The word ‘hero’ comes from the ancient Greek. This means a person who face with trouble and also downfall as well. When a hero confronts downfall, the name of hero replaces with ‘tragic hero’. In Sophocles’ Antigone, there are two main characters that both of them seems to be tragic hero: Antigone and Creon. Although many considered to be one of the best tragic hero is Creon, Antigone contains all the qualities that are enough to set up the necessaries of tragic hero.
Antigone is the tragic heroine in Sophocles’ Antigone. Antigone’s tragic flaw, arrogance, stubborn led to her collapse. She does not care someone else’s thoughts even if her thoughts are totally wrong. She has really strong, obstinate opinions. Her thoughts were still important
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for people because she represents the individual freedom. It cannot be expected that a person with these characteristics live under pressure and rules. Antigone becomes a term which represents justice and equality. She never give up to oppose either Kin Creon’s rules or state’s law.
For example, when his brother died, she did her bests to inter her brother with the same equality –honor- as her other brother. According to Creon, Polynices, Antigone’s brother, did not deserve to be buried because he fought against the Creon. Burying body is the traditional event in Greek. If the death is not buried traditionally, it is believed that the soul cannot find the peace forever. In this part of the book, I think, there is one more question which is important than the event: why Ismene, Antigone’s sister, did not help her sister? It is important because Antigone tried to convince his sister about the death position. It is hard to agree defying the King Creon’s rules and the laws. On the other hand, if you are a woman in this case is more difficult. “… Remember we are women, we are not born to contend with men. Then too, we are underlying, ruled by much stronger hands, so we must submit in this… (62)”. It is clearly seen that Ismene accepted defeat. It is a disappointing event for Antigone because she is alone. In this situation, actually, Antigone is not alone. The society’s thoughts are the same but no one spoke because of the King’s power. Every citizen afraid of him, including Ismene, except …show more content…
Antigone. Antigone has a high status in the town of Thebes because of her stability.
In fact, it is thought like that the burying of her brother brings the end so also citizen’s administration will end. However, this situation gains her more fame. Citizens need to see a courage to stand up the laws and they saw it with Antigone.
One of the most important flaw is Antigone’s stubborn. Antigone does not let herself to think carefully or she does not judge herself critically. Because of this, it is not important the Creon’s pressure on her. However, she also know her attitudes make all the things worse. She know that there are many reasons that cause her death. She also prepare herself to die, when she speaks to her sister: “… I gave myself to death, long ago, so I might serve the death.” (88).
The other important thing is excessive pride. Tragic hero must be determined even if he have to face with terrible events. Antigone does not go off her thoughts, she kept going her way. Thus, she chose to bury her brother and assent her own sentence of death. It is honorable thing. “No one to weep for me, my friends, no wedding song….Never again, the law forbids me to see the sacred eye of day. I am agony! No tears for the destiny that’s mine, no loved one mourns my death. “(104). The tragic hero must be the part of the royal family. Therefore, this pride comes from the family and the
blood.
In the greek tragedy Antigone , the author Sophocles conveys Antigone as the tragic hero because she arouses the most fear, she shows both good and bad which is a tragic hero characteristic and Antigone has the tragic flaw of loyalty to her family and to the gods.
Although Antigone has a bad reputation with Creon, and possibly Ismene, for being insubordinate, she stays true to her values throughout the entire play by following the law of gods, not so that she could appease them, but because she admired its value of honor and respect to loved ones that have passed away. This devotion and determination to give her brother a proper burial shows the true essence of her being: that loyalty to family is in fact hold above all else.
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.
Having already been through public disgrace, when her own father, Oedipus found out that he was to fulfill a prophecy; he would kill his father and marry his mother, and this caused Antigone to be full of resentment toward her city. Both of her brothers die in a battle and, Creon, the king of Thebes forbids the burial of one of her brothers, Polynices. This must have driven Antigone to follow her moral law. Considering the love she had for her family as well as her God, she felt that you react upon morals not upon the laws of man. That morale law was to honor her brother and give him the respectful and proper burial that he deserved just as her other brother was given. The love she had for her family was the only thing she had left to honor. Ismene, Antigone’s sister was more fearful of the king’s law then the way her heart was leading her. Her values were slightly distorted.
In the play Antigone, the debate over who is the real tragic hero is and the controversy of Greek ideals in the Antigone continues on to this day. Who is the tragic hero in Antigone? Is it Antigone herself or is it Creon the ruler of Thebes? The belief that Antigone is, is a strong one. Still there are people who think Creon is the tragic hero. Antigone is widely thought as the tragic her. The play is named after her. In addition, she is the antagonist in it. Many people usually associate the antagonist, the good guy as a tragic hero. Look at much television shows, especially cartoons, the good person usually wins. Then there are those who might think Creon was the tragic hero because the gods were against him, and that he truly loved his country. There are five criteria or standards you must meet first in order to be a tragic hero. First, you must be a person of high character or status. The character must not be too overwhelmingly evil or good. Then they must be brought from happiness to misery. Then brought from happiness to misery. Second, the hero enacts a harmartia, "wrong act." This either may be a flaw in judgment or an error. Third, the hero experiences a perpateia, reversal of fortune. This is the tragic downfall or plot twist in the story. Fourth, the hero recognizes his or her responsibility. Fifth, the story ends with a catastrophe. The catastrophe either may be an emotional event, this even may be a death.
The sexist stereotypes presented in this tragedy address many perspectives of men at this time. Creon the arrogant and tyrant leader is, the very character that exemplifies this viewpoint. Antigone's spirit is filled with bravery, passion and fury; which allow her to symbolize the very essence of women. She is strong enough to do what her conscious tells her despite the laws of the land. Many examples in the play prove that Antigone's character is very capable of making her own decisions in the name of justice. First, Antigone opposes Creon's law and buries her slain brother; because in her mind it was immoral not to. She does this because she is compassionate and loves her brother very much. Creon, however, believes that his laws must be upheld and would do anything to prevent any type rebelling. He is even more infuriated when he learns that a woman has broken his laws. He tries to show Antigone who's in charge by sentencing her to a life of imprisonment. Secondly, Antigone shows how determined she is by accepting her consequences with pride. She does not try to hide that she is responsible for breaking Creon's laws, moreover, she takes all the credit. All the while she maintains her strength because she truly believes in her actions. These sorts of actions ultimately prove that Antigone is courageous and willing to stand up to men, which was completely against the norm at this time. Her spirit refuses to submit to the role of a helpless woman like her sister Ismene's character does.
Antigone is relentless when it comes to loyalty, and this is what leads to the downfall of everyone around her. This is best shown through the words of
She believes that she and her sister, Ismene, will be punished by the God’s if she does not go against her uncle and bury her brother, Polyneices. “Where could I win respect and praise more validly than this: burial of my brother?” (Sophocles 212) Antigone believes that she should be well respected for doing this instead of punished. She thinks that Thebes should be praising her for obeying the God’s. “Don’t fear me. Be anxious for yourself.” (Sophocles 194) Antigone is telling Ismene not to be scared for her, but to worry for herself because she is deciding not to bury her own brother and go against the God’s. Antigone believes Ismene will not be punished by Creon, but by the
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.
Tragedy of Antigone The play “Antigone” by Sophocles displays many qualities that make it a great tragedy. A tragedy is defined as a dramatic or literary work in which the principal character engages in a morally significant struggle ending in ruin or profound disappointment. In creating his tragedy “Antigone”, Sophocles uses many techniques to create the feelings of fear and pity in his readers. This, in turn, creates an excellent tragedy.
Within that facing her uncle and blaming her sister helping which she didn’t. “Never share my dying, don’t lay claim to what you never touched. My death will be enough.”(Pg.87 lines 615-7) showed that in that mater of her death is needed to bring balance to the country. Creon is where his fall is when he states that what she did is a crime. “Then how can you render his enemy such honors, such impieties in his eyes?”(Pg.85 lines 576-7) he was fed up she was sent to a chamber to await her death, he was so full of himself and that was his flaw. Do what happens Antigone is that she said this “I was born to join in love, not hate – that is my nature.”(Pg.86 lines 590-1) she then in the end dies was the matter of her enlightenment even though it don’t fit under Aristotle definition of a tragic hero she was in some ways. Truly it was Creon who is the tragic hero in this play, it the fact of after burying the brother he lost his family. “Whatever I touch goes wrong --- once more a crushing fate’s come down upon my head!”(Pg.127 lines 1464-5) even though he lives it goes by the criteria of a tragic
In Sophocles' Antigone, the question of who the tragic hero really is, has been a subject of debate for a great number years. The story is about a young woman who has buried her brother by breaking king’s decree, and now she is punished for obeying the gods’ law. There are many arguments as to who is the tragic hero in Sophocles’ Antigone. Antigone is a tragic hero because she is highborn, irrational and evokes feelings of pity in the reader as she stands up to an impossible enemy, which are all characteristics of a tragic hero.
As Antigone goes against Creon's law, she is put into danger because what she believes is right and what the state's law says is right contradict each other. When antigone brings up “he is my brother still, and yours;...but i shall not abandon him” Ismene is shocked that she would “Challenge creon to his face” (345). This has already given Antigone the mindset that even her own sister is against her. Antigone wants to go against Creon, to stand up for what she believes in, and what she believes is right for her brother. Creon confronts Antigone, “so you chose flagrantly to disobey my law?” as she acknowledges it “Naturally! Since Zeus never promulgated such a law, Nor will you find that justice,” (358). Antigone goes through great lengths to go against Creon and prove herself as a strong individual. Antigone shows her stubbornness of having to go against her uncle’s laws and show that people should not follow the one path of someone. Although Antigone never does do anything terribly wrong, where she has to realize where she went wrong and accept consequences, unlike Creon where he realizes and accepts
..., this sense of arrogance angers Creon to a point beyond belief. Antigone’s refusal to cooperate causes Creon to go mad with irritation and frustration. Wanting to show his sense of power, he refuses to back down in fear of losing his position. His stubbornness grows stronger as Antigone continues to disobey his commands. Antigone’s strong and steady foundation helps her show defiance. She is able to overcome the opinions of the people and commit to helping her brother regardless of the after effects. She ignores what everyone says and does only as she wants. She is powerful, both physically and mentally, and is successful in her tasks. Antigone matures into a commendable and respectable character in which she depicts her rebelliousness and bravery, pride and tolerance, and sense of moral righteousness to demonstrate fundamental character development in the play.
In Greek tragedies, tragedians always establish a tragic hero who descends from grace due to a fatal flaw as well as someone who is of nobility. Moreover, this character may also experience peripeteia, anagnorisis, and of course, a terrible ending (“Tragic Hero as Defined by Aristotle”). One Greek tragedy that involves a tragic hero is Sophocles’ Antigone, which portrays two characters who strive for what they believe in, either state law or divine law, which leads to their demise. These two characters are King Creon and Antigone. The concept of who is the tragic hero in this tragedy is controversial due to the fact that Antigone dies, but Creon lives with many deaths upon his shoulders.