The Archetype Of Creon In Antigone

Before the many genres we know today in literature, there used to be only two: tragedy and comedy. With tragedy comes the tragic hero, the character that ultimately defines the ending of the story. In Antigone, that person is Creon. He is a troubled king living in the same time as Antigone, who may have contributed to his downfall. Creon’s fate was determined from the start to be less than desirable, and the audience knew this from the odes following each scene. Creon fits the archetype of a tragic hero because of the flaws he possess and the catastrophic end he eventually meets. From the start, Creon was set up to be an important character in Antigone. Not only was his part very prominent in the play, he was also held high in society. He …show more content…
He threw Antigone into a solitary confinement and left her to die. Antigone eventually killed herself; it was less painful to invite death in than have the stress of meeting it later. When Haemon realized what his father did to the love of his life, he committed suicide as well. Eurydice, the wife of Creon, found out that her son died and had the same fate as him. Creon’s tragic death was revealed: he was left with no family. He felt guilty and recognized that his arrogance and pride drove him to that point. He thought that there was no reason to live, even if he still had his people looking up to him. In the last scene, Creon confesses, “Lead me away. I have been rash and foolish. I have killed my son and my wife. I look for comfort; my comfort lies here dead. Whatever my hands have touched has come to nothing. Fate has brought all my pride to a thought of dust” (Sophocles 41). With Haemon dead, there was no heir to his throne, diminishing any chance to keep the family name alive. It was as if he was responsible for four deaths that day, his legacy being the last. It is too late when Creon finally notices his flaws, and he has to deal with what he has done for the rest of his life. Creon’s disastrous finish was determined by the end of the play, conforming him more to be the archetypal tragic …show more content…
The article “Reworking of Antigone by Jean Anouilh” showed that Creon can be portrayed as a person who deserves sympathy. He is not inherently evil because he knows that his flaws are unfixable, making them tragic. It is stated in the piece that “The dilemma that Creon faces in this case is crucial; he already knows that Antigone’s murder would prove ‘unfavorable’ for his regime whereas Antigone is leading him to murder her” (Kazmi 4). It is being said that Antigone is fueling Creon’s arrogance in the retelling, showing that the creator felt sorry that he possesses the flaw. However, it shows that someone else recognizes Creon’s calamitous traits, further proving that he the tragic hero in