Antigone as a Tragic Hero Essay - 499 Words

Antigone as a tragic hero The debate over who is the tragic hero in Antigone is unanswered. The belief that Antigone is the hero is a tough one. Antigone is widely thought of as the tragic hero of the play bearing her name. She would seem to fit the part in light of the fact that she dies for doing what she believes is right. She buries her brother without worrying what might happen to her. Unlike Antigone, Ismene says â€Å"And break the law, our death will be more shameful even then theirs† (pg.5 line 60). In Sophocles Antigone, the characters show a variety of traits. However, Antigones life of aspiration, family of noble rank, and display of good mentality portray her as the tragic hero of the story. A tragic hero has haughty,†¦show more content†¦Antigone fulfills all three traits thoroughly in the story of Antigone. A tragic flaw plays a very imperative part of a tragic hero. Tragic flaw simply means a character weakness. The most common types of tragic flaws ar e unwarranted pride, ambition, and jealousy. Those who do believe that Antigone was meant to be the true tragic hero argue against others who believe that Creon deserves that honor. They say that the Gods were against Creon, and that he did not truly love his country. His patriotism is to narrow and negative and his conception of justice is too exclusive... to be dignified by the name of love for the state. These arguments, and many others, make many people believe the Antigone is the rightful protagonist. Antigone tries to help her brother without worrying about what will happen to her. She says, I intend to give my brother burial. Ill be glad to die in the attempt, -if its a crime, then its a crime that God commands (she says in a different translation). Antigone says â€Å"He has no right to keep me from my own† (pg.4 line 48). She was also punished for doing what was right. Her epiphany came, hidden from the audience, before she hung herself. Creon, understanding his igno rance may lead one to believe that he is the true protagonist. But, if you define the word protagonist you would find that a protagonist is one who is a leader or supporter of a cause. Antigone is in support of her own actions in the burial of her brotherShow MoreRelatedTragic Hero In Antigone948 Words   |  4 Pagesmakes them a hero. Heroes can help save the day, be strong against others, help people in tough situations. In Sophocles Antigone, the tragic hero proves to be worthy of these traits as she presents herself to be stronger than the rest. She shows several characteristics that help her achieve this title. Although it is a high honor she had persevere in order to get to this point and it wasnt an easy task. For these accomplishments, Antigone has earned the title of a Tragic Hero. Antigone seems to beRead MoreThe Tragic Hero in Antigone1018 Words   |  5 Pagesfirst established during the fourth century in the Poetics, where he defines what makes a tragic hero. Aristotle suggests that a tragic hero is a character who has a high social standing and embodies great nobility in his/her personality. They are neither a villain nor are they entirely good, but a person somewhat like us, raised to a higher position in society. In addition, the downfall of a tragic hero is caused by fault of their own, often through arrogance or pride, as the result of freeRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of Antigone1118 Words   |  5 PagesThe tragic hero according to Aristotle is a man who is neither a paragon of virtue and justice nor undergoes the change of misfortune or leads to his or her own downfall or destruction through their journey as the characters analyze their â€Å"judgment error†. 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The qualities that constitute a tragic hero are, in no particular order, having a high social position, not being overly good or bad, isolation, being tenacious in their actions, arousing pity in the audience, a revelatory manifestation, and having a single flaw that brings about their own demise and the demise of others around them. Creon possessesRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of Antigone By Sophocles1075 Words   |  5 Pagesof the Greek philosopher Aristotle, â€Å"A man cannot become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall.† Thus, according to Aristotle, the tragic hero must be able to discern how his actions caused his demise. The tragic hero has a tragic flaw, known as hamartia, recognizes that this flaw contributes to his misfortune because of an error in judgment, but is nonetheless deserving of sympathy. Creon, the hero of the dra ma Antigone by Sophocles, fulfills this definition. He exhibits hubrisRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of Sophocles Antigone Essay1357 Words   |  6 Pagesdraws on the emotions of the audience is to get them to relate to the tragic hero, and that is why it was so important for a tragedy to have a proper one. Antigone features the perfect example of a hero in a tragedy. In Antigone, King Creon is the tragic hero since he is adherent to a moral mean, he is life-like, he exhibits a tragic quality which results in a plot reversal, and ends in a moment of lament. Creon is the ideal tragic hero, since he’s morally upstanding but not blameless at the same time