Antigone
Antigone`s Tragic Hero This analysis is to determine the character that fits the tragic hero profile; it was completely based according to the Aristotelian idea of tragic hero and it is understood that hero is: ". ... Either Antigone or Creon is situated in the highest level of the social hierarchy. Creon became the king of Thebes, after his two nephews killed each other over the throne; Antigone (Creon’s niece), was an orphan who happened to be Creon’s future daughter in law. ... Antigone’s actions towards the burial of her brother (although he fought against his country, she taught that he deserved to be buried), reflected fidelity and respect upon the religious tradition and the gods’ laws. ... ; Creon would not accept anybody’s disobedience against his laws, and Antigone, on the other hand, would not give up on her brother’s burial. ... Antigone is just as wrong as Creon. ... After a profound analysis of the tragedy, I strongly think that Antigone is not able to be a tragic heroine. ... Antigone possesses all moral values to be, somewhat, a heroine (not a tragic one); she is an eminent example of someone who did what she thought it was right to do (Polynieces’ burial), and while she was among danger, obstacles and people who were cowards (Chorus), she obeys the laws of the gods and is careless about the mortal law’s penalty, her own death. ... What are left on my thoughts are the reasons that make Creon more tragic than Antigone. ... In addition to it, he also is strict and certain of Antigone’s condemnation for her opposition against "his" law, but he was the only one who was against the divine law. Antigone’s reasons for burying her brother were strictly to demonstrate love, loyalty, honor, and respect for her family and for her brother to be accepted in the gods’ land. ... The type of punishment given to Antigone was very severe and cowardly, in contrast to the main reason that caused it. Why would he lock Antigone up and starve her to death when he could have her killed in an effective and quick way? ... Haemon says that the entire population of Thebes disagrees with Creon’s punishment for Antigone, but he certainly says: "And is Thebes about to tell me how to rule?