Preview

Is Creon The Most Tragic Character In Antigone

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
492 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Is Creon The Most Tragic Character In Antigone
In the Sophocle’s play, Antigone, there are a many tragic characters in which some face death, and others watch as their loves ones die all around them. There is nothing more tragic than to be surrounded by the dead, especially when it may be one’s own fault. Therefore, Creon is the most tragic character of this play.
Aristotle would agree that Creon is the main tragic character, as he makes many decisions which could have led him either towards his tragedy or away from it, but ultimately he led himself to his tragedy. This keeps the audience guessing and heightens catharsis, while Antigone’s fate was quite obvious from the beginning where she says, “As for me, I will bury him; And if I die for that, I am content” (60-61). Creon’s fatal flaw is his stubbornness and reluctance to see anyone else’s view. He begins, like Opideus, as a character that is easily admired and portrayed as an open, caring king, “Zeus, who sees all things, be my witness that I will not be silent when danger threatens the people; nor will I ever call my country’s foe my friend” (147-149). This
…show more content…

He wanted to look after the state rather than his family and so the consequences came tumbling down and turned his once happy and wondrous life into that of a chaotic one. Creon did not realize the importance of his family until they vanished into the darkness of death all because he was a fool, “nor have I any regard for him who puts friendship above the common welfare” (145-146). Therefore, Aristotle would agree that because it is Creons fault that all these events took play it makes him a greater tragic character. Antigone is dead, his son falls on his own sword before his eyes and the discovery of his wife’s death is reported by a messenger. All this shows that Creon is a greater tragic character than the rest for most have taking the easy way out while he lived to see it all happen before his

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Throughout the play, Antigone, both Creon and Antigone suffer from tragic flaws which eventually lead to their downfall. Creon and Antigone cannot control their excessive pride so they eventually pay for their hubris.…

    • 258 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Creon, a character from the Greek tragedy Antigone, is described as the tragic hero of the story due to the character's flaws and the consequences that followed. Creon's intentions are purely of nationalism for the land he rules, Thebbes. He forbids anyone to show respect to a violent betrayer, but in the process makes tragic flaws. Creon's tragic mistakes can all be embodied by the one question he had asked his son Haemon, “And the city proposes to teach me how to rule?” ( 3.103). Creon is insistent on ruling one his own. Even When the prophet, Teiresias, tried to help the king, Creon was also deaf to his suggestions, even though they were for his well being. When Creon…

    • 260 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Creon And Haemon Analysis

    • 775 Words
    • 4 Pages

    A man with many flaws or weaknesses Creon, he has no bigger one than that of his quick-temper. In his heated encounter we see with Haemon he instantly attacks and throws his rage onto Haemon as soon as he feels his son is threatening his judgment. “You’ll never marry her while she’s alive.” (Line 858) Creon announces to Haemon, this is what ultimately pushes Haemon over the edge as he replies back “Then she’ll die—and in her death kill someone else.” (Line 859) Here Creon instantly thinking Haemon is referring to killing him but is actually foreshadowing a threat on his own life if Antigone is killed. At the end of Antigone when the king goes to retrieve Antigone from her stony grave Haemon is already there. When they discover her limp body hanging from her own torn shreds of clothing that is when Haemon takes his own life. This moment is when Creon becomes this tragic hero realizing his mistakes “Aaiii-mistakes made by a foolish mind, cruel mistakes that bring on death.” (Lines 1406-1407) Creon cries out realizing his mistakes and the damages his foolish mind has caused locking in his spot as a tragic…

    • 775 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Throughout history there have been many people known as heroes. Most of these people have done wonderful things to help society. However, in literature there is another type of hero, the tragic hero. While tragic heroes do wonderful things too, they also have a character flaw that causes their downfall along with others. This essay is to prove that in the play "Antigone", written by Sophocles, Creon is a tragic hero.…

    • 391 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Creon is a brat who nobody likes much like Draymond Green who is a brat because he does what he wants without caring about anyone else. In Antigone, Creon is a King that people don't like because of the laws he makes and defies the Gods. Antigone by Sophocles, Creon is the tragic hero because he has excessive pride, creates feelings of pity. In the audience and the reversal of fortune.…

    • 395 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Throughout the play Antigone, Creon is portrayed as the king of discipline and pride. Creon’s pride is what makes him the tragic figure of Antigone. Though Antigone takes her life as the result of her sentence from Creon, it is not her pride that defines her fate but her unwillingness to accept her fate.…

    • 582 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Have you ever thought what would happen if you knew what was going to lead you down the wrong path? What could bring about such a downfall? While reading the book Antigone, one could not even begin to express the tragic flaw seen within the character named Creon. Not only was Creon the king, but also was a character who suffered one too many cases of a selfish heart. Creon's actions can be discovered through his lack of acceptance, lack of relationship, and his unbelievable pride. All of these actions started out small but eventually ruined Creon's life.…

    • 501 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Role Of Creon In Antigone

    • 345 Words
    • 2 Pages

    In the story of Antigone, there are two main characters Creon, and Antigone. Many people think that Antigone is the tragic hero, but i think that Creon is the tragic hero. In the story of Antigone, king Creon was a tragic hero because, he was very stubborn, he is of noble greatness, and he made a bad mistake by not burying Polyneices.…

    • 345 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    In some respects Creon is seen as a positive character, in others as an antagonist. However, if one sees it from a different perspective, it's obvious that Creon is the victim of fate and his own flaws, making him a tragic hero. His first misfortune was to fall from the grace of his people when saying that Antigone should die for her actions. "Your people are beginning to question your judgment and are beginning to side with Antigone." (256-257) This scene is very ironic! Creon is actually trying to maintain his authority by being a ruler of his word, but he is actually losing respect. Creon's present situation foreshadows unrest and growing calamity within his own family. The idea of him losing…

    • 549 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    His actions demonstrate him as a tragic hero. Creon’s belief in nationalism and leadership is demonstrated when he said: “I call to God to witness that if I saw my country headed for ruin, I should not be afraid to speak out plainly,” (Antigone, scene 1,24-26) When talking to his lawbreaking, niece Antigone, who buries her traitor brother, he says: “The inflexible heart breaks first, the toughest iron cracks first, and the wildest horses bend with their necks at the pull of the smallest curb” (scene 2, 76-79) Unlike Antigone, Creon detects his fixable flaws before its too late and wants to change: “It is hard to deny the heart! But I will do it; I will not fight with destiny.” (scene 5, 100) To fix his flaws he must release Antigone from her prison by instructing her to hurriedly marry Haemen. She refuses and hangs herself which makes Creon’s flaws, pride and stubbornness, unforgivable. Because of the grief caused by her death Haemen commits suicide. Since her son died because of her husband’s actions Haemen’s mother, the queen kills herself. Actions speak louder than words.…

    • 507 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Antigone, a Greek tragedy written by Sophocles, Creon is a tyrant and arrogant character who sees the world through the veil of his beliefs. When he decrees the punishment of death upon Antigone, he completely disregards every opinion that is against his own. By ignoring the views of others, he jeopardizes his strength as a ruler. Sophocles uses the extended metaphor of the ship of state to show how Creon’s self-righteous way of thinking leads to unwanted outcomes. From Creon’s mistakes we learn that if you let your pride stand in the way of seeing other people’s opinions you can impair yourself more than you had planned.…

    • 919 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Antigone Vs Creon Essay

    • 640 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Many people throughout history have perished or suffered for their beliefs or their religion. The story of, Antigone, includes many examples of martyrs and the ways they suffer for their beliefs. Although they do not have the same actions, Creon and Antigone share the same motive of restoring respect to their despised, incestual family through different ways. Some examples are such as how Antigone tries through gaining honor as the last great leader of her kin and how Creon attempts by using power as the ruler of Thebes. Through these two characters, Sophocles, one of the three ancient Greek tragedians, tries to convey the idea to the reader that no matter the circumstances, remain loyal to the gods.…

    • 640 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In the play Antigone, by Sophocles, There a few characters that can be described as tragic heroes. The character that best represents a tragic hero is Creon. Creon is the uncle of Antigone, the main character of the story. Creon is very powerful and many people of the town answer to him. Many times in the play he refers to the Gods for counsel and guidance. His main purpose in life is to answer to them. All of this power leads to his downfall as a tragic hero. He sentences Antigone and her sister, Ismene, to death. Some would say this is misuse of his power. He realizes this, but it is too late. Antigone has already passed.…

    • 245 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Who Is Creon A Tragic Hero

    • 1194 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Though both traditional and Sophoclean tragic heroes are similar, the Sophoclean heroes are distinguished by their rigid loyalty, which leads to a disastrous fate. Creon shows his rigidity in his ways when he refuses downright to back away from what he set as the law of his kingdom. In fact, he is so set in his ways that Creon refuses to even think of the repercussions of his decisions. His rigidity eventually results in both his wife Eurydice, and his son Haemon’s suicide, with his wife cursing him for having caused such tragedies to be brought upon his people. Though both the tragic and Sophoclean heroic personalities are similar, they also have their differences. For example, in the play of Antigone, it is simple to see how both the characters Antigone and Creon’s traits result in a direct conflict, often driving the plot. Creon’s hubris goes in direct conflict with Antigone’s courage, eventually leading both characters to a disastrous ending, but the play gives the reader the ability to distinguish between Antigone, a character who simply met a tragic end, and Creon, a man who was the truly tragic hero of…

    • 1194 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “Real tragedy is never resolved. It goes on hopelessly forever. Conventional tragedy is too easy. The hero dies and we dies and we feel a purging of the emotions. A real tragedy takes place in a corner in an untidy spot , to quote W.H Auden-Chinua Achebe. Antigone’s words, actions, and ideas contrast with Creon’s character to the point of these two characters having conflicting motivations. These conflicting motivations cause the characteristics of anger, hate, and disappointment to be highlighted within Creon’s character. Ultimately, these conflicting motivations develop Creon as a tragic hero by putting his niece in a cave to die, caused other deaths. That particular mistake put a lot of people in the grave.…

    • 506 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays