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Tragic Hero Antingone Essay

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Tragic Hero Antingone Essay
Initially, a tragic hero is the true hero in a tragedy, in which his or her fatal flaws determine the outcome of the story. In addition to the hero’s flaw, fate and other external forces such as people and the environment also have an effect on the tragedy. In “Antigone”, Creon best represents the true tragic hero based on Aristotle’s Theory of Tragedy. His contributions to the events of tragedy are shown through the sequential structures of inciting incident- beginning of the problem, Hamartia- the tragic flaw or mistake, and Anagnorisis- the realization of wrongdoings. Brutus, from The Tragedy of Juliet Caesar coincides with the tragedy through his absent mindedness on being convinced to kill Caesar, his mistake of murdering Caesar, and his realization of killing himself to appease the Ghost of Caesar.

The beginning of the problem arouses when Antigone self- righteously decides to argue with Creon on the behalf of her brother’s burial, which is the inciting incident. “Naturally! Since Zeus never promulgated such a law…” (p. 179) Antigone states to Creon the immoral principles of his law. Antigone is neither phased nor frightened by Creon’s overwhelming dictatorship, because she is more devoted into obeying a higher sense of authority-the gods. “There is no shame to reverence relatives.”(p.181) Antigone is stable- minded in her belief of burying her “reverence relative”-Polyneices. This proves that she definitely has no “shame” of doing a good deed for someone she loved, even if it meant breaking the law and facing the king. Brutus is troubled by an anonymous letter from reading how he should get rid of the pompous king, Juliet Caesar. Brutus begins to ponder on the controversial issue of the killing Juliet Caesar for the good of the people (his sidemen).

The tragic flaw, hamartia, occurs when Creon decides to punish Antigone (his own relative) for flouting his law and opposing his authority. “Off with them and lock them up…” (p.184) Creon no longer

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