Creon, the Tragic Hero
The genuine tragic hero is Creon, as his power, actions, and flaws are what set the tragedy into a downward position. What Antigone lacks is remorse for her actions. A huge part of being a tragic hero is knowing the wrong-doing and showing remorse for the act weather it be criminal or on an immoral level.
Creon is a king, a very wealthy and powerful human, but he still is a human with flaws nonetheless. His people follow him loyally; this loyalty is shown when they follow his order about Polyneices' burial. When the Choragos, who represents the people, speaks for them and says "If that is your will, Creon son of Menoikus, you have the right to enforce it: we are yours"(Literature for Composition. Scene 1. Page 444. Line 37). This power that Creon holds with the people plays an important role in the stories events. The royalty factor of his character makes him more of a natural fit for the textbook definition of a tragic hero. Another characteristic is the fear that Creon instills in his people. For example, when Antigone asks Ismene to break the law Ismene replies in fear saying "Think of how terrible than these deaths, our own death would be if we were to go against Creon." (Literature for Composition. Scene 1. Page 441. Line 42.) Again, this establishes Creon as not a leader, but even could be described as a dictator. It provides a path for the tragic swell of events that are set off by Creon's actions. Creon may be a well respected or feared king, but in Greek religion, kings have no power to question the laws of god, and that is exactly where Creon was testing the waters . In a long speech, Creon delivers the command that "Polyneices...is to have no burial: no man is to touch him or say the least prayer for him; he shall lie on the plain, unburied"(Literature for Composition. Scene 1. Page 444. Line 29.) When Creon states this command he is in turn defying the ancient law of the Gods, which states that upon death, a proper burial is necessary. This action
Creon is a king, a very wealthy and powerful human, but he still is a human with flaws nonetheless. His people follow him loyally; this loyalty is shown when they follow his order about Polyneices' burial. When the Choragos, who represents the people, speaks for them and says "If that is your will, Creon son of Menoikus, you have the right to enforce it: we are yours"(Literature for Composition. Scene 1. Page 444. Line 37). This power that Creon holds with the people plays an important role in the stories events. The royalty factor of his character makes him more of a natural fit for the textbook definition of a tragic hero. Another characteristic is the fear that Creon instills in his people. For example, when Antigone asks Ismene to break the law Ismene replies in fear saying "Think of how terrible than these deaths, our own death would be if we were to go against Creon." (Literature for Composition. Scene 1. Page 441. Line 42.) Again, this establishes Creon as not a leader, but even could be described as a dictator. It provides a path for the tragic swell of events that are set off by Creon's actions. Creon may be a well respected or feared king, but in Greek religion, kings have no power to question the laws of god, and that is exactly where Creon was testing the waters . In a long speech, Creon delivers the command that "Polyneices...is to have no burial: no man is to touch him or say the least prayer for him; he shall lie on the plain, unburied"(Literature for Composition. Scene 1. Page 444. Line 29.) When Creon states this command he is in turn defying the ancient law of the Gods, which states that upon death, a proper burial is necessary. This action