Haemon

the gods do smite” (Sophocles). In other words, we should not be too prideful because it can hurt those we love. For instance, Creon, the king of Thebes in the Trilogy, ends up alone and despairing over the death of Antigone, Oedipus’s daughter, and Haemon, Creon’s son, who both commit suicide. Creon takes the responsibility for the tragedies and hopes for a fast death. In the account of the great flood in the Epic of Gilgamesh, the gods flooded the earth because they were prideful and thought…

Macbeth, Brutus from Julius Ceasar, John Proctor from The Crucible, Hercules, Sirius Black from Harry Potter, and Spiderman all have a common fate; they are all tragic heroes. A tragic hero is “a great or virtuous character in a dramatic tragedy who is destined for downfall, suffering, or defeat” (Dictionary). Every hero has a downfall and a purpose; typically it is for the greater good for everyone else. In The Oedipus Plays of Sophocles, Antigone and Creon are characters who could be tragic…

argues that Sophocles' play Antigone is androgynous insofar as the title heroine's actions, taking it upon her to bury her dead brother against the direct order of her uncle Theon, could have been performed by a male character, while her betrothed Haemon pleading with his father to pardon Antigone and commiting suicide after she is dead are rather passive actions more fit for a female character in Greek tragedy. The plot would remain essentially the same if their roles were to be reversed. This…

When looking at the Sophocle’s Antigone, there are multiple ideas on the notions of law, law of human and law of the divine. Though there are opinions as to which of the two is the most powerful, the text supports divine law as being the most influential law in the characters’ lives. Divine law is what many of the citizen’s feel is the most significant law, the law they feel they must follow, despite any consequences they may face. Divine law is the law of the gods, whatever they will is…

In the original Antigone, this line is uttered by Creon’s son Haemon who aims to persuade his father to “learn from others when they speak good sense” and listen to others’ good counsels (217). To compare, this same line is instead uttered by Antígona. This self-conscious citation is a parody and demonstration of the…

The Greek philosopher Aristotle once said “At his best, man is the noblest of all animals; seperated from law and justice he is the worst.” The play, Antigone, displays both sides of man. Antigone is an Ancient Greek tragedy. As an Ancient Greek tragedy, the play follows a tragic hero and how his hamartia, fatal flaw, eventually causes his or her downfall. In Antigone, Creon, the tragic hero and king of the story, has declared that one of his nephews should be buried, while the other, should be…

According to Aristotle, he claims, “tragedy is to arouse pity and fear in the audience so that we may be purged, or cleansed, of these unsettling emotions”( “What Is a Tragic Hero?”). In a tragic play there is always a tragic hero, who is a member of royalty in Aristotle’s day. A tragic hero is always defeated by his or her tragic flaw. The hero recognizes his or her own downfall and accepts his or her punishment. This makes the audience feel both pity and fear because the hero is a regular…

Hamlet and Antigone are very different plays, though both have elements in common that can tie them together. Antigone was a product of the ancient Greek’s classic theater and it followed their rigid rules of action, time, and place, and what it accompanied. The play, having to take place during the course of a single day, is about one thing, and takes place in one location. The play also was a part of a set consisting of the three tragedies and a satyr play. Hamlet on the other hand, despite…

The constant question of; Is there a higher power? If there is a higher power is it more powerful than man? Questions that have been left unanswered for centuries and that continue on into today. When looking at Sophocles’ Antigone, there are multiple ideas on the notions of law, law of man and law of the divine. Though there are opinions as to which of the two is the most powerful, the text supports the divine law as being the most influential law in the characters’ lives. Consequences the…

The Two Sides of Antigone Antigone is a strong willed young woman that makes a difficult decision to disobey the king’s rule. Making the decision to disobey King Creon’s edict comes with a heavy consequence; for both herself and the people that love her the most. Throughout both plays Antigone tries to convince Creon why it is right to give her brother, Polyneices, a proper burial. He has been deemed a traitor by the King and shall receive no burial of his body while his brother Eteocles was…