In Greek literature, a tragic hero is based upon an individual having several of the following qualities: having a high social position in society; not being overly good or bad; being persistant or stubborn in their actions; having a single flaw that brings about their own death and the death of others; and obtaining pity from the audience. Antigone was a prime example of a Greek tragic hero. Antigone, being the daughter of Oedipus, obtained a high social standing in Thebes.
Prior to his self-exile from Thebes, Oedipus was the city’s king. Because of her high standing in society, Antigone was capable of great suffering, in that she had a reputation and a vast amount of respect to lose. Antigone’s good side is demonstrated by her insistance on respecting her brother Polyneices’ right to be buried in the religious tradition of Greece. The Greeks believed that it was of most importance to bury a person who died in battle so that their soul may continue on in the after life.
Antigone is willing to risk her own life so that Polyneices can have to proper burial that she so strongly feels he deserved; \”but I will bury him: and if I must die, I say that this crime is holy: I shall lie down with him in death, and I shall be dear to him as he to me. \” (Prologue, line 57-59) Having a fatal flaw is one of the characteristics of a Greek tragic hero. Antigone’s fatal flaw is her rash and headstrong behavior. \”Like father, like daughter: both headstrong, deaf to reason! (Ode I, Scene II, line 85) Her headstrong behaviour is displayed twice in the play.
The first such display is her decision to take matters into her own hands and bury her brother Polyneices. Creon finds out about the burial and in order to have credibilty with the citizens of Thebes he must follow through with the punishment as set forth in his proclamation. Antigone and her sister Ismene are placed in a cave and heavily guarded. They faced \”stoning to death in the public square. \” (Prologue, line 25).
Antigone’s second display of headstrong behavior is when she decides to kill herself in the cave, therefore robbing Creon of the satisfaction of completing this deed. All of Thebes sympathizes with Antigone because not only has she lost her mother, father, and two brothers, but also her one act, has sentenced her sister Ismene and herself to death. The king is made aware of the sympathy Antigone is receiving from his son Haemon. \”And I have heard them muttering and whispering in the dark about this girl.
They say no woman has ever so unreasonably, died so shameful a death for a generous act. \” (Ode II, scene III, line 65-67). It is here that we must look back at the quality posessed by a tragic hero in Greek literature, the main one in this play being: having a single flaw that brings about their own death and the death of others. Antigone’s decision to bury Polyneices is the main focus of the play. Her impulsive personality and undying love for her brother drives her to disregard the proclomation of King Creon, and bury her brother.
As a result of her actions, she is sentenced to death along with her sister Ismenewhose only crime was knowing that her sister Antigone was going to defy Creon’s orders and bury their brother. Creon does not get the chance to follow through on his orders of stoning Antigone to and Ismene to death because Antigone decides to take her own life. \”She made a noose of her fine linen veil and hanged herself.
Haemon lay beside her, his arms about her waist, lamenting her, his love lost under ground, crying out that his father had stolen her away from him. (Exodus, line 68-72) Her death brings about the death of Haemon, who can not bear to live without his love and bride to be Antigone: And suddenly drew his sword and lunged. Creon shrank back, the blade missed; and the boy, desperate against himself, drove it half its length into his own side and fell. And as he died he gathered Antigone close in his arms again, choking, his blood bright red on her white cheek. And now he lies dead with the dead and she is his at last, his bride in the houses of the dead.
After careful study of the play Antigone, the tragic hero is, without a doubt, Antigone herself. She held all the qualities of a true tragic hero in Greek literature. She, being the daughter of a king (Oedipus) had a high standing in society, was not overly good or bad, was persistant in her actions, gained pity from the audience and had the one single flaw (headstrong) that brought about not only her death, but also the death of others.
