Antigone Tragic Hero
In the novel "Antigone" Sophocles, the author, depicts the tragic hero Creon to the fullest extent. Sophocles portrays Creon as a tragic hero by the characteristics shown throughout the story. Creon is a character that is easy to relate to in a number of ways. First, he contains many flaws which in result causes many problems. This is seen in the decision he made of becoming hubris. Hubris is a Greek term for insolence and is referred to the emotions in Greek tragic heroes and ignores the gods and thus invite catastrophe. Catastrophe is all Creon got as the novel progressed into the climax. His choices and decisions end up deciding the fates of his son, wife, and Antigone. After having an encounter however with Teiresias, Creon comes around to realize what he has done is sinful to the gods. He has put his own pride over the fact of appreciating the gods. The character Creon may not be seen as a tragic hero because of his tasteless acts, but he contains the traits eligible to be the tragic hero in "Antigone." As seen in the novel, Creon exhibits habits seen in today's life, even though Sophocles wrote this novel a long time ago. It is obvious that Creon displays an immense amount of stubbornness thro
This is seen on page 299 in this quote, "You forget yourself! You are speaking to your king!"(pg 299) After their argument, the king with the help of the chorus realizes that he should take Teiresias prophecy true because he has never been wrong and they fear his prophecy that Creon will loose at least one member of his family that day. After deciding to not give into his decision to jail and kill Antigone, he has a heated discussion with his son, Haimon. As seen in the quote, even after Antigone clearly makes sense in what she was doing, and the prophet also agrees with her, Creon turns to the arguing side and declares that everyone is a traitor who sides with her. "I swear by all the gods in heaven above us, you'll watch it, I swear you shall! Bring the woman out! Let her die before his eyes! Here, this instant, with her bridegroom beside her!"(pg. His stubbornness is seen here in this quote, "Go join them, then: if you must have your love, find it in hell!"(pg286). After Haigon stormed off from his father and vowed never to see him again, Teiresias gives Creon a life changing reversal as he explains the events that will precede them. Antigone fights for her beliefs of the divine law that one should always receive a proper burial after death, but Creon refuses and throws Antigone in jail. He finally realizes his mistakes, his true self, his relationship in society and his relationship with the gods. During their conversation, the king mocks, taunts, and challenges the prophet's authority repeatedly reminding him that he is the king of the state. People can relate to his stubbornness to certain extents, not to kill someone of course but of how the state law today is a much greater force than the divine law and how this was all different a long time ago. 294) Haimon storms out and goes on committing suicide because of his fathers actions to kill his bride, Antigone. During his reversal he attempts to save his son, but is too late as Haimon commits suicide. Creon as king wishes to have him rot in the fields of war because he disowned the state in the war that preceded the events. In result of this, Creon looses his wife because she is grief stricken from her son's death.
Common topics in this essay:
Gods Creon,
Teiresias Creon,
Antigone Sophocles,
Catastrophe Creon,
Hubris Greek,
tragic hero,
Greek Tragedy,
seen quote,
creon's personality,
son wife,
teiresias creon,
proper burial,
creon bizarre,
divine law,
throughout story,
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