Practice Gateway Essay

Practice Gateway Essay What is a tragedy? Most people do not know the answer to this simple but tricky question. According to Merriam-Webster, a tragedy is “a serious drama typically describing a conflict between the protagonist and a superior force (as destiny) and having a sorrowful or disastrous conclusion that elicits pity or terror”. The protagonist, as described in the definition above, is also known as a tragic hero. Aristotle describes a tragic hero as “a character of noble stature and has greatness. This should be readily evident in the play. The character must occupy a "high" status position but must ALSO embody nobility and virtue as part of his/her innate character.” In the play Antigone by Sophocles, Antigone plans to bury her brother against her Uncle's law. She feels it is noble and right to bury him under the Gods's law over the civil law. Antigone faces many troubles for burying her brother. However, she proved her point to her Uncle towards the end of the story. Considering Antigone overall characteristics and actions in the tragedy of Antigone, Antigone can be described as the tragic hero. There are many characteristics and actions that a tragic hero must have to obtain their title in a tragedy. To begin with, the character must have both good and bad specific traits. The hero is normally a noble person of higher power or status than average. Even though the person is great, they are not perfect. In Antigone, the plot is based on Antigone's noble act in her plans to bury her brother. Her sin of breaking the law is nothing more than sympathy and nobility. Antigone's character is described as greater than average. She is the daughter of the great Oedipus who stepped down as King and presented the crown to Creon. She is related to the King and the family of power. Even though she was great, Antigone was nowhere near perfect. She broke Creon's laws in oder to bury her dead brother and set him to rest. Antigone always acted before she thought and