Tragic Hero In Antigone example essay topic

Antigone In the play Antigone, the debate over who is the real tragic hero is and the controversy of Greek ideals in the Antigone continues on to this day. Who is the tragic hero in Antigone? Is it Antigone herself or is it Creon the ruler of Thebes? The belief that Antigone is, is a strong one. Still there are people who think Creon is the tragic hero. Antigone is widely thought as the tragic her.

The play is named after her. In addition, she is the antagonist in it. Many people usually associate the antagonist, the good guy as a tragic hero. Look at much television shows, especially cartoons, the good person usually wins. Then there are those who might think Creon was the tragic hero because the gods were against him, and that he truly loved his country. There are five criteria or standards you must meet first in order to be a tragic hero.

First, you must be a person of high character or status. The character must not be too overwhelmingly evil or good. Then they must be brought from happiness to misery. Then brought from happiness to misery.

Second, the hero enacts a hamartia, 'wrong act. ' This either may be a flaw in judgment or an error. Third, the hero experiences a perpateia, reversal of fortune. This is the tragic downfall or plot twist in the story.

Fourth, the hero recognizes his or her responsibility. Fifth, the story ends with a catastrophe. The catastrophe either may be an emotional event, this even may be a death. The Antigone is widely thought of as the tragic heroine of the play bearing her name.

She would seem to fit the part in light of the fact that she dies doing what is right. Antigone buries her brother Polynices, but Creon does not like her doing that one bit. Creon says to Antigone, 'Why did you try to bury your brother? I had forbidden it.

You heard my edict. It was proclaimed throughout Thebes. You read my edict. It was posted up on the city walls. ' (Pg. 44) Antigone buries her brother without worrying about what might happen to her. By doing this, she takes into consideration death and other consequences for burying her brother.

Antigone follows what she thinks is right according to the gods. She is the supporter of her actions in the burial of Polynices. Antigone believes what she is doing is what the gods want, in contrast to the belief of Creon. Qualities that make Antigone a tragic hero are first, she is the main character of the story, thus already being a person of high character. Antigone is good in the sense that she tries to follow what she thinks the gods would accept. Also, she is evil in the fact that she is arguing with a king and not following his orders and laws.

Second, her wrong act was burying her brother. By burying Polynices, she was going against Creon's rules. Third, Antigone's reversal of fortune was when Creon would not let her properly bury Polynices. Therefore, she starts to argue with Creon. Thus, Creon sentences her to death.

Fourth, she recognizes her responsibility, so she starts to stand up for what she believes in. Fifth, her catastrophe happened after Creon gave her another chance. Antigone goes and commits suicide by hanging herself.