Tragic Hero

Nick Pastore

Professor Mignano-Brady

Literature Composition EGL102

22 October 2012

Option 1: Tragic Hero

Sophocles once said “The greatest griefs are those we cause ourselves”, simply meaning we are the root of our own evil,  our biggest problems are ones that could be ignored or handled in a different manner.  This quote, made by one of the greatest Greek playwrights in history, is particularly true when discussing a tragic hero.  In order for a character to be a tragic hero they must possess certain qualities and characteristics that differentiate them from typical characters in novels or plays.  An adequate example of a tragic hero is the character Antigone from Sophocles classical greek drama Antigone.  The distinct qualities Antigone commands along with the conflicts she faces during the play are what make Antigone a classical greek tragic hero, however she may not be the only one in the play.  It can be debated that Creon, King of Thebes, can constitute being a tragic hero as well, nevertheless Antigone by Sophocles is a prime example when examining the topic of a tragic hero.

Before one can examine Antigone or Creon as a tragic hero, they must first understand what constitutes being tragic hero.  A character that is a tragic hero usually comes from noble status whether it be royalty, a political figure, or war hero, they are not usually what is considered “ordinary.”  These people possess a certain greatness about them which makes them different from other people or characters.  The one similarity amongst all tragic hero’s is their tragic flaw, which will lead to their eventual demise.  The most common tragic flaw is hubris, or excessive pride which causes these characters to put themselves into situations that lead to their downfall.  They do not have the ability to ignore something that they feel is wrong , they must take initiative and do something about it.  Their fate comes as a result of their own actions, however they usually welcome this fate, directly relating to Sophocles quote “The greatest griefs are those we cause ourselves.”  The audience or reader usually feels a sense of pity towards the tragic hero of the novel or play.  A real life example of a tragic hero is Bill Clinton,  forty-second president of the United States.  Bill Clinton was a beloved president, however his tragic flaw ended up being his infidelity and inability to tell the truth about his relations with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.  This led to Clinton being only the second United States president to ever be impeached.

It can easily be said that Antigone, the protagonist of Sophocles classical greek play Antigone, is a tragic hero because she fits all the qualities necessary to be considered one.  Antigone is the daughter of Oedipus, the former king of Thebes, as well as the niece of Creon the current king, adherently making her royalty.  She also possess a tragic flaw which leads to her suicide at the end of the play.  To understand Antigone’s tragic flaw the conflict of the play must be understood first.  Prior to the beginning of the play, Polynices and Eteocles ignited a civil war against each other over the city of Thebes, after both were killed during the battle their uncle Creon became King of Thebes.  As King, Creon set forth an edict which forbid anyone in Thebes from giving Polynices a proper burial, those who dishonored the edict would be stoned to death.  Antigone, who was a sister to both Polynices and Eteocles, does not agree with her uncles edict and feels it is her moral duty to give Polynices a proper burial.  This conflict Antigone faces brings to surface her tragic flaw of hubris.  Antigone is unwilling to follow Creon’s edict, proclaiming he “has no right to keep me from my own (Sophocles 1131).”  Not only does she want to bury her brother, she wants Ismene to “....shout it out (Sophocles 1132).”  Meaning she wanted it to be known she was the one who had gone against the king, displaying her excessive pride.  Antigone understands her fate will be death and she is willing to welcome it which is why she takes her own life after she is exiled to the cave towards the end of the play.  As the audience reads the play they fear for Antigone because they understand her unconscious act of loyalty towards her brother would lead to her eventual death.   

Though it is uncommon, it is possible for there to be multiple tragic heroins and it could be debated that Creon is also a tragic hero.  It is quite obvious that Creon is a noble figure and rules through the fear of the people.  Like Antigone, Creon shares the tragic flaw of having excessive pride as well as arrogance.  The difference between the two is that Creon’s flaw is brought about through an internal conflict.  The conflict Creon faces is the decision to follow through with his edict and kill Antigone or take it back and possibly be viewed as weak.  When Creon proposed the edict in the beginning of the play he was defying the law of the ancient Greek gods, which states a proper burial must be given after death.  Creon knew of this when proposing his edict but refused to comply with the rules of the gods.  Due to his hubris Creon is unwilling to listen to the advice of others specifically Teiresias when he attempts to warn Creon of the affects his edict will have upon himself as well as Thebes.  Creon says “As I should imagine that the worst injury must be native stupidity”, meaning he feels listening to the advice of others is wrong, displaying his arrogance (Sophocles 1157).   It is not until the end of the play does Creon finally understand his wrong-doings, but by then it is too late.  After the death of his son Creon states “Yes, I have learned it to my bitterness.  At this moment God has sprung on my head with a vast weight and struck me down (Sophocles 1162).”  Creon has realized his overwhelming pride resulted in the death of his niece, son, and wife as well as his ultimate downfall.  

A tragic hero is much different from what people may think, when people here the word “hero” they have a preconceived notion of what is actually is.  “Hero” usually entitles a legendary figure with great strength or ability, like a superpower, who can do no wrong ("Merriam Webster").  A tragic hero is much different, this is a person like Antigone or Creon who may be noble but possess a tragic flaw that eventually leads to a tragic ending.  In both the characters hubris is brought about though two different conflicts.  Aristotle said “A man cannot be a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall” and at the end of Antigone both characters are aware they brought upon their fate as a result of their own actions.