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Tragic hero definition shakespeare romeo and juliet
Tragic hero definition shakespeare romeo and juliet
Who is a tragic hero
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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. …show more content…
Creon is the tragic hero in Antigone, because he experienced an error in judgment, he recognized that his own actions caused his downfall, and, ultimately, Creon’s punishment was superfluous enough that the audience displayed strong feelings towards the outcome of the story. Starting with Creon’s character, we see that, first, he is ample prideful and narrow-minded.
As a king, Creon should be interested in the opinions of his people instead of only considering his own. Creon asks his son, Haimon, “And the city proposes to teach me how to rule?” This character flaw causes the people Thebes to start to lose respect for Creon as king. This is his fall from a high noble title to one that is greatly dishonored. His error in judgment occurs when he passes the decree against the burial of Polyneices without any thought of his people’s opinions. Haimon hints at what will happen if Creon does not change his mind about Antigone’s death punishment for going against the King’s word. Haimon said, “But her death will cause another.” This is a point in the story that Creon could have corrected his actions, but pride got in the
way. The tragic hero should be able to recognize his mistake that caused his downfall. Teiresias comes to tell Creon that he should right the wrong that, by his own fault, he caused. At first, when Teiresias tells Creon to listen carefully, Creon replies, “I am not aware that I have ever failed to listen.” He is unaware of his character flaw at this point. But by the end of Teiresias’ explanation of his vision from heaven, Creon comes to recognize that his stubborn pride is not worth risking everything for. A tragic hero’s punishment should be greater than what is deserved. Creon takes the advice of the Choragos and goes to bury Polyneices properly. Perhaps if he had gone to free Antigone first, Creon might have been able to save his son. Because of Creon’s decree passed to the people, and his punishment given to the breaker of this decree, his loved ones died. As Creon said himself, “Has, death bred death?” Haimon killed himself. The Queen could not live with the death of her son, so she too took her own life. This punishment all for not burying Polyneices, who came to fight against his own city and shed the blood of his own brother? Lastly, the tragic hero should understand why his downfall happened, and his realization should cause strong feelings from the audience. Creon said, after seeing both Haimon and Eurydice dead, “Lead me away. I have been rash and foolish. I have killed my son and my wife. I look for comfort; my comfort lies here dead. Whatever my hands have touched has come to nothing. Fate has brought my pride to a thought of dust.” The audience could feel empathy towards Creon for what he suffered through. Creon is the tragic hero in Antigone, because he experienced an error in judgment, he recognized that his own actions caused his downfall, and, ultimately, Creon’s punishment was superfluous enough that the audience displayed strong feelings towards the outcome of the story. Creon displayed a recognition of his error in judgment and suffered a great consequence for his actions, making him the tragic hero of Antigone.
There are certain qualities that a character must posses in order to qualify as a tragic hero. Ideally, the subject is to be a person of high rank, so that they may have much to lose. (Most frequently a monarch is used.) Granted, Antigone is a member of the royal bloodline. But we must not forget that she is the daughter of incest, hardly a glamorous position to start with. In Oedipus Rex, Antigone was indirectly disgraced, while Creon was socially elevated by inheriting kingship from Oedipus. Also, Creon’s being king comparatively trumps Antigone’s lesser status of orphaned princess. While this in itself objectively proves nothing, it does at a minimum make Creon the more likely choice of protagonist.
Creon believes that his laws are absolute and must be followed above all else, even Divine Law. Therefore when Antigone, in accordance with divine law, goes against Creons edict by burying her brother she is forcefully imprisoned and sentenced to death by Creon. In Creons opening speech he says, “Of course you cannot know a man completely, his character, his principles, sense of judgment … Experience, there’s the test” (Sophocles, p. 67). How Creon handles Antigones unlawful actions serves as his first test as the new king of Thebes and ends up showing the Thebans a glimpse of his true nature, that of a tyrannical ruler. This can be seen again when Haemon comes to Creon with the hope of dissuading him from his current course of action. He does this by trying to make Creon understand that the citizens of Thebes don’t agree with his use of power and planned execution of Antigone. Again Creons authoritarian nature comes to light in his response to Haemon, “And is Thebes about to tell me how to rule… Am I to rule this land for others – or myself?” (Sophocles, p. 97). To which Haemon counters by saying that “its no city at all, owned by one man alone” (Sophocles, p. 97). Creon, being the tyrant he is, fails to heed the wisdom of his sons’ words, which ultimately leads to his downfall. Creon, like Machiavelli, believed that it was
Creon's insecurity blinds his ability to direct order in his country properly. After Antigone buried Polyneices Creon felt he needed to take a strong stand or people would think he would always be lenient toward criminals. However, to achieve this Creon felt he needed to take drastic action against Antigone. He once even said to his son, Haimon, who was about to marry Antigone, "The woman dies. I suppose she'll plead family ties. Well, let her. If I permit my own family to rebel, how shall I earn the world's obedience?" (19) This quote shows that Creon feels that to prove himself to the country he needs to earn the "world's obedience".
The hubris resonating throughout the play, ‘Antigone’ is seen in the characters of Creon and Antigone. Their pride causes them to act impulsively, resulting in their individual downfalls. In his opening speech, Creon makes his motives clear, that “no man who is his country’s enemy shall call himself my friend.” This part of his declaration was kept to the letter, as he refused burial for his nephew, Polynices. However, when the situation arises where it is crucial that Creon takes advice, he neglects the part of the speech where he says “a king... unwilling to seek advice is damned.” This results in Creon’s tragic undoing.
Creon believes that he has the upper hand when it comes on making major decisions. When Creon commands some of the guards to take Ismene and Antigone away, “You, there, take them away and guard them well:For they are but women, and even brave men run When they seen Death coming”(1039,L164,S2.) This is the beginning of Creon’s error in judgement. He believes that Antigone is the enemy of Thebes because she is going against his authority, but in reality he is the enemy by making false judgement. The next example of Creon being doomed to make a serious error in judgement is when Creon discusses the plans for Antigone’s fate with Choragus after Haemon leaves, “I will carry her far away, Out there in the wilderness , and lock her Living in a vault of stone. She shall have food, As the custom is, to absolve the state of her death(1045,S3L142.) This is another starting point on the error of Creon’s judgment by adding Haemon into this conflict. Haemon tries his best to protect Antigone from Creon, but still fails because her imprisonment leads to her and Haemon’s death. This event not only kills Antigone and Haemon, but also Eurydice his wife. Creon’s decision in the story causes him to make a serious error in
In the play Antigone, I choose Creon to be the tragic hero because he is the King of Thebes and he looses everything he has. Creon being King makes the audience believe that something like that can happen to the King then what can happen to us. Antigone the niece of Creon, The sister of Polyneices was punished by Creon for burying Polyneces after his death, Creon has forbidden anybody to do so. Once Creon punished Antigone the blind prophet Teiresias told him that the Gods will take revenge for his actions, then Creon tried to change everything but he is too late. Creon's tragic flaws were his stubbornness, the abuse of power and the actions he took to cause the downfall of the Thebes.
A tragic hero can be defined as someone with a substantial personality flaw that causes them to endure great suffering with a reversal of character near the end. Antigone possesses certain traits that could potentially render her the tragic hero, but Creon truly embodies all characteristics. Creon is the tragic hero in “Antigone” due to several qualities he displays throughout the play; he can’t accept a diminished view of himself, he endures great suffering and he is enlightened in the end. In the beginning of the play Creon presents a strong confident image, although it becomes apparent self-doubt is present due to his inability to accept a diminished view of himself. Whilst giving the orders to murder anyone who tries to bury Antigone’s brother, Creon refuses the advice of his trusted council because they suggest he may be in the wrong.
Antigone’s strength allows her to defend her brother’s honor against Creon, who wants to make a statement about traitors. However, both Antigone and King Creon commit faults while trying to protect the things they love. Antigone should not have died for her beliefs as it puts her loved ones and community in danger, and Creon should not have forbidden the burial of Polyneices as it angers the Gods and causes him great suffering in the end.
Antigone is one of the best plays written but people have many questions about the play like, who is the best tragic hero. Antigone is about a princess who tries to bury her brother even though King Creon said not to. Creon plans on punishing Antigone for going against his word and is going to kill her. Antigone is going to get married and after she gets married she hangs herself. Creon is the greater tragic hero because he does not realise how his tragic flaw and free choice will affect him in the end..
Throughout literary history, tragic heroes have been defined as a great or virtuous character in a dramatic tragedy who is destined for downfall, suffering, or defeat. However, philosophers such as Aristotle tried to find connections between tragic heroes in Greek plays. This in-depth analysis of tragic heroes lead Aristotle to create six criteria for a true tragic hero: He or she has to be a Noble figure of royalty and noble in character, has to be imperfect by design, has a flaw or error that is a choice, is punished excessively for this choice flaw, has to undergo a downfall that leads to a realization, and the story of this tragic hero has to make the audience reach a moment of catharsis or purging of emotions. A prime example of a tragic hero that fits all of these criteria is Creon from the play Antigone, written by Sophocles in 441 BC. The story of Antigone is a tragedy that describes a stubborn and proud king named Creon who refuses to allow a burial for the brother of Antigone. Creon’s excessive pride leads to a series of unfortunate events resulting in the death of Antigone, his son Haemon, and his wife Eurydice. Throughout the course of the play, Creon undergoes each standard that is required by Aristotle’s terms to be a tragic hero.
One might wonder what is a tragic hero. Aristotle would classify a tragic hero as someone who plays a role at their own downfall. One example of a classical tragic hero is Sophocles’ illustration of the character Creon in the trilogy play “Antigone”. Creon becomes the King of Thebes after the sons of Oedipus Eteocles (who dies for the state) and Polyneices (Who betrays the state to gain power from his brother) killed one another. Creon being the new king makes a stand against a trader such as Polyneices and declared that his body be left unburied. Antigone (Polyneices sister) takes a stand against Creon causing Creon to make tough decisions. Creon represents all the aspects of a tragic hero because he is highly renowned,
In the Ancient Greek tragedy Antigone written by Sophocles , Creon is considered by many to be a “tragic hero” because of the culture and environment. He shows this throughout several points in the play. Creon apprehended the crown of Thebes after the civil war between his nephews Polyneices and Eteocles. In light of this he is also Antigone and Ismene’s uncle. Whilst his rule is grating and his punishment towards Polyneices is harsh he is not evil, and comes to learn his lesson. Environment had a positive impact on Creon nevertheless his fate still rested in a higher power.
Creon’s tragic flaw is his excessive pride, or hubris. When Creon makes the decree that Polyneices’ body is not allowed to be buried, his pride causes him to stay unwavering behind this decision, even when multiple people point out that he is wrong. For example, the Choragos says, “I have been wondering, King; can it be that the gods/have done this?” and Creon responds, “Stop!/...‘The gods!’/Intolerable!” (i.113-118). This exchange shows how Creon always stands by his decisions, even if they may be wrong. Later in the play, Creon’s son, Haimon, begs Creon to listen to reason, and more so, the people of Thebes. Haimon says, “I beg you, do not be unchangeable:/The man who thinks that,/The man
One trait that makes Creon the tragic hero of Antigone is how he is a significant character while also being a very relatable character. One can declare Creon as a significant character because he is the character that really sets the plot into motion by condemning Antigone to a tomb when he says, “You know your orders: take her to the vault And leave her alone there. And if she lives or dies, That’s her affair, not ours: our hands are clean” (Sophocles 711-713). Another instance of how Creon drives the plot, exampling his significance, is when he refuses to release Antigone when Haimon, his son, begs him to. Creon says to his son of Antigone’s betrayal to him, “Do you want me to show myself weak before the people? Or to break my sworn word?
When one is approached with the question, who is the most important character in Antigone one can argue that it is Creon, the kind of Thebes. In Antigone by Sophocles, one may question the title of the play, due to the fact that the play perceives Creon to be the main character, yet the title is named Antigone. Creon, although is a very powerful character in the play, he possesses a tragic flaw of overwhelming pride and arrogance, which ultimately leads Creon in the opposite direction of triumph but instead, blindly into his own demise. Antigone is very controversial character, but for many Antigone plays a “hero” role in the play. Thus in the Antigone by Sophocles, Antigone plays a more important character when compared to Creon because she is very admirable;