Antigone

The characters in the play Antigone all suffer a downfall of some sort.   The major characters suffer the


most, though.   In this short essay, I will document on how the two main characters, Creon and Antigone,


both inevitably become tragic heroes.


    The first example that I observed in Antigone was her self-righteous plight to bury her brother.   She


believes that what she is doing is right, and that she will do it no matter what the consequences, because he


was her brother, her blood.   This establishes the first part of a tragic hero, the part about doing something


for the good of someone else, rather for than the greater glory of doing it.


    The first impression that Creon made upon me was his stern, ironclad manner and ethical code.   When


the reader is first introduced to Creon, his or her first impression is that Creon will eventually die, as the


villain does in nearly any play, movie, novel, etc.   But in actuality, Creon suffers the most of all, losing his


one key to immortality, his son.


    I ruled out that Antigone probably was a tragic hero to a lesser extent, however, when she started to


question her actions.   A real hero of any sort always does what they think is right.   Since Creon still hadn't


changed his mind at that point, I was perplexed on who would become the one who regretted their actions


later, and was eventually going to experience a catharsis.


    Haimon was the "silent" tragic hero of the play, suffering at the hands of his strict father.   Haimon


remained loyal up to a certain point, until the question of whether Creon's decision was possibly the right


one.   Haimon established himself as a tragic hero when he tried to kill Creon in revenge for Antigone's


suicide.   Haimon not only lost Antigone's love, he lost his life.


    Earlier, I mentioned...