When one thinks about a hero, oftentimes what comes to mind is a large, brooding man with hulking muscles and a beautiful girl on his arm. However, Greek tragedian Sophocles imagined a different breed of hero that was later defined by Aristotle. Aristotle defines a tragic hero as a highborn person who, as a result of some tragic flaw or shortcoming in his personality, makes a mistake in judgement which brings about misery, a loss of moral dignity, great sorrow, and suffering. In Sophocles's tragedy, Antigone, King Creon possesses all the qualities of a tragic hero. Blinded by his pride, King Creon sentenced false protagonist Antigone to death, thus condemned himself to lifelong sorrow, fulfilled his calamitous fate, and became a sympathetic
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As mentioned above, even after Prince Haimon warned his father of the unpopularity of his decision, Creon still refused to take his actions into careful consideration. With no interest in the opinion of his subjects, Creon defensively stated, "The State is the King!" (iii,598) With this brash remark, Creon displayed his irreproachable attitude regarding politics. The last attempt to right the king's wrong is made by the prophet Teiresias, who is first insulted by false accusations of bribery on account of Creon's hubris. Creon does not understand the value of Teiresias's prophecy until it is too late, and his attempt to correct himself was made in vain. By the time the king realized his pride had led to a dire mistake, both Antigone and Creon had committed suicide, which caused Creon's grieving wife to end her life as well. Upon discovering the death of his family he proclaimed in remorseful understanding: "My own blind heart has brought me/From darkness to final darkness." (Exodos, 990) Creon saw the error of his ways after it was too late to undo his actions, thus suffering with the blood of his wife and son on his conscience. Creon's poisonous ego distracted him from the path of truth, and his dignity-tainted judgement is what ultimately led to the death of his loved ones and his own
As mentioned above, even after Prince Haimon warned his father of the unpopularity of his decision, Creon still refused to take his actions into careful consideration. With no interest in the opinion of his subjects, Creon defensively stated, "The State is the King!" (iii,598) With this brash remark, Creon displayed his irreproachable attitude regarding politics. The last attempt to right the king's wrong is made by the prophet Teiresias, who is first insulted by false accusations of bribery on account of Creon's hubris. Creon does not understand the value of Teiresias's prophecy until it is too late, and his attempt to correct himself was made in vain. By the time the king realized his pride had led to a dire mistake, both Antigone and Creon had committed suicide, which caused Creon's grieving wife to end her life as well. Upon discovering the death of his family he proclaimed in remorseful understanding: "My own blind heart has brought me/From darkness to final darkness." (Exodos, 990) Creon saw the error of his ways after it was too late to undo his actions, thus suffering with the blood of his wife and son on his conscience. Creon's poisonous ego distracted him from the path of truth, and his dignity-tainted judgement is what ultimately led to the death of his loved ones and his own