The drama titled Antigone, written by Sophocles is a Grecian Tragic piece that emphasizes the usage of power and mortality in resistance to the jurisprudence. In every calamity there is a tragic hero. A tragic hero is a character of baronial stature that is considered preeminently great. Tragic heroes are characters who embody aristocracy and virtuousness as portion of their unconditioned character, and although they have greatness, they are basically worlds like any of us. A true tragic hero possesses a character defect normally affecting the character ‘s hubris. A tragic hero besides suffers from a ruin which is frequently the consequence of this character defect. However, this autumn is non ever of pure loss as the character discovers and learns something new about themselves which, in bend, increases their consciousness and self-knowledge. A tragic hero enables the audience to see katharsis as they experience the sorrow of these overwhelmed characters. In Sophocles ‘ calamity, Antigone showed many features of the tragic hero, however, Kreon exemplifies these criterions to a higher grade which qualifies him as the true tragic hero of the drama. In the Grecian calamity of Antigone, Kreon is the tragic hero due to his high position place and baronial stature, character defect, and the greater extent of his ruin in which he detects his mistakes.
Kreon qualifies as the tragic hero of Antigone on history of his baronial qualities. Kreon is the tragic hero of the drama because he occupied a high position place and besides embodied aristocracy and virtuousness as portion of his unconditioned character. At the beginning of the drama the chorus welcomes Kreon by stating, “ But expression, the new male monarch of the state, Kreon, is coming ” ( Sophocles, 196-197 ) . This shows that Kreon inhabits a high position place and repute of aristocracy amongst the metropolis of Thebes. In add-on, Kreon ‘s natural character embodies virtuousness and aristocracy. For illustration, when speaking to the Chorus at the beginning of the drama, Kreon pronounces, “ I shall non remain soundless if I see disaster processing against our citizens ” ( Sophocles, 224-225 ) . This statement shows that Kreon would make anything to protect his people every bit good as his state and would non be still if he sees “ catastrophe marching ” . He sets rules to the point where he would put his state above everything else. Furthermore, Kreon displays his baronial qualities and love for his state when he asserts, “ aˆ¦and I shall non befriend the enemy of this land ” ( Sophocles, 226 ) . Through this, Kreon shows his baronial characteristic in the fact that he values his state above all else and would keep all those against it in hatred. This concerns Polyneices who attacked Kreon ‘s dearly loved state, Thebes, and is therefore considered the enemy. Action taken against this involves Kreon ‘s high sense of morality in which he decided to properly bury Antigone ‘s brother Eteocles, and go forth Polyneices unburied so that he can “ be ripped for nutrient by Canis familiariss and vultures ” ( Sophocles, 242 ) . Correspondingly, Kreon is a good swayer to his people because he would penalize immorality and reward good as would any ideal leader. Consequently, Creon ‘s baronial character displayed through his nationalism, virtuous determination to penalize Polyneices, and through his good leading qualifies him for being a tragic hero.
Similarly, Kreon is the true tragic hero of the drama because of his character defect which involves his hubris. While Kreon possesses many first-class qualities, he possesses a character defect as good which lies in his assurance and utmost pride. Kreon ‘s pride and haughtiness is present in every determination he makes throughout the drama. For case, after Koryphaios and Haemon attempt to convert Kreon into forgiving Antigone, Kreon replies, “ Will the state state me what orders I can give? It ‘s my occupation to govern this land. There is no 1 else ” ( Sophocles, 883-886 ) . He says this with a fixed province of head and would non alter his head about penalizing Antigone even for his boy Haemon, who was betrothed to Antigone. In his statement, Kreon besides adds, “ States belong to the work forces with power. That ‘s common cognition ” ( Sophocles, 888-889 ) . This is a weak topographic point in Kreon ‘s character wherein he sees himself every bit greater as and more superior than everyone else. Another illustration of Kreon ‘s tragic defect is shown when Kreon orders the guards to take Antigone off, “ Take her off. Hurry! Shut the grave where it arches over, the manner I told you ; go forth her at that place, entirely. Either she ‘ll decease, or, if she likes her new house, she can populate in it, buried ” ( Sophocles, 1034-1037 ) . This citation illustrates Kreon ‘s feelings in which he believes that the jurisprudence should come foremost at all times, even if the individual directed at is household. Consequently, When Haemon tries to convert his male parent non to kill Antigone, Kreon ‘s dignity and pride come into full context when he says, “ So, work forces our age, we ‘re to be lectured, are we? – schooled by a male child his age? ” ( Sophocles, 876 ) . These lines show that Kreon feels he can in no manner learn or benefit from the wisdom of his boy or anyone else. Furthermore, Kreon ‘s pride creates an obstruction from leting him to make what is right and burying Polyneices. This can be clearly seen in his address with Tiresias, when he claims, “ But bury that adult male, no! No, non if the bird of Joves rip him for nutrient. Not if they carry him to the throne of Zeus! I ‘m non afraid even of that, I wo n’t allow you bury him ” ( Sophocles, 1201-1204 ) . Kreon ‘s inordinate pride and haughtiness in this transition are in full force because Kreon is puting himself on the same degree of the Gods. He is fundamentally stating that no human or God can or will halt him from making what he believes he should make. Kreon egoistically feels that he is the 1 who makes the concluding determination and is the leader of both himself and the state. Kreon ‘s tragic defect displayed through his over inordinate pride, self assurance, and ignorance when governing his state meets the standards of being a tragic hero and hence qualifies him for the place.
Furthermore, Kreon is the true tragic hero of the drama because of the greater extent of his ruin. Although his penalty over exceeds his offense, Kreon ‘s bad luck is non entirely deserved because he realizes his error towards the terminal of the drama. For illustration, a piece after condemning Antigone Kreon suddenly becomes cognizant of his self-pride and obstinate personality when doing his determination. Hence, he tries to rectify his incorrect by stating, “ Oh, it ‘s difficult. This is non what I hoped. I ‘ll make as you say. I must non contend wrongly, merely to be defeated, against fateaˆ¦Attendants! Hurry, conveying axes! I ‘ll take the manner. I ‘ve changed my head. I did it and I ‘ll undo it ” ( Sophocles, 1286-1290 ) . This statement shows that Kreon is cognizant of his error and needs to rectify it. Unfortunately, it was excessively late to change by reversal his actions because Antigone had already hung herself. Another illustration that proves Kreon ‘s ruin was non of pure loss is when he weeps over his dead boy ‘s organic structure and says, “ I have learned, and am ruinedaˆ¦Nobody else ; it ‘s my mistake. I killed you. Me, truly me ” ( Sophocles, 1466-1468 ) . Here, Kreon recognizes his error and its punishment. However, it is excessively late because destiny has already occurred. Furthermore, to demo everyone that he takes complete duty for the deceases of Antigone, Haemon, and his married woman, Kreon asserts, “ Mindless, hard, lifelessly offense! Expression: the slayer and putting to death, a male parent and boy. Poor and worthless advocate, my ain. My male child, immature, And decease comes shortly. Gone, gone! I was incorrectly, non you ” ( Sophocles, 1458-1464 ) . This transition shows the reader that Kreon now sees himself as a mindless adult male who was blinded by pride and haughtiness along with the inability to acknowledge his incorrect actions. When Kreon calls himself “ the slayer ” , he reaches his ultimate extremum of enlightenment and understands he was incorrect ( Sophocles True Tragic Hero Creon, 4 ) . Although he admits his mistake, Kreon still receives penalty from destiny which is to populate his alone life hated by his ain people. He non merely lost his lone boy and married woman, but he besides lost his much-loved state in the procedure. With every destruction, Kreon himself is destroyed as reveled when he tells the courier, “ Why, when I am destroyed, destruct me once more? ” ( Sophocles, 1479 ) . Even though Kreon punished Antigone, the bad luck he receives is doubtless greater than what he deserves. His offense was of pride and haughtiness, his penalty was one of a alone and despised life ( Creon of Antigone: An IdealTragic Hero, 1 ) . The greater extent of Creon ‘s ruin in which his penalty was greater than what he deserved endows him as tragic hero of the drama since he learns from his errors every bit good.
In the drama titled Antigone, written by Sophocles, Antigone showed many features of a tragic hero, however, Kreon meets all of the standards of a tragic hero wholly and exemplifies these conditions to a much higher grade. Hence, Kreon is most suited as the tragic hero of this drama. Kreon is the tragic hero in Antigone because of his high position place and baronial qualities, character defect, and the greater extent of his ruin in which he realizes his errors. Although the narrative is titled Antigone, it is non necessary that Antigone be the tragic hero. Both Antigone and Kreon fulfill all of the standards of a tragic hero. They both are neither to the full good nor evil in the utmost but merely a human like any of us. They are both Borns of a high societal position than most of us, and both have a defect in their characters. However, other standards that merely Kreon ‘s character tantrums in are that the tragic hero should be responsible for their ruin, the bad luck they get should be greater than what they deserve, and they should besides detect something about themselves that proves their ruin was non of pure loss. Kreon ‘s high position place and aristocracy, character defect affecting his hubris, and the greater extent of his ruin in which he recognizes his mistakes certifies Kreon as the true tragic hero of Antigone.