Antigone, Literary Analysis of a Tragic Hero

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Literary Analysis of the Tragic Hero “Honor isn’t about making the right choices; it’s about dealing with the consequences” Sophocles, author of the Theban plays, clearly depicts a tragic hero through the unjust life of Antigone. A tragic hero must be noble and virtuous, as Antigone was throughout the whole story and she appears to be better and larger than the ordinary person. As seen while she cares for her father after he exiles himself and gives him comfort and company during his travel. She also shows nobility and honor when fighting for her brothers burial rights, even though the consequence was death. Throughout the Theban plays she stood out as being the only woman with courage and honor. The hero must also have “harmatia” or a tragic flaw and Antigone’s main flaw during the play was stubbornness. This helped to create Antigone as a person, because without her stubbornness, her brother would have never been buried. Her constant denial to everything Creon said played a very important role in accomplishing what she needed to do. To Creon she was arrogant because she would not do anything she was told even though it came from him, the king. Heroes must also have a downfall which evokes the audience pity, which in this case is when Antigone dies fighting for her brothers proper burial rights. After arguing so much with Creon about what seems to be right. She decides to take a chance and bury her brother properly after being denied to do so. She is locked up and sentenced to death by Creon. She feels that she has no more purpose in life but to die and join the rest of her family and so she does. She kills herself before she could be killed. Sophocles one of the greatest play writers of his time, whom wrote the Theban plays and it was he who created Antigone. He created her to fight against injustice and be a strong and courageous woman that serves as an

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