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.
Appearing to be very angry that a woman dared to defy his wishes, Creon boldly declares that “When I am alive no woman shall rule.” The issue of Antigone being condemned to die becomes more than just a person who disobeys Creon; instead, the punishment is given even more eagerly because it is a woman who disobeys a man. Creon does not respect Antigone because she is a woman. Haimon, Creon’s last son hated his father for killing his future bride. After failing to convince his father to forgive Antigone, Haimon visited the cell where she was poisoned. Since Haimon could not stand dealing with his lover’s death he “drew his sword” and killed himself.
When Creon forbids the burial rites of her beloved brother Polynices, she fails to comply with his demands, and goes out of her way to give him a proper burial. She knows the dire consequences of death if she disobeys Creon’s orders, but “she shows her father’s stubborn spirit; to not give away when everything’s against her.” Antigone even goes as far as to speak out against the King, by stating that his ‘edicts are not strong enough” because his laws do not overrule those of the gods. “She [I] knows her [my] duties… where true duty lies”, and Creon has “no right to keep her [me] from her [my] own.” Her determination and her pride is so immense, that she is not frightened of her possible death if caught going against the King. She also justifies her action by saying she is fulfilling her fate of the family curse. “This is the expiation…for the sin of my [your] father.” She is abiding in the wills of the gods and respects all their laws.
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.
Creon may think she is just as stubborn as her father Oedipus once was. But, she had to have a real burial for her brother rather than him just rotting away. King Creon asks her: “Did you by any chance act on the assumption, Antigone that a daughter of Oedipus, a daughter of Oedipus’ stubborn pride, was above the law?” Antigone answers back, “No, I did not act on that assumption. Creon answers back, “Because if you had acted on that assumption, Antigone, you would have been deeply wrong. Nobody has a more sacred obligation to obey the law-makers, a daughter of Kings, Antigone.
Because of the hubris, or hurtful, over bearing pride, of each of the characters, destruction descends upon them. Antigone’s destruction comes from her being to stubborn to back down, but Creon’s downfall comes from attempting to be just and right by enforcing the law. Since Creon acted as he thought right and just, then suffered tragedy because of an error he made, he displays the image of a tragic hero. Antigone is the law of the gods in her beliefs. She also holds her family above the laws of man.
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.
Antigone is ultimately the protagonist of this play for struggling against Creon and his unjust ruling and instead doing what she believes is morally right despite it being against a law. Creon is the antagonist for being an unsuitable leader who judges, is full of pride, and ignorant. He has more evil qualities as many Thebens disagreed with him and saw Antigone as more just. It is Antigone’s tragedy in the play because of her determination to honor her dead brother and leading herself to being in a tomb alive by Creon and ends her life by suicide. Antigone’s whole life was very tragic as the audience knew she was heading to death after one unfortunate after
The pride of Antigone, Creon and Haemond moves the action of the play. Antigone's pride causes her to disobey King Creon's law. King Creon has made for Theban citizens a law that states that no one can bury Polyneices' body. Instead of listening to her ruler, Antigone decides to bury her brother anyway simply because she loves him. It is because of this pride that she is later condemned to death.
This conflicts her emotions because she wants to be able to mourn her brother, but she does not want to disobey her uncle. These emotions help reveal the theme because Antigone decides that she should bury her brother despite Creon’s law. Antigone is faithful to the unwritten laws of the Gods because she feels they are more important than those made by man. The theme of the play is also revealed through the external conflict between Creon and the Gods. Creon being stubborn and proud feels that he is above the laws of the almighty, he neglects to see the signs the Gods send as a warning until he has lost everything.