Examples Of Heroism In Antigone

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The Tragic Heroine of Sophocles’ “Antigone”
Excessive pride leads even the strongest of characters to destruction. For example, Antigone, written by the scholar Sophocles, exemplifies the devastating consequences of pride. In the final play of Sophocles’ Theban trilogy, the protagonist encounters numerous conflicts due to this tragic flaw. While Antigone’s heroism is derived from her loyalty to her siblings, her inability to be humble in times of conflict directly results in her demise. Because of this heroism, many other characters are lead to destruction after discovering her death. Consequently, Antigone is the tragic heroine in the play because her pride leads her to her death, as well as the death and destruction of others close to her. …show more content…
For example, during an argument that concerns Antigone’s request to involve Ismene in her plan to illegally bury Polynices, Antigone states “Is he not my brother, and yours, whether you like it or not? I shall never desert him, never” (line 39-40). Antigone’s undying devotion to her brother strengthens her position as the heroine by exposing her positive intentions and love of Polynices. As the play progresses, Antigone faces the death penalty after being caught burying Polynices, yet she feels no fear of death. As she explains to Creon, “this punishment will not be any pain. Only if I had left my mother’s son lie there unburied, then I could not have borne it” (line 391-393). During this scene, Antigone proves to the reader that she is the protagonist by expressing fidelity towards her siblings, specifically Polynices, after she indicates her preference of dying rather than denying him of burial rites. The final representation of Antigone’s heroism occurs when Teiresias explains to Creon that he must pay “for the life [he has] sent to death, the life [he has] abominably entombed” (line 895-896). Because Teiresias is a seer of the gods’ will, his proclamation that Creon defies their will by punishing Antigone confirms the morality of her original actions; in this sense, Antigone’s homage to Polynices, as the gods agree, is a heroic act. Clearly, Antigone’s faithfulness to Polynices proves that she …show more content…
This is first proven when Antigone declares “all these would say that what I did was honorable, but fear locks up their lips. To speak and act just as he likes is the king’s prerogative” (line 423-426). Antigone exposes her egotism after she pompously assumes that the others in the kingdom concur with her reasoning; this display of overconfidence offends Creon, and ultimately results in her death sentence. Later in the play, Antigone states “My father...my parents...O hideous shame! Whom I now follow, unwed, curse-ridden. Doomed to my death by the ill-starred marriage that marred my brother’s life” (line 734-737). In this quote, Antigone shifts the blame for her actions to her parents; this inability to accept her faults and the punishment that results from her wrongdoing provokes her suicide, which causes the suicides of Haemon and Eurydice. Finally, the Theban elders relate the myth of Lycurgus to Antigone’s death by declaring “there was the proud Edonian king, Lycurgus, in rock-prison pent for arrogantly challenging God’s laws” (line 799-803). By stating this, they confirm that Antigone’s tragic flaw is pride; even they are aware of the force silently urging her destruction. Evidently, Antigone’s overconfidence and pompous attitude results in her eventual demise, as well as the suicides of Haemon and
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