For example,Oedipus from Oedipus The King by Sophocles is a well thorough example of a tragic hero, as well as Okonkwo from Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. Both characters are heroic and important people in their societies as well as admired by readers through the imagery of their action. However, the flaw that each of them have ruins their lives and drives them into pain. Oedipus is a mythical Greek king of a city named Thebes, he fulfills a prophecy that said he would kill his father, and thereby brings a disaster on his city and family. Okonkwo, on the other hand, is a wealthy and a well respected warrior of the Umofian clan, a lower Nigerian tribe who gives effort to develop into a powerful and successful person, nevertheless ends up self murdered and doomed as an evil spirit.
Creon is a tragic hero because he is a noble, he had flawed, and his realization of his flaws came far too late. Creon coming in nobility and taking place the place as king was the beginnings of a tragic hero. To be noble is to have a high social position by birth or title. “Unfortunately, as you know… the princes Eteocles and Polyneices have killed each other…I as the next in blood, have succeeded to the full power of the throne.” (Sc. 1 Line 15-17) Creon was only made king after the deaths of Eteocles and Polyneices.
He is the antagonist, it is he who sent Antigone to her death and brought trouble to the kingdom. Creon finally admits, “Woe is me! To none else can they lay it, This guilt, but to me! I, I was the slayer, I say it, Unhappy, of thee! O bear me, haste ye, spare not, To the ends of earth, More nothing than they who were not In the hour of birth!” (50-51) Creon now blames himself, he realizes his mistake in not consulting the senators, and for condemning Antigone so hastily despite her just reasoning.
Knowing that he caused the death of these three and it will live with him forever, it might as well be as bad as dying. He later shows how he cowardly backs down or is going to back down from being king of Thebes. He says, “led me away I have been rash and foolish” which means he wants to be sent away and he doesn’t want to be king anymore. Even though both Antigone and Creon have the characteristics of being a tragic hero. Sophocles shows that Antigone is more of one then Creon.
He greatly fears that “the people// [will] choose Caesar for their king” (I.ii.78-79). However, within Brutus’s wrong decisions lie his honorable thoughts and purposes. He presumes to “make// [their] purpose necessary and not envious” (II.i.177-178). Brutus implies that only murderers act out of jealousy, but honorable ones act out of honesty and justice. Influenced by the belief of Brutus disliking Caesar, some may think that the idea of assassinating Caesar is for selfish reasons, or that Brutus has a personal enmity against Caesar.
The Tragic Hero In Literature and Society (4th edition), Sophocles’ play “Antigone” depicts Creon as the tragic hero because of his tragic flaw, his suffering, and the way he arouses pity and fear in the audience. In Greek mythology, Creon is of noble blood and the ruler of Thebes. He becomes the king after his nephew’s death. He orders a law to forbid anyone from burying Polyneices, brother of the former king Eteocles. Polyneices betrays his kingdom and dies killing his brother.
Both people put their life in danger, be it from themselves or guards looking for them; the difference is how they handle it. Macbeth, in the end, cracks and is killed while Philippe triumphs and is a hero. They both learned the same lesson though, that good always triumphs over evil. In both stories good triumphed over evil. Macbeth ended up dying from the results of his tragic flaw, ambition, and Philippe ended up becoming a hero for helping the two lovers.
Caesar's own personality was a key role to his own death making him as guilty as everyone else. If Caesar was a caring ruler he might have survived his assassination but unfortunately he was the stereotypical leader and only cared for the good of himself. Even though the empire was stopped before Caesar could rule it, the republic did not last much longer anyway. Caesar's death was not much of an effect on Rome but nonetheless it was Caesars fault. Caesar was arrogant, hubris and full of pride.
These characters have what it truly means to be a tragic hero in the past. They both possess the qualities, according to Aristotle, of a tragic hero. They are both born of noble birth, and the audience feels pity on these characters. They also both have Peripeteia, defined as a reversal of fortune brought about by the hero’s tragic flaw. Hamlet’s tragic flaw was him waiting too long to kill Claudius and in doing so, everyone died including Hamlet.
He has lost the ability to sense right and wrong. He has become twisted and evil. Macbeth has got what he has worked for and promised. He becomes king by killing and is unwanted by the people. With all of his murders, it lead someone to become suspicious of him.