Who Is a Tragic Hero – Antigone
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Who is a tragic hero
Antigone is a Greek tragedy by Sophocles. We learn in Antigone She is a young woman who has just buried her brother breaking kings decree, and is now being punished for obeying Gods law. In Sophocles Antigone, there are many arguments about who is the tragic hero. Some readers are lead to believe that it is Creon considering he shares many similar characteristics and qualities of a tragic hero. Wile others believe that Antigone is the tragic hero because the play alone bears her name. Antigone is a perfect example of a tragic hero, once you exemplify the means of a tragic hero. Though with further inquiry we discover though Antigone has a very sad and tragic death she is not in fact our tragic hero. As a reader we tend to read “Antigone” through Antigones point of view and forget about the one main character who loses everything he values most and holds to a superior standard. In order to determine if any one character is in fact a tragic hero we will have to ask as ourselves exactly what a tragic hero is and what categorizes said person to convey those qualities. With attributes such as Creons it is undeniable that Creon is the tragic hero in Sophocles Antigone.
When categorizing a Character as a tragic hero we must keep in mind that every tragic hero must possess a fatal flaw. With Creon we can find his fatal flaw in many scenarios. Through Creons unwillingness to except others opinions and stubbornness along with his sense of pride we begin to discover as to why Creon is the tragic hero. For fear of laying down his own pride Creons decisions ultimately have a major effect on his son Hermana. Tiresias Confronts Creon about halfway through the play, after He makes a fateful decision to leave Polynices unburied and send Antigone to prison. Tieresias who is a prophit gives Creon a warning stating that his decisions will be his ruin is he does not act properly to the situation. “The state is sic and I know it is your decision not to bury Polynices that has cause it.” Also implementing that Creons ” Principles are to blame.” This is not the first of many warnings Creon has received. Its easy for Creon to realized he is wandering down a dangerous path, showing him what he must do to keep his people in favor of the Gods. Creon realizes he must set his pride to the side and listen to someone when we states “Go, Free the girl from the rocky vault and raise a mound for the body to be exposed” (751) Creon decide to take immediate action. With possibility in the future after Creons change, the audience begins catches a glimpse of hope and prosperity For Antigone and Haemon. Creons catharsis or purification, happens when he realizes he was in compliance with wrongdoing he unsuccessfully attempts to stop the death of his loved ones along with the people surrounding him.
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