Creon: The Tragic Hero Over time we as humans have categorized heroes as courageous, selfless, and dedicated. However, a tragic hero is defined by different qualities. Aristotle defines a tragic hero as, “a literary character who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to his/her own destruction” (Tragic Hero as Defined By Aristotle). In Sophocles play, Antigone, Creon makes a judgment error, that leads to a punishment worse than he deserved. When considering Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero, Creon illustrates the title of “tragic hero” most dominantly throughout the story. Creon posses hamartia throughout the entire narrative. According to Aristotle, hamartia is defined as, a “flaw or error of judgment” (Tragic Hero as Defined
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However these critics fail to look at the facts. Aristotle states that, a tragic hero should adhere to these traits, “A reversal of fortune (peripeteia) brought about because of the hero's error in judgment.” and “The discovery or recognition that the reversal was brought about by the hero's own actions (anagnorisis)” (Tragic Hero as Defined by Aristotle). In this case Antigone does not experience peripeteia nor anagnorisis, while creon does. For example, “Lead me away. I have been rash and foolish. I have killed my son and my wife. I look for comfort; my comfort lies here dead.” (Sophocles, II, iiiii, 142-144). It is in this moment that Creon experienced both traits. He had realized that he had a flaw that inevitably lead to his downfall. Clearly, the evidence shows that creon is the tragic hero of Sophocles play, Antigone. Creon applies to every characteristic of a tragic hero as defined by Aristotle. The choragos sums up the lesson that Creon learned, “There is no happiness where there is no wisdom” (Sophocles, II, iiiii, line 147).
In the end, he learned from his pride, which is Creon makes the prime example of a tragic
However these critics fail to look at the facts. Aristotle states that, a tragic hero should adhere to these traits, “A reversal of fortune (peripeteia) brought about because of the hero's error in judgment.” and “The discovery or recognition that the reversal was brought about by the hero's own actions (anagnorisis)” (Tragic Hero as Defined by Aristotle). In this case Antigone does not experience peripeteia nor anagnorisis, while creon does. For example, “Lead me away. I have been rash and foolish. I have killed my son and my wife. I look for comfort; my comfort lies here dead.” (Sophocles, II, iiiii, 142-144). It is in this moment that Creon experienced both traits. He had realized that he had a flaw that inevitably lead to his downfall. Clearly, the evidence shows that creon is the tragic hero of Sophocles play, Antigone. Creon applies to every characteristic of a tragic hero as defined by Aristotle. The choragos sums up the lesson that Creon learned, “There is no happiness where there is no wisdom” (Sophocles, II, iiiii, line 147).
In the end, he learned from his pride, which is Creon makes the prime example of a tragic