Creon A Tragic Hero in Antigone - 606 Words

The qualifications of a tragic hero vary between Aristotle and Shakespeare. Aristotle thinks of a tragic hero as someone who is a noble character by choice and makes his/her own destiny, while Shakespeare sees a tragic hero as someone who is born of nobility and born to be important. Although both tragic heros end in a tragic death that effects many people, not all tragic heros fit perfectly into both categories. In Sophocles’ Antigone, Creon is considered a tragic hero. Creon follows Aristotles definition of a tragic hero by being a noble character by choice, having important potential, and falls due to miscalculations with circumstances that are beyond control. Being noble does not always mean being a ruler, or a member of a royal family. Being noble can mean many other things. In Antigone, Creon becomes a noble character by choice when he slowly and secretly advances himself to the throne. Creon sits back and gives advice while Oedipus is king, and while his two sons were f ighting over the crown. Once all of the competition is gone, Creon takes the thrown, I, as you know, in right of kinship nearest to the dead, poses the throne and take the supreme power(8). Creon gained the respect of his people and when he says to do something, they do it, I have given orders to the citizens(9). Creon is not born into power, he wants it and by his own will, he becomes noble. Not everyone who is noble is important, or has important potential. CreonShow MoreRelatedCreon Is The Tragic Hero Of Antigone734 Words   |  3 Pagesnothing I havent seen in your griefs and mine†(Antigone 1-8). The Burial at Thebes is a version of Sophocles’ Antigone translated by Seamus Heaney. Antigone is a tragedy by the ancient Greek playwright Sophocles written around 442 BCE. The civil war is over. After the tragic death of the Oedipus, everyone would take the throne from one year to the next. Creon orders Eteocles to be buried with full honors, while Polynices body is le ft to rot. Creon says that â€Å"anyone who attempts to bury PolynicesRead More Antigone or Creon as the Tragic Hero in Antigone Essay758 Words   |  4 PagesA tragic hero is a character in a play that is known for being dignified but has a flaw that assists in his or her downfall. Antigone is a Greek tragic piece written by Sophocles. In the theatrical production the use of power and morality versus law is evident. The promotion to the conflict was that Creon created a law in which enabled Polynieces, Antigone’s brother, to be buried in the proper way. As it is the way of the gods Antigone found it fit to bury her brother causing her to disobey the lawRead MoreEssay on Creon As The Tragic Hero In Antigone602 Words   |  3 PagesSophocles’ Antigone is, without a doubt, one of the greatest tragedies ever written. There are many questions that somebody could ask about this work, but this one intrigues me the most: Who is the tragic hero? Could it be Antigone? Or co uld it be Creon? Antigone might be the name of the tragedy, but I believe that Creon is the winning candidate. His role in the plot of this tragedy, his sensible tragic fault, and his dynamic character are the obvious reasons why I chose him as the tragic hero. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;FirstRead More The Tragic Hero: Creon or Antigone? Essay1293 Words   |  6 Pagestragedy Antigone, the characters Antigone and Creon can both be thought of as the tragic hero of the play. Though Antigone does show some of these characteristics of a tragic hero, Creon demonstrates the attributes more clearly and concisely. Creon is the King of Thebes, as well as the uncle of Antigone. Creon took the throne after a tragic quarrel between his two nephews, Eteocles and Polyneices. Despite his harsh governing and his crude ideals, he is not good or bad. Creon is the tragic hero of theRead More Creon as Tragic Hero of Sophocles Antigone Essay593 Words   |  3 PagesCreon as Tragic Hero of Sophocles Antigone There has always been a bit of confusion as to the tragic hero of the Greek Drama Antigone. Many assume that simply because the play is named for Antigone, that she is the tragic hero. However, evidence supports that Creon, and not Antigone, is the tragic hero of the play. Examining the factors that create a Greek Tragedy, and a tragic character, it is clear that the tragic hero is in fact Creon. First, take into account the timeframe in whichRead MoreEssay on Creon As The Tragic Hero Of Antigone by Sophocles781 Words   |  4 PagesCreon As The Tragic Hero Of Antigone by Sophocles Greek tragedy would not be complete with out a tragic hero. Sophocles wrote Antigone with a specific character in mind for this part. Based on Aristotle’s definition, Creon is the tragic hero of Antigone. Creon fits Aristotle’s tragic hero traits as a significant person who is faced with difficult decisions. Creon is significant because he is king. This makes him both renowned and prosperous. Creon is not completely good nor completely bad;Read More Creon As Tragic Hero of Sophocles’ Antigone Essay836 Words   |  4 PagesCreon As Tragic Hero of Sophocles’ Antigone Since the play’s inception, there has always existed a contention concerning the true hero of Sophocles’ Antigone. It is a widely held belief that Antigone must be the main character simply because she and the drama share name. This is, of course, a very logical assumption. Certainly Sophocles must have at least meant her to be viewed as the protagonist, else he would not have given her the play’s title. Analytically speaking, however, Creon doesRead MoreEssay on Creon as the Tragic Hero in Sophocles Antigone1326 Words   |  6 PagesCreon as the Tragic Hero in Antigone     Ã‚   This essay will compare two of the characters in â€Å"Antigone†, Antigone and Creon, in an effort to determine the identity of the tragic hero in this tale.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To identify the tragic hero in Sophocles’ renowned play â€Å"Antigone†, we should first consider both the elements present in Greek tragedies and what characteristics define a tragic hero. Aristotle’s definition of tragedy is: â€Å"Tragedy is a story taking the hero from happiness to miseryRead More Creon is the Tragic Hero in Sophocles Antigone Essay627 Words   |  3 Pages Creon is the Tragic Hero of Antigone nbsp; When the title of a play is a characters name, it is normally assumed that the character is the protagonist of the play. In Sophocles Antigone, most people probably believe Antigone to be the tragic heroine, even after they have finished watching the play. It may be argued, however, that Creon, not Antigone, is the tragic character. When we examine the nature and concept of the Greek Tragedy and what it means to be a tragic character, it becomesRead MoreEssay on Creon as the Tragic Hero of Sophocles Antigone997 Words   |  4 PagesCreon as the Tragic Hero of Sophocles Antigone   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Who is the true tragic hero in Sophocles Antigone?   This question has been the subject of a great debate for numerous years.   Equal arguments exist that portray Antigone as the tragic heroine in the play and Creon as the tragic hero.   Aristotle, in his study of Greek drama entitled Poetics, provided the framework that determines the tragic hero of a work.   Though Antigone definitely possesses the characteristics and qualities that