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Antigone


            
            
             There seems to be some confusion in determining who the protagonist is in the Greek drama, Antigone. It may seem that just because the play is named Antigone, she should be considered the protagonist, however, Antigone's character lacks some of the crucial attributes necessary to comprise the protagonist of a Greek Tragedy. The fact that the play is a tragedy indicates that the protagonist should also be the tragic hero. Since Creon is the tragic hero of the play, he clearly plays a more vital role in the drama than Antigone. We can recognize Creon as the tragic hero rather than Antigone upon examining the definition of a tragic hero. A tragic hero must have a tragic flaw, a realization of his flaw, and a downfall. Creon goes through each of these stages in the play (while Antigone does not) making him both the tragic hero and protagonist.
             It is clear that Creon's tragic flaw was his hubris, arrogance and common beliefs. He lived by the motto, "No woman shall rule me,"" and was too stubborn to listen to anyone's advice. When the blind prophet, Teiresias came to warn Creon of his doomed future, Creon dismissed his words and accused him of disloyalty and taking bribes, "it is a sorry thing when a wise man sells his wisdom .You have a certain skill; but you have sold out.""(429) He rejected his son, Haimon, in a similar manner when Haimon confronted him about his ridiculous and rash actions. He ignored his sons' advice and insulted him, "Fool, adolescent fool! Taken in by a woman!-(422) Creon's hubris isolated him from everyone he came into contact with, making him withdrawn and insane. By the time he realized what he had done (sentenced his sister to die) it was too late. .
             It is also customary for the tragic hero to have lost everything and to be reduced to nothing by the end of the story. This is known as the downfall. In the end of Antigone, Creon had lost his kingdom, his son, his wife, and his will to live, but was doomed to live on and languish.


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