Essay on Antigone is a Tragic Hero - 823 Words

Antigone is a Tragic Hero A subject of debate in Sophocles’ play Antigone is which character complies with the characteristics of a tragic hero. The qualities that constitute a tragic hero are, in no particular order, having a high social position, not being overly good or bad, isolation, being tenacious in their actions, arousing pity in the audience, a revelatory manifestation, and having a single flaw that brings about their own demise and the demise of others around them. Creon possesses some of these qualities but, does not completely fulfill them all. Antigone does, however, conform to the persona of a tragic hero. The first qualifying aspect is that Antigone has a high social position. She is the daughter of Jocasta and†¦show more content†¦The act of burying her brother was a form of isolation. No one else dared to go against Creon’s law that forbade the burial of Polyneices. Antigone went against the law and mourned her brother. A tragic hero possesses a flaw that leads to their demise and the demise of others. Antigone never attempted to speak to Creon about the possibility of a burial for her brother. She broke the law. Ismene offered to take part in the blame but, Antigone was set against it. Refusing to let Creon get his way she took her own life. Had she waited a little longer she would have been released and her brother would have been given the proper respect. Antigone, being rash and quick to act, hung herself. Her flaw led to the death of her future husband and his mother (Eurydice). Haemon was enraged by his fathers actions against his bride to be and, his failed attempt to murder Creon was followed by his own suicide. Haemon’s mother heard of what her son had done and, took her own life. Though Haemon and Eurydice committed suicide it was Antigone’s actions that led to their self annihilation. Creon is not tenacious in nature. He wavers on the burial of Polyneices throughout the play. He is stubborn against the burial but, changes his mind later on. A tragic hero would stick to their beliefs without teetering back and forth. Antigone stays with her story and beliefs. â€Å"Even so, the god of Death demands these rites† (Lines 517-518). She feels as though she had doneShow MoreRelatedTragic Hero In Antigone948 Words   |  4 Pagesmakes them a hero. Heroes can help save the day, be strong against others, help people in tough situations. In Sophocles Antigone, the tragic hero proves to be worthy of these traits as she presents herself to be stronger than the rest. She shows several characteristics that help her achieve this title. Although it is a high honor she had persevere in order to get to this point and it wasnt an easy task. For these accomplishments, Antigone has earned the title of a Tragic Hero. Antigone seems to beRead MoreThe Tragic Hero in Antigone1018 Words   |  5 Pagesfirst established during the fourth century in the Poetics, where he defines what makes a tragic hero. Aristotle suggests that a tragic hero is a character who has a high social standing and embodies great nobility in his/her personality. They are neither a villain nor are they entirely good, but a person somewhat like us, raised to a higher position in society. In addition, the downfall of a tragic hero is caused by fault of their own, often through arrogance or pride, as the result of freeRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of Antigone1118 Words   |  5 PagesThe tragic hero according to Aristotle is a man who is neither a paragon of virtue and justice nor undergoes the change of misfortune or leads to his or her own downfall or destruction through their journey as the characters analyze their â€Å"judgment error†. 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When Antigone buriesRead More Antigone the Tragic Hero Essay929 Words   |  4 PagesA Tragic Hero A tragic hero is a character who makes an error of judgment or has a fatal flaw, which combined with fate, results into a tragedy. The tragic hero must fall from good luck and well being to misery and misfortune. The tragic hero causes a sense of pity through the tragic downfall that weakens the character. In Antigone by Sophocles, Antigone follows her own beliefs by giving her brother a proper burial, even if she has to break the law of King Creon. Because of her innocentRead MoreEssay on The Tragic Hero of Antigone871 Words   |  4 PagesGreek tragic hero. In fact, Aristotle had Oedipus specifically in mind when he first set down the requirements for tragedy in his Poetics. However, in other Greek tragedies, the tragic hero isn’t always so easy to identify. For example, in the play Antigone, the reader may have some difficulty deciding who the tragic hero is. Nevertheless, a careful examination of the facts reveals that Antigone is the true tragic heroine because she ’s brave, flawed, and noble. Antigone is a tragic hero becauseRead MoreEssay on The Tragic Hero of Antigone568 Words   |  3 PagesGreece, Sophocles wrote the greatly admired tragedy, Antigone. Antigone includes many themes such as Freedom, Protection of Personal Dignity, Obedience to Civil Law, Protection of Community/Nation, Loyalty/Obligation to Family, and Observance of Religious Law. Many of the Greek tragedies that have been written include a tragic hero that has his/her tragic flaw. In Antigone there are two main characters; Creon, the tyrant king of Thebes, and Antigone, the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta. One of theseRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of Antigone By Sophocles1075 Words   |  5 Pagesof the Greek philosopher Aristotle, â€Å"A man cannot become a hero until he can see the root of his 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 c ontributes 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 hubrisRead More Antigone as a Tragic Hero Essay499 Words   |  2 PagesAntigone as a tragic hero The debate over who is the tragic hero in Antigone is unanswered. The belief that Antigone is the hero is a tough one. Antigone is widely thought of as the tragic hero of the play bearing her name. She would seem to fit the part in light of the fact that she dies for doing what she believes is right. She buries her brother without worrying what might happen to her. Unlike Antigone, Ismene says â€Å"And break the law, our death will be more shameful even then theirs† (pg.5Read 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 time