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  • Essay / Analysis of Creon as a Tragic Hero in Sophocles' Antigone

    A tragic hero is a literary character who commits an error of judgment that inevitably leads to his own destruction. Every Greek tragedy must have a tragic hero. In Sophocles' play Antigone, this tragic hero is Creon. He possesses the tragic flaws of excessive pride and pretension. This causes a tragic reversal that leads to his emotional ruin not only with himself but also with his family. The conflict was that Creon had created a law allowing Polyneices, Antigone's brother, to be buried improperly. Antigone believed it was her right to bury her brother, which led her to disobey the law of Thebes. Between Creon and Antigone, it is clear that the strength of a family lies in mutual loyalty. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get Original Essay Creon's stubbornness, excessive pride, and inflated ego are his greatest flaws that will ultimately lead to his downfall. Hemon, Creon's son, and he argue about Antigone and her fate. Haemon, who will soon be Antigone's husband, wants his father to let go and not punish her, but Creon's need for right and power proves more important than his son's happiness. As Haemon continues to make his point, he says to Creon, "So let not your mind dwell on one thought, that what you say is right and nothing else." A man who thinks that he alone is wise, that he can speak and think like no one else, when such men are exposed, then all can see their inner emptiness. Haemon says that Creon is stupid for thinking he is impeccable and that he is the only one who thinks he is right. Haemon also states that if you open Creon, there is nothing but an empty heart that doesn't care about the feelings of others. Creon's stubbornness against his own son is a significant sign of his downfall as a tragic hero. Creon's interactions with Antigone reveal that his reasoning is based more on sexism than rationality. In one of their interactions, Creon questions Antigone about her actions. Antigone being herself defends her ground, showing no weakness towards Creon and disrespecting him as a king. Creon, disconcerted by the attitude Antigone gives him, attacks her, threatens her and declares: “Then go down to the dead. If you have to love, love them. No woman will rule me – no, no – not while I am still alive. Creon doesn't want to be challenged by a girl so he sends her to her death without any remorse. Antigone's constant smug remarks pushed Creon to his limits, causing him to reveal his flaws. Creon is at a crossroads with Antigone, not knowing what to do with her. Creon admits that he must punish Antigone or risk losing his authority and even his virility. He can't respond rationally to her argument, so he has to get rid of her. “She laughs at what she did. Well, in that case, if she gets what she wants and goes unpunished, then she's the man here, not me,” seethes Creon, and his rage drives him to action that will ultimately condemn his whole family. The final decision Creon must make is whether or not to kill Antigone. Creon would do the right thing, but it would show that he was wrong in his decision regarding his new law and he does not want to admit that he was wrong. These flaws that Creon possesses contribute to his development as a tragic hero. Creon's actions not only affected him, but also his family and their loyalty to each other. In the play, it is very clear that Antigone is very loyal to her family, regardless of.