Antigone Research Paper

Tragedy and Antigone The well-known play, Antigone, is a representation of classic tragedy written by Sophocles. The story’s protagonist, Antigone, is portrayed as a tragic hero whose efforts to keep her family close quickly backfire on her. When Antigone’s brother dies, she wants to face the consequences and do the right thing in order to respect her brother and properly bury him. Antigone’s sister, Ismene, also displays the heroic qualities that Antigone does when she attempts to save her sister for being prosecuted. The classic qualities of a tragedy are displayed in the story, and these can also be found in many other tragedies later in literature. The important qualities that a tragedy always has can help analyze other novels and stories later are the heroism of the protagonist and the emotional connection the audience will sympathize for the protagonist.
The protagonist of a tragedy is always someone who is passionate for what their mission is; they want their dream to become reality. Antigone is determined to be the ‘hero’ by burying her brother who has died, and she is killed in this process. Antigone disregards the danger and sacrifices her life for the honoring of her brother. Her heroism is displayed when she states, “Think Death less than a friend?
The play exemplifies the love that a family can protect each other with, and how this can connect an audience to the characters. Antigone’s love and respect for her brother was unlike any other character in an ordinary story. Her sacrifice of her life for her family makes her a true tragic hero, especially because she does not hesitate to bury her brother’s body. The emotions of fear, love, pity, and more are aroused from the play and entice the reader further into the story. Antigone is a true classic example of tragedy, and the tragic qualities found in this play can assist the audience in analyzing other tragedies as