The Tragic Characters Of Sophocles Antigone - 1652 Words

In literature, a tragedy is a drama where the main character in the end suffers extreme sorrow because of their mistakes or poor judgment. If characters’ fates are to suffer the extreme sorrows, then these characters are tragic characters. These tragic characters, however, must follow Aristotle’s principles which include hamartia, hubris, peripeteia, anagnorisis, nemesis, and catharsis. If the character has all six of Aristotle’s principles, then the character can qualify as an Aristotelian tragic character. Two examples of Aristotelian tragic characters are from Sophocles’ Greek play Antigone from the trilogy dealing with Oedipus and his children (Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone). The two Aristotelian tragic characters are Creon, the king of Thebes in Antigone, and Antigone herself. Creon‘s hamartia, his flaw that causes his downfall, includes his stubbornness which causes him to not listen to the opinions of others, including Tiresias, additionally, this also connects to hubris since he also did this because of his pride. In Antigone, Creon is an Aristotelian tragic character. His six principles are more obvious to the reader. Tiresias tries to warn Creon as to what will come if he doesn’t change his ways now, but he ignores Tiresias even though he is a prophet. Creon says Tiresias sold â€Å"his wisdom† and â€Å"lets out his words for hire† (Sophocles 837). This means that Creon thinks that Tiresias has come to say these things to him because someone pays TiresiasShow MoreRelatedTragic Characters of Sophocles Antigone: Examining Creons Hubris 998 Words   |  4 Pagestragedies were particularly popular during the ancient times. Through out his lifetime, Sophocles wrote tens of plays, but one in particular, Antigone earned him his e steemed title. In Antigone, there is much debate present about who the tragic character is. A tragic character (sometimes called tragic hero) is a character who undergoes a reversal of fate, essentially hubris. Many opine the Creon is the tragic character as he experiences the ultimate reversal of fortune when his son, wife, and niece dieRead 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 ofRead MoreAntigone Character Analysis1422 Words   |  6 Pages Antigone, the final play in a series including Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, discusses the ideas of leadership, family, and choices. It features two central characters: Antigone, a girl who chooses to illegally bury her brother, and Creon, a king who decrees the burial of the brother to be illegal. Upon the first encounter of the text, it appears that Antigone is the â€Å"hero† of the play, but on further analysis, one realizes that the tragic hero, as defined by Aristotle, is actually Creon. The ideaRead MoreAntigone by Sophocles1059 Words   |  5 Pages In the book Antigone, Creon and Antigone can be considered as the tragic heroes of the play. Antigone is considered the tragic hero because of the characteristics she shows such as her ambition to defeat Creon, Creon shows more of the characteristics clearly. Creon is the king of Thebes. He is also Antigones uncle. Creon became king after a fight between Eteocles and Polyneices. One may see Creon as a harsh and controlling ruler, but he is not good nor bad because he shows signs of both like whenRead MoreWho Is More Tragic, Creon or Antigone?863 Words   |  4 Pagesdownfall of the character. In Antigone, both Creon and Antigone share some tragic elements: tragic hero, hamartia, hubris, and nemesis. However, Creon is a more tragic hero than Antigone because his character has tragic elements that are absent from the character of Antigone: anagnorisis, peripeteia, and catharsis. There are many tragic elements that both Creon and Antigone share. According to Aristotle, the hero must be a character of high birth or national prominence. Since Antigone is royalty andRead MoreTragic Heroism of Creon Essay1032 Words   |  5 PagesCreon, a character in the Greek tragedy â€Å"Antigone†, resembles a perfect example of a tragic hero. This play was written by Sophocles, a historic playwright during the 5th century. It begins with the illegal burial of Polyneices, Antigone’s beloved brother. Creon, the King of Thebes, is coerced to condemn his niece Antigone to death. Being loyal to his city, Creon follows through with his punishment of Antigone. By doing so, his character is changed forever. Creon has the qualities of a tragic hero:Read MoreCreon as Tragic Hero1586 Words   |  7 PagesFinest In the Greek play Antigone, Creon and Antigone can both be claimed the title of Tragic Hero. Creon was made king when Oedipus Rex fled the kingship. Creon is the brother in law of Oedipus, and was giving the kingship only because Oedipus’s sons, Eteocles and Polyneices were killed trying to fight for the thrown. Antigone is Oedipus’s daughter and Creon’s niece. When it comes down to who the tragic hero is, Creon most definitely walks away with the title. A tragic hero by definition is ordinaryRead 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 MoreAntigone - Paper 131697 Words   |  7 PagesGreek drama was written in such a way that the characters are the pivotal aspect of the play. The main characters in Sophocles’ epic play, Antigone, are both very strong personalities, which naturally leads to conflict. Antigone and King Creon both have very intense beliefs and roles in this play that oppose each other, and although there is a family tie, will lead to an imminent tragedy. Antigone is a young women who believes in the loyalty of her family and fears no one and nothing. She is willingRead MoreEssay about The Greek Gods Did Not Think Before They Acted1615 Words   |  7 Pagesstep back and rationally understand situations it essentially is too late. In Sophocles’ play Antigone, the author follows the Aristotalean principles of a tragic heroine in contriving the character Antigone. One distinct component of a tragic hero that Antigone comprises of is that she comes from a noble family that holds a dignified stance in society and has good morals. As a descendent of the Labdacus family, Antigone comes from nobility as her father was once the King of Thebes. After her father