Antigone Character Analysis - 1422 Words

Antigone, the final play in a series including Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, discusses the ideas of leadership, family, and choices. It features two central characters: Antigone, a girl who chooses to illegally bury her brother, and Creon, a king who decrees the burial of the brother to be illegal. Upon the first encounter of the text, it appears that Antigone is the â€Å"hero† of the play, but on further analysis, one realizes that the tragic hero, as defined by Aristotle, is actually Creon. The idea of a tragic hero involves several factors. One such factor is the hamartia or tragic flaw of the character. Creon and Antigone are similar in this factor because they share a similar flaw in the play: stubbornness. Antigone refuses to listen to her†¦show more content†¦Along with the idea of hamartia comes the idea of anagnorisis, or recognition. This is a key part of defining the tragic hero, and only Creon comes upon more knowledge. Antigone, however, dies in a similar st ate to how she began the play. She is still stubborn and learns nothing about right and wrong beyond what she claimed to know, â€Å"the wise will know my choice was right† (Sophocles 224.904). Even her choice to take her own life instead of waiting to die shows her stubbornness because she would rather die at her own hand than by that of another person, in this case, Creon. He, however, has the chance to learn from the series of events and change his view of the world. After his son and wife die as a result of Antigone’s death, he finally acknowledges â€Å"the doom he brought on himself† (Sophocles 236.1260). Prior to his kin’s deaths, he learns that what he has done is wrong and goes to release Antigone, only to find her dead with his son dead also next to her, â€Å"I can fight necessity no more† (Sophocles 231.1106). Creon’s learning and changing because of this statement is a reason why he is the tragic hero of the play; his stubbornness caused the fall, and he subsequently was forced to learn a lesson. This ending to the play helps develop the catharsis that both the audience and characters feel after the events have occurred. The idea of the play raising â€Å"emotions of pityShow MoreRelatedCharacter Analysis Of Antigone1533 Words   |  7 Pagesplay centers around a young girl, Antigone, that is determined t o bury her wronged brother even though it will end in her imminent death. Creon, the king, has deemed it illegal for anyone to bury Antigone’s brother’s body, even though it is the female family member s duty given by the gods to perform the burial. Antigone stuck to her oath to bury her brother and is caught by Creon and sentenced to death. One of the main themes in this play is family. Each character s ending will be tragic due toRead MoreAntigone Character Analysis1468 Words   |  6 PagesIn the play of Antigone, Sophicles creates a plot that I believe playfully would make viewers sympathetic of the protagonist Antigone. At the beginning of the play, viewers obviously were very sympathetic to Antigone. All she wanted to do was bury her dead brother, and Kreon made it illegal to do such a deed. However, as the play went on, I gained more and more insight on Kreon and my opinion changed. Although Antigone sacrificed her life for what she believed was right, I sympat hize more with KreonRead MoreAntigone Character Analysis1071 Words   |  5 PagesSophocles’s Antigone depicts the struggle between two different characters with their own struggles, doubts, and beliefs. The play opens with the eponymous character lamenting a terrible situation to her sister Ismene. Their brothers Eteocles and Polyneices fought over the throne and killed each other in battle. Creon, their uncle, has forbade anyone to bury Polyneices, since he is considered a traitor to the city of Thebes. As the king, Creon holds the authority of the state above family ties, refusingRead MoreAntigone Character Analysis1122 Words   |  5 PagesAntigone is a Greek play that features a heroine that shows courage and righteousness. This is an interesting play that I believe I would enjoy having the ability to direct. The possibilities that this play can become I think would be very entertaining and meaningful to explore. If I were to direct this play I would want it to communicate that courage comes in many forms and that following one’s beliefs and morals against oppressors is one of the most courageous things that one can do. I would alsoRead MoreAntigone Character Analysis927 Words   |  4 PagesThis theme comes to life in Sophocles’ Antigone, as he illustrates the internal and external struggles of complex characters. The play follows Antigone, a young rebellious girl betrothed to the king’s son. Haemon, prince of Thebes, finds his loyalty caught between his father’s legalistic ways and Antigone’s,   which stem from emotion. In Antigone, Haemon reveals himself as a tragic hero through his struggle between obedience to his father and his love for Antigone. His struggle reveals how obedienceRead MoreAntigone Character Analysis916 Words   |  4 PagesSophocles’ play Antigone, my initial impression of Creon was that his beliefs of the law and the state were rational because of his role as a ruler. But as the play progressed, I began to disagree with his behavior and his values because he only focused on his own moral beliefs rather than considering the beliefs of other people, which could have resolved conflict. Throughout the play, the theme of authority of the state and religion is represented through the individual beliefs of Antigone and Creon.Read MoreAntigone Character Analysis Essay603 Words   |  3 PagesIn Antigone, Antigone braves through all of her hardships and decisions with her morals and set of values. She dies with pride and no regret for she died because she acted doing what was morally right. Many Greek writers disagree with these traits that Sophocles has given her but it is appropriate because she needed these traits to show defiance and be able to stand up for what is right. Antigone is a tragic heroine who believes in her duty to her family and is willing to sacrifice allRead MoreCreon And Antigone Character Analysis1538 Words   |  7 PagesThe characters Creon and Antigone, from Sophocles’ Antigone, act as cautionary figures for the audience as they warn against the intense belief in and dedication to a single perspective, as doing so leads to a certain lack of malleability that is detrimental to maintaining a fully functioning society. The onlookers of this play, the Athenian people, come to naturally notice the benefits of remaining within the middle ground between beliefs such as those that Creon and Antigone stood for. The unfortunateRead MoreThe Character Analysis Of Eteocless Antigone740 Words   |  3 Pages The play Antigone, based in 441 B.C. in Thebes, Greece, told a tale about a fictional family. At the commencement of the play, main character Antigone and her sister, Ismene, travel to Thebes. Upon arrival, the two discover that both of their brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices, are dead. Eteocles has been given the p roper burial, but Creon, Antigone’s uncle who had just attained the throne, banned the burial of Polyneices, because he deemed him to be a traitor. Antigone believed that this was unfairRead MoreCharacter Analysis of Antigone and Creon in William Shakespeare ´s Antigone1144 Words   |  5 PagesAntigone and Creon, the two displayed tragic figures of Antigone, both led themselves to their demise because of their love for themselves and the hate they both share for one another. Antigone’s proven love is of the afterlife while her hate is for her uncle and king, Creon. Creon may share the love of himself, however, it is not quite the same as Antigone’s love. Creon loves to rule the city of Thebes and hate’s Antigone, which is very odd for both characters because they are family. Sophocles