Antigone: Most Tragic Hero Essay Example
Jessie Romelus
English I
Mrs. Joseph
March 14,2011
Antigone: the Most Tragic Hero Sophocles Playwright, The Three Plebian Plays: Antigone, Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus written by Sophocles, is one of the many plays that shows the audience heroic figures and the outcome of being exposed to fate. Creon and Anitgone both show nobility throughout the play showing that they are both admirable and human. Antigone copes with the situation she has fallen in. She rebels the governments decree so she could have a proper burial for her deceased brother. Doing this Antigone did not only prove that she is brave and showed great fortitude, but in the process Antigone also defends her faithfulness for her family. This makes Antigone the tragic hero because she suffers and succeeds as well. Antigone suffers dieing a horrific death but succeeds in giving her brother the proper burial he deserved. Antigone is seen as a tragic hero when she states. “I will bury him myself. And even if I die in the act, that death will be a glory. I will lie with the one I love and loved by him-“(Sophocles 87). This passage proves that Antigone does not fear death at this point if it means honoring her brother with a proper burial. It also shows the strength Antigone has as a noble character. Fearless and confident, Antigone shows great faithfulness until the end for her brother. Antigone committed herself to the “goal” of burying her brother fearless of her fateful future, death. Great pity is shown for Antigone in the audience as Anitgone says, “ Oh god, the voice of death. It’s come, its here”(Antigone 1025). They fear for her and her life. They know that Antigone destined future (death) is closer and Antigone is aware. They fear that her time has come to pay the price of going against the governments decree. But the audience really sees that death is coming upon her when Creon states, “True, Not a word of hope – your doom is sealed” (Antigone 1026). The audience
English I
Mrs. Joseph
March 14,2011
Antigone: the Most Tragic Hero Sophocles Playwright, The Three Plebian Plays: Antigone, Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus written by Sophocles, is one of the many plays that shows the audience heroic figures and the outcome of being exposed to fate. Creon and Anitgone both show nobility throughout the play showing that they are both admirable and human. Antigone copes with the situation she has fallen in. She rebels the governments decree so she could have a proper burial for her deceased brother. Doing this Antigone did not only prove that she is brave and showed great fortitude, but in the process Antigone also defends her faithfulness for her family. This makes Antigone the tragic hero because she suffers and succeeds as well. Antigone suffers dieing a horrific death but succeeds in giving her brother the proper burial he deserved. Antigone is seen as a tragic hero when she states. “I will bury him myself. And even if I die in the act, that death will be a glory. I will lie with the one I love and loved by him-“(Sophocles 87). This passage proves that Antigone does not fear death at this point if it means honoring her brother with a proper burial. It also shows the strength Antigone has as a noble character. Fearless and confident, Antigone shows great faithfulness until the end for her brother. Antigone committed herself to the “goal” of burying her brother fearless of her fateful future, death. Great pity is shown for Antigone in the audience as Anitgone says, “ Oh god, the voice of death. It’s come, its here”(Antigone 1025). They fear for her and her life. They know that Antigone destined future (death) is closer and Antigone is aware. They fear that her time has come to pay the price of going against the governments decree. But the audience really sees that death is coming upon her when Creon states, “True, Not a word of hope – your doom is sealed” (Antigone 1026). The audience