Antigone

= Antigone = = by Sophocles Here is a translation of the play similar to the one you have in your textbook. Click on the link below. You will need Adobe Reader to access this file. = = = = =

What is a Tragic Hero? //Notes taken from A Glossary of Literary Terms Sixth Edition by M. H. Abrams //
 * ** Will most effectively evoke both our pity and terror if he is neither thoroughly good nor thoroughly evil but a mixture of both. **
 * ** The hero is better than we are in the sense that he is of higher than ordinary moral worth. **
 * ** Such a man is presented as suffering a change in fortune from happiness to misery because of a mistaken act. **
 * ** This mistaken act occurs because of his harmatia or error of judgment. Translated from the Greek harmatia means tragic flaw. **
 * ** One common harmatia is hubris or pride; an overweening self-confidence which leads the protagonist to disregard a divine warning or to violate an important moral law. **
 * ** The tragic hero moves us to pity because, since he is not an evil man, his misfortune is greater than he deserves. **
 * ** He moves us to fear because we recognize similar possibilities of error in our own lesser and fallible selves. **

= = You are to write one or two paragraphs using one aspect of the definition above to argue that Creon is the tragic hero or that Antigone is not the tragic hero. Keep in mind that Antigone does look like a tragic hero for some aspects of the definition but not all. For Antigone, depending on what aspect of the definition you choose you may be arguing for or against her being a tragic hero.

Below is the example we worked on in class. It is color coded for your convenience. Remember blue is the statement, red the evidence from the text and green is the commentary and analysis.

Color Coded Example:


 * Creon **

In the play, //Antigone//, two characters appear to be possible tragic heroes. Based on Aristotle’s definition however, Creon emerges as the clear example of a tragic hero. The definition states that “the tragic hero comes to recognize his own error and to accept its tragic consequences”. In the Exodos, Creon admits over his dead son’s body, “My own blind heart has brought me from darkness to final darkness”. In this, Creon clearly admits that the fault is completely his, and he describes his arrogance as “darkness”. His initial inability to see that his law disregarded the laws of the gods was his entry into a kind of blind rule. Now that his refusal to see the wisdom of the Antigone, Haimon, the Choragos and Teiresias has led to the ultimate tragedy, he is in a “final darkness” which is bereft of family, friends and the support of the elders of the city. As Aristotle’s definition outlines, Creon does not blame fate or curse the gods, but he takes full responsibility for his misfortune.


 * Antigone **

In the play, //Antigone//, two characters appear to be possible tragic heroes. Based on Aristotle’s definition however, Antigone cannot be considered as the tragic hero. From the outset of the play, Antigone is clear about one thing :”The immortal unrecorded laws of God [are] operative forever and beyond [Creon] utterly.” She points out to him in a most forceful manner his error. She herself makes no error but suffers death because of Creon’s refusal to admit his own erroneous thinking as it relates to the gods’ laws on the burial of her of her brother, Polyneices. Her death is indeed tragic but it comes to her for reasons outside Antigone herself. She is not the tragic hero because the consequences she suffers do not result from her own action or own fault.

Antigone Essay **(APC ONLY)**

** Due Wednesday, February 9th 2011 **


 * Are Creon and Antigone tragic heroes? In a well organized essay present **
 * arguments for both characters. In your essay, apply the definition of the term tragic hero to both characters as the basis of your analysis and defense of each character from the play Antigone. In your conclusion argue in favor of one of these characters. **