Oedipus and Creon Tragic heroes
Aristotle defines tragedy as "the imitation of an action that is serious and also, as having magnitude, complete in itself." It incorporates "incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish the catharsis of such emotions." (http://www.teachtheteachers.org) This type of tragic play shows the audience the darker side of human behavior, and takes the audience through a torrent of emotions as the tragic hero progresses through the play. Aristotle defines a tragic hero "as a man whose misfortune is not brought about by vice of depravity but by some error of frailty." (Literary Terms for Tragic Heroes) This frailty that Aristotle refers to is commonly known as a tragic flaw, and is the reason for the protagonist's eventual collapse. Two key examples of tragic heroes are Oedipus in Oedipus the King and Creon in the play Antigone, written by Sophocles. Oedipus and Creon exemplify the characteristics of tragic heroes because they both rise to a position of power, have a tragic flaw, ignore the urging of others, and eventually encounter great pain and suffering due to their tragic flaw. Oedipus was a strong and caring king who controlled immense power within the kingdom of Thebes. Oedipus gained his power and
Jocasta begs him to "take such things for shadow, nothing at all live, Oedipus as if there's no tomorrow!"(Oedipus 1076-1078) Jocasta refers to the information about his childhood and who his biological parents are, as "such things," and pleads with him to stop this search for Laius's killer, and the truth about his life. Due to their common tragic flaw Oedipus and Creon lead themselves into suffrage and despair. This prophecy would never have been fulfilled if Oedupus was not cursed with the attribute of hubris which drove him to make hasty decrees, ignore the urgings of Jocasta, and eventually drove her to take her own life. He received word from Apollo that the plague was caused because the killer of the previous king, Laius, wasn't found and that he remained in Thebes. Creon repeated the actions of his predecessor, Oedipus, and allowed his hubris to dominate his actions, which led to a life of pain and despair. Making his bold decree to find the killer at all costs was his first mistake due to his hubris, but his most significant blunder was to ignore the pleadings of his wife, Jocasta. "(Antigone 776-777) Like Oedipus, Creon does not listen to his family and goes on to accuse him of treason, which forces him to threaten Creon by stating, "Then she will die. Creon met with despair and the death of his family but only after he had realized his mistake. Creon's tragic flaw continues to cloud his judgment as his son expresses his discontent. All of this pain came through Creon's tragic flaw which allowed him to make a decree that went against the gods, ignore the pleadings of his son, and drive his son and wife to suicide. Oedipus also contained extreme hubris but his tragic flaw led him to fulfill a prophecy that the gods had predetermined. Creon receives the kingdom of Thebes after Oedipus's death due to Creons heredity and a chance occurrence. The tragic flaw was hubris and this simple attribute drove these kings to make proclamations they could not keep, ignore the pleadings of loved ones, and continue down a path of self destruction. Oedipus, then, allowed his hubris surface as he addressed his people, and stated, "You pray to the gods? Let me grant your prayers!"(Oedipus 245) This statement shows his pride in the way he compares himself to the gods; he then goes on to promise the people, "If by any chance, he proves to be an intimate of our house, here at my hearth with my full knowledge may the curse I just called down on him strike me!"(Oedipus 283-286) This statement is a promise to the people that the killer will be found no matter what family he belongs too, and if the killer has something to do with the death of Laius, then he shall die as well.
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