...In the Greek tragedy, Antigone, this is the harsh reality that the titular character has to face. Creon, Antigone’s uncle and the king, buried one of her brothers, Eteocles, and has banned the burial of the other brother, Polyneices, because he believes that Polyneices has betrayed the city of Thebes. Antigone believes that since Creon was the one who banned the burial and not the gods, then she should bury her brother. Antigone is determined to bury Polyneices, which will contravene Creon’s law in the process. Antigone has a myriad of character traits, but the three main ones are stubbornness, determination, and loyalty. In the...
Words: 785 - Pages: 4
...hero is when a literary character makes a judgement error which ultimately results in their downfall. Famous author, Sophocles, wrote a popular play in the genre of drama known as “Antigone”, he explains what the effects of character interaction have on a given person. In this play he describes what happens when the characters Antigone, sister of Ismene, and Creon, ruler of the state clash and contribute to Creon’s development as a tragic hero, and to the plot of the play. In “Antigone”, the two brothers of Ismene and Antigone, Polyneices and Eteocles, end up killing each other due to supporting different sides of the Thebes’ Civil War. Creon, the new ruler decided that Eteocles will have an honorable burial, while the other will be laid unburied for the animals to eat upon....
Words: 687 - Pages: 3
...proposal I plan to focus on the Greek tragedy Antigone by Sophocles. The last of the three Theban plays written in or before 441 BC. I will focus in on tragic hero’s. A tragic flaw is an error or defect in the tragic hero that leads to his downfall, such as greed, pride, or ambition. This flaw may be a result of bad character, bad judgment, an inherited weakness, or any other defect of character. Examples of a tragic hero are Antigone four main characters Antigone, Ismene, Creon, and Haemon. Using the text as proof each and everyone one of those four characters are written with a tragic flaw that is their undoing. The major literary elements I will be concentrating on are characterization, tone, and theme. These elements are most important in determining and explaining what makes a character a tragic hero. Without characterization I can’t describe what traits make our hero before a tragic one. Tone will also help with reading in between the lines because as we know sometimes our characters say one thing, but mean something else entirely. The overall theme of Antigone is tragedy so without the characters having the tragic flaws the theme would change. Literally elements are crucial in accurately explaining my topic....
Words: 449 - Pages: 2
...through Antigone and Kreon in his play Antigone. Antigone, a girl who is wholeheartedly devoted to her family, decides that her love for her family is more important than abiding by the law. Kreon, a King who is profoundly invested to his state, decides that his duties...
Words: 1953 - Pages: 8
...the good plot scheme that leaves people hanging on every word, or is it the nail bighting suspense that drives people mad. To many, people like the characters that are very powerful and dynamic. One character who comes to mind is Creon from the book “Antigone.” In this book Creon portrays himself as a noble king ruling over his kingdom, but suddenly becomes a ruthless leader. He also finds himself impervious to the laws of god and decides to substitute them with the laws of men. Finally, he puts himself against everyone he loves and cares for to keep his spot as ruler of the throne. In the book “Antigone” Creon in thrust into the spotlight of the king after Oedipus dies...
Words: 622 - Pages: 3
...in certain ways. Each time period, there is a group of women who stand up against the societal norms and try and go against how society tells them how to act. Fifth century Greece was no different; during this time, men were in charge and were said to have absolute power over women. Females belonged in the home, and were best “Not seen and not heard”. When a woman won an argument against a man, it was thought of as emasculating. Aristotle agreed that: “He endows women with sufficient virtue to maintain sōphrosunē (Self-control, chastity), to fulfill their function in the household and to obey their men.” Authors such as Sophocles, Euripides and Aeschylus used their plays to portray characters that go against how women were supposed to act during this time. Characters such as Clytemnestra, Antigone, along with Hecuba and Helen, all are...
Words: 1903 - Pages: 8
...virtuous character in a dramatic tragedy who is destined for downfall, suffering, or defeat.” Though Creon at points can fill the role of a tragic hero in Antigone, Antigone is the only character to truly play the part of one. Sophocles writes tragedies, which are named after the tragic hero in each specific play. As in Oedipus Rex, the piece of theatre is named after the tragic hero, Oedipus. Thus only clarifying why Sophocles named one of his plays Antigone, the title being based off of the main tragic hero role. Antigone is a more appropriate title for the play Antigone because of Antigone’s immense bravery and individuality in behalf of her late brother, creating the plot in the play due...
Words: 951 - Pages: 4
...In “Antigone”, Haemon, though only briefly appearing, heavily impacts Creon’s character, by changing his actions and development, and reinforces the theme of “Antigone”. The theme of Antigone is the correctness of the natural order of life, from birth to life to death to burial. Haemon’s speech to Creon makes him begin to question his decision to execute Antigone, and be more open to others’ thoughts. Haemon does this by mentioning that the people of Thebes believe Antigone shouldn’t be punished, and by leaving after saying that Creon will “never see my eyes again”. Haemon’s speech makes Creon second guess his decision to execute Antigone for burying her brother’s body. As king, Creon needs his people to believe that he is a just...
Words: 398 - Pages: 2
...From 550 BC to 220 BC, the theatre of Ancient Greece blossomed. The god Dionysus was honored in a festival called Dionysia – from which the dramatic genres of tragedy, comedy and satyr were born. In this essay I will focus on Greek tragedy, with reference to Antigone, by outlining the basic use of dramatic style, staging including the use of masks in costume; as these features are typical of Greek theatre, but in particular I have chosen to illustrate the developments and changes in the genre of ancient Greek Tragedy, principally through the Aristotle’s commentary on the matter. Sophocles’ tragedy Antigone is an important and influential aspect of Greek theatre as he was one of the most celebrated dramatists in Athens. Antigone was written...
Words: 1562 - Pages: 7
...“Antigone” is a play about struggle and passion. To fully understand the play, the previous plays needs to be understood. Antigone and her sister, Ismene, are the daughters of Oedipus, from the play “Oedipus Rex”. Eteocles takes control of Thebes and his brother Polynices raises an army to attack the city; both are killed in the battle. This is where the story of Antigone comes into play. Creon, Oedipus’s brother in law and uncle (Oedipus married his mother) is now King of Thebes. He issues a decree for Eteocles to be buried but for Polynices to be left where he was killed and not to be buried. He honors Eteocles for defending the city, but leaves Polynices body lying out for the people to see and the dogs to eat. However, as part of Polynices family, it is Antigone’s duty and obligation to bury her brothers, and she does so against the orders of the King. Under Creon’s decree, this places the death penalty upon the stubborn young girl. Creon becomes increasingly stubborn as well, eventually showing hubris, which means immense disrespect and excessive pride, this being his hamartia. He imprisons her alive in a tomb, not knowing that his son, Haemon, who is in love with her, follows them to the...
Words: 1117 - Pages: 5
...Can the characters change or control their fate? How do the characters react to knowing what what their destinies will be? What are the effects of discovering their destinies? In Sophocles’ Antigone fate is real, it's there, and it happens no matter what you try to do to change it. Fate is your destiny and it can’t be controlled or changed. “Of any condition of human life “This is fixed, This is clearly good, or bad.” Fate raises up, And Fate casts down the happy and unhappy alike: No man can foretell his Fate.” Even if you try to control your fate, your fate is still going to happen. “That shifting Fate has woven for him.” Sophocles’ fate for the characters in Antigone usually ends bad and is very devastating.. “Fate works most for woe.” Fate is fate, how it’s going to end or happen can’t be changed....
Words: 521 - Pages: 3
...The True Tragic Hero of Antigone Since early Greek and Roman times, authors havecreated stories following the life of a tragic hero. Tragic heroes, though they are noble, have a hamartia, or a fatal flaw that causes their inevitable downfall. Sophocles utilizes the role of tragic hero to develop the theme of pride in Anitigone. The protagonist of the play is repeatedly misconceived because Sophocles develops the roles of multiple characters into ones that could be interpreted as a tragic hero. Creon is a member of the royal family of Thebes who becomes king. In assuming this role of immense power and responsibility, he faces misfortunes that lead him to tragedy. The often-misunderstood Creon is the true tragic hero in Sophocles’ play...
Words: 829 - Pages: 4
...Who ever thought that Creon, a fearsome king and leader, would yearn to see death come quickly to his side. Antigone, by Sophocles, takes place in the City of Thebes, ruled by King Creon after he came to the throne. After King Creon declared a decree stating that Eteocles would have burial rights while Polyneices would rot, unburied. Antigone was angered and buried her brother, Polyneices. Creon punished her by sending her locked away to a vault. That causes a series of events to unfold. Following the suicide of Haimon, Creon’s son, Queen Eurydice and Antigone, Creon’s niece, both fall victims of death. King Creon is considered a tragic hero, the main character in a tragedy who suffers a downfall caused by his/her tragic flaws, because he made...
Words: 905 - Pages: 4
...their destruction. Between the two major characters Antigone and Othello, Othello exemplifies a tragic hero the most from the following reasons error of judgment, reversal of fortune and recognition of change in fate. The tragic hero trait that Othello displays is recognition of reversal was brought by his own actions. The general of the Venetian army, Othello married to wife Desdemona was friends with a trustable man named Iago. Othello made the decision to make Cassio his lieutenant instead of Iago....
Words: 888 - Pages: 4
...Colonus, and Antigone, three characters experience pride in various degrees. Creon and Oedipus, who both exhibit an excessive amount of pride, eventually come to regret the poor choices that they have made because of the trait. Antigone, who exhibits an appropriate amount of pride, is able to use it in order to become more confident when justifying what she thinks is right. Sophocles is able to prove through portraying different degrees of pride and the different outcomes that it causes that pride can either be a good trait or a bad trait. One of the main characters throughout The Oedipus Cycle, Creon, is able to show that excessive pride leads to regret through his actions when he is in power. In the final play of the trilogy, Antigone, Creon becomes a leader who possesses so much hubris that he thinks he knows what the Gods want when it comes to Polyneices, the son of Oedipus, death: Creon: Stop! Must you doddering wrecks Go out of your heads entirely? ‘The gods!’ Intolerable! The gods favor this corpse? Why? How had he Served them? … Is it your senile opinion that the gods love to honor...
Words: 939 - Pages: 4
