What Is Creon A Tragic Hero
As the Greek philosopher, Aristotle, once said in the Poetics, a tragic hero should be “between these two extremes—that of a man who is not eminently good and just, yet whose misfortune is brought about not by vice or depravity, but by some error or frailty.” The ultimate purpose of a tragic hero is to construct catharsis. Doing this by making the audience commiserate with the protagonist producing emotions by having a rise and a plummeting downfall in the character’s life. Some would quarrel that Antigone is certainly the tragic hero because her fate is undoubtedly tragic; but however, she doesn’t experience an uplifting or rise, nor is she noble, it was clear from the beginning that she was indeed commencing towards her death. As for Creon,
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As seen on lines 154- 155 Creon shows his patriotism, dignity, and leadership when he says, “I call God to witness that if I saw my country headed for ruin, I should not be afraid to speak out plainly”, but unfortunately for him, his flaw of hubris, stubbornness, and reluctance to everyone else’s views lead him to tragedy. He refuses to listen to anybody as he claims on lines 596, “My voice is the one voice giving orders in this city!” Clearly showing that he will not listen, nor even take into consideration of other peoples’ …show more content…
As he does admit and recognize his own demise on lines 987-992, “My own blind heart has brought me from darkness to final darkness. Here you see the father murdering, the murdered son—And all my civic wisdom! Haimon my son, so young, so young to die, I was the fool, not you; and you died for me.” This clearly shows that Creon had decisively recognized his own termination. He eventually does pay the ultimate price for what he has done as his fate, and recognition of his fate lead him tumbling into the depths of his own downfall. As the Exodus said at the end of Antigone on lines 908-910, “Creon was happy once, as I count happiness: Victorious in battle, sole governor of the land, fortunate father of children nobly born. And now it has all gone from him!” He used to have a great life with his son, wife, and family but now all is gone for him. Creon’s life is ultimately more tragic; and although he did not die, as Aristotle would define it, with honor and courage he did initially die inside from losing his family caused by his own actions and a result of his
As seen on lines 154- 155 Creon shows his patriotism, dignity, and leadership when he says, “I call God to witness that if I saw my country headed for ruin, I should not be afraid to speak out plainly”, but unfortunately for him, his flaw of hubris, stubbornness, and reluctance to everyone else’s views lead him to tragedy. He refuses to listen to anybody as he claims on lines 596, “My voice is the one voice giving orders in this city!” Clearly showing that he will not listen, nor even take into consideration of other peoples’ …show more content…
As he does admit and recognize his own demise on lines 987-992, “My own blind heart has brought me from darkness to final darkness. Here you see the father murdering, the murdered son—And all my civic wisdom! Haimon my son, so young, so young to die, I was the fool, not you; and you died for me.” This clearly shows that Creon had decisively recognized his own termination. He eventually does pay the ultimate price for what he has done as his fate, and recognition of his fate lead him tumbling into the depths of his own downfall. As the Exodus said at the end of Antigone on lines 908-910, “Creon was happy once, as I count happiness: Victorious in battle, sole governor of the land, fortunate father of children nobly born. And now it has all gone from him!” He used to have a great life with his son, wife, and family but now all is gone for him. Creon’s life is ultimately more tragic; and although he did not die, as Aristotle would define it, with honor and courage he did initially die inside from losing his family caused by his own actions and a result of his