Antigone: Tragic Hero and New King Creon Essay

Submitted By Maya-King
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A tragic hero can be defined as a character, neither completely good nor evil, whose downfall is brought about by some weakness; their hubris and failure to adapt to their surroundings causes problems in their lives. In Antigone, two main tragic heroes are noted- Creon and Antigone. Creon generally noted as evil and Antigone as good, but as you take a closer look, you’re able to pin-point the situation that their judgment wouldn’t budge. Antigone was devastated that the new King Creon ruled that her brother wouldn’t be buried and wouldn’t accept that as the final verdict. Though she seems perfect, she still made poor choices which her pride, or her tragic flaw, influenced her to make. Against all advice and knowledge of the consequences of burying him without consent, she did anyway. This is when Antigone’s hamartia was noticed, she is stubborn beyond belief. Apposed to waiting to talk to Creon or leaving her brothers body as suggested by her sister, she buries the body either way. She held to her belief that it is unjust to burry one of her brothers because he died defending the state, and not the other because he was against the state. Wanting to hopefully lift the curse that was placed on her household, she would do go through any punishment to make sure what she needed to do was taken care of. In line 168, Antigone said “Say that I am mad, and madly let me risk the worst that I can and suffer the best”. This line represents Antigone’s mindset that she was doing right and she doesn’t care what society or the Gods think of her acts. She’s now accepted that she won’t only be different from society but from her own sister, Ismene’s, beliefs. “Of course I knew. Was it not publicly proclaimed?” shows how she knew that she was doing was wrong but was proud to do so because she believed she had every right to do so. Though this simple act seems insignificant and just, it causes a huge problem and leads to her being killed. Creon’s “moment of tragedy” is marked at the same spot at Antigone’s. After becoming the new King, he makes an announcement to his people promising the good that he will do. In the closing of that speech he declares a law regarding the death of Antigone’s brothers that he will stand by despite the hatred from other people; the brother fighting for the country will be buried, the other shall not be tampered with and anyone found doing so will be executed. Following his notification of Antigone burying her brother, he begins considering a punishment for her disobeying the law. His pride and new sense of power gets in the way of what was truly right, Antigone’s reasoning for burying her brother. In line 181, Creon notes “O, she’s the man, not I, if she can walk away unscathed! I swear I hardly care if she be my sister’s child, or linked to me by blood more closely than any member of my hearth and home”. Creon doesn’t care
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