Oedipus as King of Thebes Antigone by Sophocles - 1380 Words

The effect of pride is the centers piece of man’s perpetual role in his own destruction. This is illustrated by various characters’ such as Creon in Antigone by Sophocles, Oedipus in Oedipus the King by Sophocles and the Trojans in the Aeneid by Virgil. In the Antigone we see the consequence of one’s pride and desire for power take hold, when Creon decides to punish Antigone for disobeying the law off the land and proving Polynices with a burial. The disregard for any form of sympathy would eventually come to hunt Creon, in a reversal of fortune that would see him loose not only his power but his family as well. A similar pattern is observed in the Aeneid by Virgil, where the Trojans filled with pride and neglecting the voice of reason,†¦show more content†¦The past provides models for behavior, either to be emulated or avoided, and these models reflect the constantly evolving cultural construction of what a hero is and how he behaves. The Iliad and subs equent literature about the Trojan War are the stories of heroes: larger than life characters from the past who offer those in the present a model of heroic behavior. (6) The importance of the tragic hero as a lamp that serves to guide readers of the poetics such as those written by Sophocles, cannot be overstated. Consequently it would not be wrong to say that in fact what stands out in characters such as Hector and Achilles is their pride, and desire to achieve more. In the case of Achilles this is see when he decides to participate in the war for glory and in the case of Hector when he decides to go out of his way and take on the responsibility of other people like his brother. His constant desire to do something glorious to heights of achieving a noble death pushes him to refuse the plea of his father, choosing to instead go and fight Achilles. Hector’s pride revolves around him wanting a glorious image as a warrior in life or death; which Achilles denies him by dragging hisShow MoreRelatedThe Tragic Heroes Of Sophocles Oedipus The King And Antigone1275 Words   |  6 PagesIgnorance is one of the most hidden but controlling characteristi cs one may have. It carves the path for many plays and stories and is usually not recognized until a situation is too late to fix. This is represented in the two plays Oedipus the King and Antigone by Sophocles. Oedipus and Creon, the two the tragic heroes, have ignorance built up inside of them, though both are different. They then both then have realisation of their blindness by self-love, either by themselves or others. It is only two lateRead MoreThe Difference Between Good And Evil?978 Words   |  4 Pagescom). The play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles includes different rulings of two kings who are different but alike in some ways. 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Over the course of Sophocles three playsRead MoreContrast Between Oedipus the King and Antigone by Sophocles744 Words   |  3 PagesContrast between Oedipus the King and Antigone Sophocles, a famous and renowned Greek dramatist, is the playwright to both the play Oedipus the King and Antigone. Along with Antigone and Oedipus Sophocles had also wrote Electra and Fete. Sophocles wrote many Greek tragedies which are plays in which the main character in the play suffers a tragedy due to some flaw of theirs. An example would be how Oedipus (thinking he is defying a prophecy) murders his father and weds his mother. His flaw was himRead MoreEssay on Creon as the Tragic Hero in Sophocles Antigone1326 Words   |  6 PagesCreon as the Tragic Hero in Antigone     Ã‚   This essay will compare two of the characters in â€Å"Antigone†, Antigone and Creon, in an effort to determine the identity of the tragic hero in this tale.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To identify the tragic hero in Sophocles’ renowned play â€Å"Antigone†, we should first consider both the elements present in Greek tragedies and what characteristics define a tragic hero. Aristotle’s definition of tragedy is: â€Å"Tragedy is a story taking the hero from happiness to miseryRead MoreComparing Oedipus The King And Antigone1311 Words   |  6 Pagesanalyzing both Oedipus the King and Antigone, Oedipus and Antigone are very alike in ways. When reading these plays, the mind is wired to compare how the protagonists are alike, and contrast how they are different. Antigone and Oedipus are idolized by the people, but the legacy of Oedipus seems to have been altered due to the fact that he has experienced bad past family relationships; therefore as Gale explains, â€Å"Antigone hangs herself. Creon’s son Haemon, who was in love with Antigone, commits suicideRead MoreOedipus The King, Antigone, And Mi nority Report1364 Words   |  6 Pages Throughout the stories of Oedipus the King, Antigone, and Minority Report, there is a common theme of greatness beyond the scope of the individual story. Oedipus was the dedicated king of Thebes, whose predestined fate detailed failed attempts to outrun his destiny. His sacrifices were for the good of his city. Creon and Antigone battle throughout their story, yet ultimately showed that death and sorrow are fates that are bigger than the both of them. Finally, John Anderton fought to prove his ownRead MoreOedipus The King And Oedipus At Colonus Essay1261 Words   |  6 Pages As Sophocles meditates the philosophy of the tragedy all along his life, the tragic essence expands from individuals in a society. The conflict in each play becomes increasingly complicated. In Antigone, we can clearly distinguish the conflict between Antigone and Creon, family and politics. However, in Oedipus at Colonus, the play merges all the conflicts happened to former plays and enhances the theme of the story. The later part of this trilogy, especially the ending of Oedipus the King and OedipusRead MoreThe True Tragic Hero of Antigone879 Words   |  4 Pagesexample of this can be found in Sophocles’ trilogy, The Theban Plays which follows the struggling city of Thebes and the efforts of its rulers to escape their misfortune. Antigone, the third play is an excellent example of this. As the title is Antigone, one would assume that she is the tragic hero, or heroine, but this is not the case. In the tragedy Antigone, Creon fills the role of tragic hero. Creon’s power sets him apart from the average man. As he is king of Thebes, he claims privileges not grantedRead MoreJustification of Creon in Antigone by Sophocles Essay994 Words   |  4 PagesJustification of Creon in Antigone by Sophocles Antigone is a tragic play written by Sophocles in about 441b.c. The play is a continuation of the curse put upon the household of Oedipus Rex. Sophocles actually wrote this play before he wrote Oedipus, but it follows Oedipus in chronological order. The story of Antigone begins after the departure of Oedipus, the king of Thebes, into self-exile. Oedipus’ two sons, Eteocles and Polyneices, were left to rule over Thebes. An argument over rights