Creon's Tragic Flaws In Antigone

“There is no happiness where there is no wisdom; no wisdom but in submission to the gods. Big words are always punished, and proud men in old age learn to be wise” (245). In these final words said by the Choragos, he explains an important lesson learned by the tragic hero in the play “Antigone,” written by Sophocles. In this tragic play, Creon, Antigone’s uncle and the new king of Thebes, gives Eteocles a formal burial but forbids one to Polyneices because of his traitorous act against the city. Antigone, who believes both of her brothers should receive proper burials, defies Creon’s law and secretly buries Polyneices herself, eventually leading Creon to declare her death punishment. Rather than Antigone, Creon is the tragic hero of the play because of the prominence and magnitude of his tragic flaws, specifically his hubris, the morality of his intentions to preserve and protect the well-being of the city, and the failure of his introspective realization of his flawed character to prevent his unfortunate loss of his niece, son, and wife. First and foremost, Creon’s tragic flaw is so severe that Haimon, Tiresias, and the Choragos all cautiously confront Creon about his decision to execute Antigone and inform …show more content…
Antigone was born a royal and she morally obeyed the gods’ laws by providing her brother with a formal burial. Additionally, some may believe Antigone possesses s tragic flaw of arrogance since she outwardly defied Creon’s law and firmly believed in her actions. These characteristics may qualify her as tragic hero; however, the degree of her tragic aspects is not as obvious and significant to the tragedy as a whole, compared to that of Creon. Rather than the hero, Antigone serves as a character whose relationship and interaction with Creon work to highlight his