone has hanged herself, in

Tragic heroes are not symbols of virtue nor possess any significant evil, yet their flaws are magnified by the power they hold. Most individuals in society do not seek to bring harm to others. Their intentions are based on their principles of righteousness and doctrine, and these individuals can often be great leaders who are forced to make difficult decisions. However, even the most honor bound persons can be greatly influenced by the sin of pride; which can lead to the suffering of others. In the play Antigone by Sophocles, Creon punishes Antigone for defying him. This is not because Creon is evil, moreso because he justifies them as beneficial.Sophocles intends to create an Aristotelian tragedy; using Creon as the tragic hero, in conjunction with supporting thematic expressions shown throughout the play such as power and morality. Creon becomes the primary “conductor” of tragedy in Antigone, providing catastrophe to befall on himself as well as two main characters. Sophocles illustrates how it is unavoidable for a person in a high position of power to cause harm to others. Haemon who is Antigone’s husband suffers through the weight of his wife's impending death. The overall tragic atmosphere of loss and suffering the author creates stems from an intentional placement by the author as Sophocles as he illustrates the coexisting and contrasting elements of divinity and civil law.

First, based on Aristotle’s definition, Creon is the tragic hero of Antigone because although he starts out from a position of greatness, his tragic flaw leads to a catastrophe. In the beginning of Antigone, Creon is portrayed as a fair and dedicated leader. He is rational and has valid reasons for his punishments and laws. However, by the end of the play, Creon’s hubris takes control. It is this same stubbornness and ignorance that cause the deaths of

The idea of two tragic heroes converging within one story may come across and seem as a common occurrence in tragedies, but among these great stories and heroes within them, there can only be one true tragic hero. According to the Greek philosopher, Aristotle, and his theory on the Nature of Tragedy, he believes the attributes and actions of a true tragic hero contains six main ideas. The play Antigone, by Sophocles, may be nebulous towards the readers, thinking of the possibility of two tragic heroes, Creon and Antigone; however, it is only apt for one character to show all the qualifications; and from all of Aristotle’s theories and choices made, Creon clearly can be seen as the only tragic hero. Above what all may believe and despite the name of the play, Creon’s actions, role of duty, and personality traits prove Aristotle’s Nature of a Tragedy Theory and state that the only true tragic hero in Antigone points to Creon.

Antigone is one of the greatest tragedies ever written by Sophocles. There is a controversial question about this play: Who is the tragic hero? Could it be Antigone or Creon? Regardless the play’s name is Antigone, but as I read the story. A sensible and responsible king, Creon, is a tragic hero because of his power madness, self-righteousness, and ruthlessness. Specifically, he is the center of the play, which causes events to happen.

Second, Creon’s faults brought an endless life of pain upon himself. He carried an easily describable tragic flaw. Of course, this defect is a vital trait of the tragic hero of any work. Creon’s flaw was that he was stubborn. I could not reason what Antigone’s tragic flaw could be. I believe that if Sophocles wanted Antigone to be the tragic heroine, he would have stated it more clearly in the story. I am convinced that she was simply a victim of Creon’s stubbornness, therefore leading her away from the role of the tragic heroine. I would simply consider her as a type of “puppet” character that Sophocles ingenuously used to emphasize Creon’s flaw. Creon’s defect brings misery to his life, for that his stubbornness indirectly kills Antigone, Haemon, and Eurydice. This, of course, fits the definition of a tragic hero. This can be easily reasoned by simply reading the work.

Every Greek tragedy must have a tragic hero. In The Burial at Thebes: A Version of Sophocles’ Antigone translated by Seamus Heaney, the most tragic hero is Creon. He is an essentially good man of high position who takes pride in his role as king. Antigone receives a punishment for disobeying Creon’s orders by burying her brother’s body. Antigone went against Creon’s law and listened to god’s law while burying Polyneices. Based on Aristotle’s definition, Creon is the tragic hero of Antigone because although he starts from a position of greatness, his tragic flaw leads to a catastrophe; he realizes the error of his ways, but it is too late to prevent the catastrophe; and his downfall and suffering leaves him humbled and enlightened.

As opposed to prior beliefs, you don’t have to be a savior to be considered a hero. The Burial at Thebes, the translated version of Sophocles play, ANTIGONE by Seamus Heaney, brings to life the struggles that Antigone faces while she tries to fight Creon and the curse that was cast upon her family due to her father Oedipus’s shameful sins. After her father’s death, her uncle Creon manipulates her two brothers and potential heirs to fight themselves to death, and then seizes the opportunity to take the throne. And just to explore his cruel nature even further, he denies one of Antigone’s brothers the right to be honorably interred. This spurs Antigone into action, and defy Creon’s laws to the point where she’d rather die than give in to his (Creon’s) whims. Antigone died a noble death. And for this she can be recognized as a hero. Yet, this does not make Creon any less of a hero. Even though he might not be able to identify with our usual version of good and kind protagonists, we cannot deny the fact that Creon is the silent tragic hero, who by the end of the play falls from his position in society, was of noble birth, and was able summon his audiences’ pity.

As people, we each have characteristics that define who we are as an individual. While no one is perfect, flaws can lead to one's downfall. Often, this is seen in many characters in literature. They demonstrate this type of downfall. In the Greek Tragedy, Antigone, by Sophocles, Creon suffers a series of unfortunate events because of his imperfections that lead to his downfall. In order to prove himself as a worthy and strong leader, Creon creates a law that goes against the state’s morality and refuses to listen to reason. The downfall is important to the work as a whole because it shows how Creom is a tragic hero and his actions reinforces the theme.