The Tragic Hero: Creon in Antigone

The tragic hero is “fallible” (Kennedy and Gioia 1160). From Aristotle’s definition of

tragedy, the tragic hero is someone of “high estate” from where he or she falls (Kennedy and

Gioia 1160). The high estate, however, is not limited to the position of a king or queen – dignity,

happiness, and other extraordinary states can be the source of high estate. And there are two

elements in the development of the tragic hero: first, the tragic hero’s downfall is caused by his

or her weakness or flaw; next, reversal to the results that the tragic hero has anticipated occurs

(Kennedy and Gioia 1161). In Antigone, Creon is the tragic hero because he eventually falls from

his high estate – from a king who had it all to a person who loses his family members. And the

development of the character, Creon, into the tragic hero occurs in three steps: high estate, a

weakness or flaw of character, then reversal.

HIGH ESTATE

First, the high estate of Creon is most evident from his position as the king. His first

appearance in the play represents the power he holds over others:

CREON. This is my command, and you can see the wisdom behind it. As long as I am

King, no traitor is going to be honored with the loyal man. But whoever shows by

word and deed that he is on the side of the State, –– he shall have my respect while he

is living and my reverence when he is dead. (1. 175)

Creon holds the power to set the laws of the land and punish those who fail to follow his

laws. The high estate of Creon – in terms of his position as the king and the power he has – is

indeed reassured by Choragos:

CHORAGOS. If that is your will, Creon son of Menoikeus,

You have the right to enforce it: we are yours. (1. 180)
 Also, the power of Creon and his high estate are evident from the part that his status as

the king overpowers that of Antigone, the princess. This is shown when Creon asks Antigone

whether she buried her brother against Creon’s laws and tells that her action can be punished

with death:

CREON. And you, Antigone,

You with your head hanging—do you confess this thing? (2. 350)

HAMARTIA: TRAGIC FLAW

Another aspect that supports the argument that Creon is the tragic hero in Antigone

relates to the flaw and weakness of character of Creon. The tragic hero’s hamartia can be

extreme pride, overconfidence, or moral Achilles’ heel (Kennedy and Gioia 1160). Such tragic

flaws can be found in Creon. In Antigone, Creon exhibits stubbornness, lack of patience and

understanding, and ruthlessness:

CREON. Go join them, then; if you must have your love,

Find it in hell! (2. 420)

Creon thinks that his power overrides the love between Antigone and Haemon, the son of

Creon and fiancé of Antigone:

CREON. There are places enough for him to push his plow.

I want no wicked women for my sons! (2. 455)

CREON. Good. That is the way to behave: subordinate

Everything else, my son, to your father’s will (3. 505)

As such, Creon believes that his law should triumph those of the gods. He is also

confident that his laws give him the power to take others’ lives based on his decision. Creon

shows no understanding towards the reasons why Antigone decided to disobey Creon’s laws.
 Importantly, the flaws in Creon’s character are closely related to the main conflict of

Antigone as well. One of the main conflicts in Antigone is the conflict between the law of the

gods and the laws of men. While one may choose to believe one of the other, the complete

ignorance of the law of gods exhibited by Creon shows the arrogance in his character. This

overconfidence and addiction to power become Creon’s hamartia.

REVERSAL

Reversal, an action that “turns out to have the opposite effect from the one its doer had

intended” also happens to Creon in Antigone (Kennedy and Gioia 1161). The intended results

that Creon anticipated from his actions were strengthening of his power as the king and ruler of

the people. This purpose of Creon is exhibited when he bashes his son, Haemon, about Antigone:

CREON. Do you want me to show myself weak before the people?

Or to break my sworn word? No, and I will not.

The woman dies.

I suppose she’ll plead “family ties.” Well, let her.

If I permit my own family to rebel,

How shall I earn the world’s obedience?

Show me the man who keeps his house in hand,

He’s fit for public authority. (3. 520)

The intended results, however, do not happen as Creon anticipated. On the contrary,

rather than acquiring the status of power and invincibility, he becomes helpless in the face of loss

his family:

CREON. Nothing you say can touch me any more.

My own blind heart has brought me

 From darkness to final darkness. Here you see

The father murdering, the murdered son—

And all my civic wisdom! (5. 990)

The reversal in Antigone is also evident from the change in Creon’s attitude towards the

gods. Before, Creon disregarded the laws of the gods and considered his laws to be superior to

the laws of the gods. As noted, the main conflict in Antigone occurs between the laws of men and

those of the gods. The previous attitude and arrogance of Creon, however, are drastically

changed in the end:

CREON. O God, I am sick with fear.

Are there no swords here? Has no one a blow for me? (5. 1020)

As such, the element of reversal supports that Creon is developed into the tragic hero in

Antigone.

In conclusion, as Aristotle’s definition of tragedy and the tragic hero, Creon falls from his

high estate, making him the tragic hero in Antigone. Specifically, Creon enters the play as a

person of unwavering power – the king. Creon, however, exhibits flaw in his character. He

believes that his power and laws are above the laws of the gods, and his overconfidence makes

him disregard others’ thoughts, beliefs, and relationships. Later, reversal to the results that Creon

has anticipated occurs. Instead of getting more power over his surrounding, he loses his family

and becomes helpless in front of the tragedy. As such, in Antigone, Creon is the tragic hero

because he falls from his high estate – from a king who had it all to a person who loses all.
 Works Cited

Kennedy, X. J., and Gioia, Dana. Literature: An introduction to fiction, poetry, drama, and

writing. Pearson, 2016. Print. pp. 1160-1162.

Sophocles. “Antigone.” Literature: An introduction to fiction, poetry, drama, and writing. Ed.

Kennedy, X. J., and Gioia, Dana. Pearson, 2016. pp. 1204-1234.