Creon, the Tragic Hero
Alex Hamilton
Mrs. Wolf
AP Lit.
6 December 2012
Creon, the True Tragic Hero
Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero is one who is in power or associated with power. They have a hamartia, or flaw, that will ultimately cause their own downfall. Many would use this and claim that Antigone is the tragic hero of the self-named play, but one character has a much more grand fall from the heavens after he losses both wife and son to Antigone (isn’t exactly their main reason, but Antigone’s actions do lead to their untimely deaths.) The true tragic hero is then Creon, for he put the law over his own family, and did wrong judgment on them as he condemned them all to death, leaving him alone and broken from his flaw. The play begins with the death of two brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices, and their burial plans from Creon. Polyneices came back into Thebes after being exiled by Creon, and killed his own brother while his brother killed him. So Creon plans to give a grand funeral to Eteocles, who died protecting the city-state, and is not going to give one for Polyneices. Instead, Polyneices’ is to be left out in the middle of nowhere and left for the birds to peck his bones clean. This is complete disregard of the beliefs’ of the Greeks. In this time, it is only proper to bury any and all of the dead, even if they are of the enemy. This is just the first step that Creon will take before he drops from so high up. Outraged by all of this, Antigone goes on to bury her brother. She feels pain, but her moral code tells her that this is just and righteous path. But soon enough Creon hears all about this, and wants whoever did this to be punished. Antigone is caught in the act and is taken to Creon without much struggle in order to find out her fate. Creon then takes another step to the cliff for his fatal fall. Creon also summons for Ismene, sister to Antigone, for he believes that both are guilty of the crime, blinded by his own principle of “No one values friendship
Mrs. Wolf
AP Lit.
6 December 2012
Creon, the True Tragic Hero
Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero is one who is in power or associated with power. They have a hamartia, or flaw, that will ultimately cause their own downfall. Many would use this and claim that Antigone is the tragic hero of the self-named play, but one character has a much more grand fall from the heavens after he losses both wife and son to Antigone (isn’t exactly their main reason, but Antigone’s actions do lead to their untimely deaths.) The true tragic hero is then Creon, for he put the law over his own family, and did wrong judgment on them as he condemned them all to death, leaving him alone and broken from his flaw. The play begins with the death of two brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices, and their burial plans from Creon. Polyneices came back into Thebes after being exiled by Creon, and killed his own brother while his brother killed him. So Creon plans to give a grand funeral to Eteocles, who died protecting the city-state, and is not going to give one for Polyneices. Instead, Polyneices’ is to be left out in the middle of nowhere and left for the birds to peck his bones clean. This is complete disregard of the beliefs’ of the Greeks. In this time, it is only proper to bury any and all of the dead, even if they are of the enemy. This is just the first step that Creon will take before he drops from so high up. Outraged by all of this, Antigone goes on to bury her brother. She feels pain, but her moral code tells her that this is just and righteous path. But soon enough Creon hears all about this, and wants whoever did this to be punished. Antigone is caught in the act and is taken to Creon without much struggle in order to find out her fate. Creon then takes another step to the cliff for his fatal fall. Creon also summons for Ismene, sister to Antigone, for he believes that both are guilty of the crime, blinded by his own principle of “No one values friendship