Antigone Fatal Flaw

In the play Antigone, written by Sophocles, the tragic protagonist is Antigone because she possesses a fatal flaw, or hamartia, that leads to her catastrophe, “the tragic protagonist’s ruin or downfall” (class handout). Antigone’s flaw is her hubris, “some kind of overweening pride or arrogant reliance on oneself” (class handout). Antigone believes that burying the body of her brother, Polynices, she is doing the will of the gods. When talking to Ismene about burying the body of Polynices, after Ismene refuses to help Antigone says, “Live, if you will; live, and defy the holiest laws of heaven” (Antigone 128). This shows that Antigone does believe that burying Polynices is what the gods want because she says burial is the “holiest law”. When talking to Creon, Antigone does not listen to him because she believes she is right:
I have given my brother burial. What greater honor could I wish? All these Would say that what I did was honourable, But fear locks up their lips. To speak and act Just as he likes is a king’s prerogative. (Antigone 139-140)
This shows Antigone’s hubris because she only cares about what she believes and does not care for Creon’s stance on the