Unfortunately, in about every person's life either a tragic event or a series of tragic events can be found and in some cases more than others. To many people a tragic hero could be defined as someone who performs a heroic act, but dies in the process. Nevertheless, this statement is wrong, but instead a tragic hero needs five elements. To be a tragic hero one would need noble stature, a tragic flaw, free choice, excessive punishment and increased awareness. When discussing the play Antigone, a perfect example of a tragic hero would be Creon. Though many people might argue Antigone to be the tragic hero, but she is missing the element of increased awareness.
Imagine finding out that your father married your grandma and your brothers killed each other over power. Then your uncle steps in to be king and declares that one of your brothers will get no burial because he was a trader. This information starts off a tragic play called Antigone. In the play, Creon must have noble stature in order to be the tragic hero. One way Creon has noble stature is that he is the king which gives him power over the people. Antigone voiced this when she told Creon, "They share my views, but they keep their mouths shut just for you." (Sophocles 12) Even though Antigone was telling Creon that his people did not share his views, what she said showed that Creon still had power over them. Another two ways Creon has noble stature are that he creates the laws and Creon's decisions affects everyone. This is shown when Creon states, "It's impossible/ to really know a man, to know his soul,/ his mind and will before one witnesses/ his skill in governing and making laws." (L 198-201) This statement shows that Creon thinks everyone knows him because he is the one governing and making the laws. Creon may be the king of the Thebes, but Creon does have a tragic flaw.
Flaws can be found in every single person that has lived either in the past, present or will live in the future.