Antigone: An Aristotelian Tragedy

In an Aristotelian Tragedy, most characters error that causes his or her own downfall. Like in Antigone by Sophocles whose character, Antigone, is trying to bury her deceased brother. Her uncle, Creon, who is now the new ruler of Thebes has made a new law stating that traitors shall not be buried and he considers Polyneices, Antigone’s brother a traitor. Antigone then decides to bury him anyway but is caught and sent away to die, despite warnings from people. Antigone, Haimon who is Creon’s son, and Eurydice who is Creon’s wife, all end up killing themselves because of his decision. The character that best meets the criteria of a tragic hero is Creon and not Antigone because he satisfy’s the criteria of a tragic hero.

A tragic hero must either have admirable qualities or be of high social status. For example, ” If that is what you think, I should not want you, even if you asked to come you have made your choice, you can be what you want to be. But I will bury him; and if I might die, I say that this crime is holey: I shall lie down with him in death, and I shall be as dear to him as he to me. It is the dead, not the living who make the longest demands: We die forever…You may do as you like; since apparently the laws of the gods mean nothing to you” (192). This quote shows how some Antigone’s admirable qualities are how loyal and brave she is and how faar she is willing to fight for what she believes in, even if it means death. Another example,”…I am aware of course that no ruler can expect complete loyalty from his subjects until he has been tested in office. Nevertheless, I say to you at the very outset that I have nothing but contempt for the kind of Governor who is afraid, for whatever reason, to follow the course that he knows what is best for the state; and as for the man who sets private friendship above the public welfare,- I have no use for him either. I call god to witness that if I saw my country headed for ruin, I should not be afraid to speak out plainly; and I need hardly remind you that I would never have any dealings with an enemy of the people…”(197). This sample shows how Creon does start out with good intentions as king for his country and people. Both examples both prove how Creon was a king with good objectives at first while and how far Antigone is willing to go for what she believes.

Other key elements needed to be a tragic hero are mistakes or personal error that leads to their downfall or suffering. For instance,” Go away Ismene: I shall be hating you soon, and the dead will too, for your words are hatefull. Leave me my foolish plan: I am not afraid of the danger; if it means death, it will not be the worst of deaths- death without honor” (193). This verify’s that Antigone ‘s devoted decision and pride build up to her moment of death because she has too much pride. For example, ” I will carry her far away out there in the wilderness and lock her Living in a vault of stone. She shall have food, As the custom is, to absolute the state of her death. And there let her pray to the gods of hell: They are her only gods: Perhaps they will show her an escape from death, Or she may learn, though late, that piety shown the dead is pity in vein” (224). Creon’s personal error leads to the death of Antigone, Haimon and his wife’s. He ends up losiing his family because he ends up becoming more arrogant and full of pride when he became king. These examples how it was Antigone’s choice to bury her brother which eventually leads to her own sucide. Creon on the other hand makes his own personal errors that lead to his loves ones taking their own lives while cursing him to their graves.

To be a tragic hero, people or characters must usually undergo a punishment and lesson or some sort of suffering by the gods. A example of that is, ” We obeyed; and in the covern’s farthest corner we saw her lying: she mad a noose of her fine linen veil and hanged herself”(240). Antigone doesn’t really learn anything because in the end, she escapes her punishment and suffering by taking her own life. Another example is, ” Lead me away, I have been rash and foolish. I have kiled my son and my wife. I look for comfort, my comfort lies here dead. Whatever my hands have touched has come to nothing. Fate has brought all my pride to a thought of dust” (244). As a result of losing his family, Creon learns how “rash and foolish” he’s been acting and now although too a bit too late. Antigone commits sucide and therefore did not learn anything important or suffered while Creon on the other hand, has to live everyday as punishment of the gods knowing that he caused the deaths of his beloved family.

Creon meets the standards of a tragic hero than Antigone because he was at his highest peak, but ends up on a downward spiral because of his choices . Creon went from the man who had everything, to the man who ends up basically killing his own family because of his pride and poor mistakes. The purpose of Greek dramas are to spread a specific message for or theory about something. The message for Antigone specifically are to tell readers to follow gods laws or they shall be punished and suffer their wrath.