Antigone Analysis Essay

Submitted By jakeshore
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Antigone Final
In Ancient Greek theatre, we see examples of characters possessing excessive, engrossing pride that is often coupled with blatant arrogance, not regularly but most of the time. Hubris is constituted by a display of these aspects. Characters in plays are usually seen as those with Hubris, particularly the Tragic Hero. These characters in the story, usually royalty, suffer from a Tragic Flaw which is ultimately responsible for their descent unto their inevitably untimely death. Hubris is a Tragic Flaw which can impede the Tragic Hero and become the main reason for their decline. In “Antigone” by Sophocles clear examples of Tragic Heroes, Tragic Flaws, and Hubris can be seen.
Antigone, the princess of Thebes and daughter of Oedipus, receives news that her brothers, Etocles and Polyneices, have slain each other in battle. Soon after, the king of Thebes, Creon, proclaims in a public address that Etocles shall be buried with military honors while Polyneices must be left to rot and anyone who goes against the word of Creon shall be put to death. Antigone thinks she must bury Polyneices because it is the right thing to do. Her sister tried to dissuade her but Antigone’s pride makes her very stubborn. Here is one example of Hubris. The point at which her Hubris begins to hinder her is after she gets detained for burying her brother. Creon asks her if she is innocent but instead of lying that could potentially save her life, she takes full responsibility knowing she will in fact be inevitably put to death. This is just one manifestation of her pride that negatively affects her. Another is when she is locked in the vault by Creon, if she hadn’t succumb to her pride she would have been set free and both Haimon and Eurydice would not have killed themselves, but she did by killing herself, which subsequently caused the suicide of Creon’s wife and son. Creon was directly responsible for the suicide chain of Theban royalty, and he can also be considered as a Tragic Hero.
The tragic flaw of Creon is that he, as well as Antigone, is guilty of Hubris. He believes his laws as well as he himself are above divine, and that he is
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