Antigone

TRAGIC HERO

A tragic hero is an honorable protagonist with a tragic flaw, also known asa fatal flaw, which eventually leads to his or her demise according to Wikipedia. The term tragic hero comes from ancient Greek times and was defined by Aristotle. According to Aristotle; there are four characteristics that identify a tragic hero. The first characteristic is nobleness or wisdom, the second is hamartia which is a tragic flaw, third is because of the tragic heroes mistake his future is reversed, and fourth is the discovery that the reversal was brought about by the actions of the tragic hero.

It can be argued who is the tragic hero in this play. Both Antigone and Creon possess qualities of a tragic hero. But the character I believe is the tragic hero and that I will be discussing is Creon. Creon comes into power when both his nephews are killed in battle. Eteocles and Polyneices were not only brothers but the rulers of Thebes. They took turns in power. When it was Polyneices turn to rule Eteocles would not give up the throne. As a result Polyneice's brought war to the kingdom he once called home. Both Polyneices and Eteocles died in the process. Creon then came into power. Creon starts off his rule with a speech to the elders of Thebes. In this speech he says in entirety;

Gentlemen: as for our city's fortune, the gods have shaken her, when the great waves

broke, but the gods have brought her through again to safety. Four yourselves, I chose

you out of all and summoned you to come to me, partly because I knew you as always

loyal to the throne-at fist, when Laius was king, and then again when Oedipus saved

saved our city and then again when he died and you remained with steadfast truth to

their descendents... It is impossible to know any man---I mean his soul, intelligence,

and judgment---until he shows his skill in rule and law..... For my part, God is my

witness, who sees all, always. I would not be silent if I saw ruin, not safety, on the way

towards my fellow citizens.... For Eteocles, who died this cities champion, showing his

valor's supremacy everywhere, he shall be buried in his grave with every rite of sanctity

given to heroes under earth. However, his brother, Polyneices, a returned exile, who

sought to taste the blood he shared with us, and lead the rest of us to slavery--- I here

proclaim to the city that this man shall no one honor with a grave and none shall mourn.

You shall leave him without burial; you shall watch him chewed up by birds and dogs and

violated..... (Sophocles, 167)

This speech given by Creon shows his passion towards his belief in staying true to the state and punishing anyone who brings a threat to the state even if that threat is of his own nephew. Here Aristotles first characteristic of a tragic hero shows up in Creon's character. Creon is showing his nobility and his wisdom. He does this by his nobility in not only status as being the king but as being loyal to the state as well. He shows this when he says "I would not be silent if I saw ruin, not safety, on the way towards my fellow citizens. I would not count on any enemy of my country as a friend--that because of what I know, that she it is which gives us our security."

The second characteristic Creon shows to prove he is the tragic hero is Hamartia. Hamartia according to Wikipedia is defined as tragic mistake or tragic flaw. Creon's tragic flaw or mistake is that of punishing Antigone in the act of giving her brother a proper burial. Once Antigone disobeyed the proclamation Creon was extremely irritated that she would commit such an act. Creon gave Antigone a chance to deny this deed, but Antigone's strong belief in the right of a proper burial proclaimed by the gods restricted her from denying what she did. She was proud of what she did, and would not change her decision. The self centered stubbornness of Creon forced him to let her share the fate of any other who would disregard his proclamation. Creon sentenced her to be sealed in a cave with limited food. This is where Creon makes his first mistake.

This mistake is recognized to the reader in the conversation between Creon and Creons son Haemon. Haemon is engaged to Antigone and out of love attempts to plead her case where he says "Here is one who would not leave her brother unburied, a brother who had fallen in bloody conflict, to meet his end by greedy dogs or by the bird that chanced that away. Surely what she merits is golden honor, isn't it?" What Haemon is saying is that she seems just and honorable in her act. In Haemon's