Thebian play of Antigone has excited many debates over the years. The most prevalent being who exactly could be characterized as the tragic hero in the story. The argument that Antigone is the hero is deffinatly a strong one. There are many critics who believe that Creon, however, is the true protagonist of the play. In order to determine whether or not Creon is the tragic hero one must first examine what a tragic hero is. Aristotle states that a hero is neither purely innocent nor purely malevolent. A hero is usually born into high rank of society, and this person must possess a tragic flaw. This flaw normally stems from either poor judgment or extreme arrogance. This flaw will inevitably contribute to the character’s downfall.
As the play opens one becomes acquainted with King Creon as the head of his society. This in itself meets one of Aristotle’s criteria for being a tragic hero, yet as one reads further into the play it becomes obvious that Creon possesses the tragic flaw......
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Approximate Pages: 4 (260 words per double-spaced page) |