A hero is generally characterized as a man of great strength and courage, who is admired for qualities or achievements and regarded as a model. Throughout life, one comes across several heroes when rummaging through history books, reading novels, or meeting new people from day to day. Among the many sources of heroes include Greek tragedies, which require tragic heroes in order for the audience to undergo catharsis. According to Aristotle, the tragic hero must meet certain criteria for the tragedy to be effective in arousing pity and fear. In Sophocles' Antigone, the true tragic hero is Creon, for he is highly renowned and prosperous, and his fate triggers the emotions of the audience. Although he possesses a hamartia of excessive pride that causes his downfall, he comes to recognize his own error and accept its consequences.
             One reason that Creon is the true tragic hero in the play is that he possesses power and affluence, making him capable of falling from tremendous good fortune and consequently triggering the audience's emotions. In the beginning of the play, he is portrayed as the forceful, wealthy king of Thebes. Creon, when addressing the chorus about his decision to not bury Polyneices, even proudly announces, "I, as the next in blood, have succeeded to the full power of the throne" (1.18-20). This full power causes him to believe that his subjects must be completely loyal and compliant. After Creon states his decree to the Chorus, the Choragos replies, "If that is your will, Creon son of Menoikeus, you have the right to enforce it: we are yours" (1.56-57). The Choragos' reply illustrates that Creon has absolute power, and his subjects submissively abide 2
             by his rules. At the end of the play, though, his accumulated sins have a disastrous effect on him. He loses his son and wife, for they commit dreadful suicides, leaving him deserted and lonely. This enormous fal
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