Essay about Tragedy in Sophocles Oedipus The King and...

Tragedy in Sophocles Oedipus The King and Antigone The Greeks considered tragedy the greatest form for literature. However, the tragic ends for the characters were not ordained or set by fate, but rather caused by certain characteristics belonging to that person. Such is the case with the characters of Sophocles plays Oedipus the King and Antigone. Oedipus from King Oedipus, and Antigone and Creon from Antigone posses characteristics, especially pride, that caused their tragic ends. As the play progress, other characteristics appear and further add to the problem to such a point that it is inevitable that it will end in tragedy. Therefore the tragedies were not a result of a plot by the fates, but rather a result of the†¦show more content†¦His confrontation with Antigone brings to light this trait, where he speaks, Well have no womans law here, while I live.(p.140) and But, as I live, she shall not flout my orders with impunity.(p.139). His pride becomes even stronger when others attempt to defy his will. His heated argument with his son, Haemon, demonstrates this where he states, Better be beaten, if need be, by a man, than let a woman get the better of us.(p.144) and when he asks, Since when do I take orders from the people of Thebes? (p.146). Therefore Creon demonstrates the strong pride of the whole family, perhaps stronger than both Oedipus and Antigone. Nonetheless pride amongst this tragic family is their flaw or hamartia, and it leads to all their tragic ends. However, pride is not the only characteristic, which contributes to their tragic end. For Oedipus, there exists his temper, his unrelenting pursuit of the truth and his suspicion. His temper is exhibited in the argument between Teiresias and himself, where Teiresias states the truth and Oedipus replies, Do you think you can say such things with impunity?(p.36) and later calls Teiresias a, Shameless and brainless, sightless, senseless sot!(p.36). His suspicion was also shown in this exchange where he says, Creon! Was this trick his, then, if not yours?(p.36). Lastly his unrelenting pursuit of the truth is demonstrated when he believes he is the murderer and that Polybus was not hisShow MoreRelatedContrast 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 MoreThe Difference Between Good And Evil?978 Words   |  4 Pagesperson’s life be more tragic than another? What is a tragedy? â€Å"A tragedy is a dramatic composition, often in verse, dealing with a serious or somber theme, typically that of a great person destined through a flaw of character or conflict with some overpowering force, as fate or society, to downfall or destruction† (Dictionary.com). The play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles includes different rulings of two kings who are different but alike in some ways. Oedipus can be thought as the good, and Creon can be thoughtRead MoreSophocles As A Master Of Character Development1497 Words   |  6 PagesSophocles is one of the three great Athens tragic playwrights in Greek history. He has written over 120 plays in which they were performed into three tragedies known as the â€Å"Oedipus the King†. Although he has written 123 plays there are only seven of his tragedies remaining and with only a few titles and fragments remaining. The seven tragedies include Ajax, Antigone, Trachinian Women, Oedipus the King, Electra, Philoctetes, Oedipus at Colonus, and Trackers. Sophocles was considered to be a masterRead More The Tragic Hero: Creon or Antigone? Essay1293 Words   |  6 Pages In the Greek tragedy Antigone, the characters Antigone and Creon can both be thought of as the tragic hero of the play. Though Antigone does show some of these characteristics of a tragic hero, Creon demonstrates the attributes more clearly and concisely. Creon is the King of Thebes, as well as the uncle of Antigone. Creon took the throne after a tragic quarrel between his two nephews, Eteocles and Polyneices. Despite his harsh governing and his crude ideals, he is not good or bad. Creon is theRead MoreTragedy In Oedipus Rex And Antigone By Euripides784 Words   |  4 Pagesfamously known Greek tragedies; Oedipus Rex and Antigone by Sophocles and Medea by Euripides that not only have the common genre of tragedy, but share the same motifs; homicide, suicide, and suffering. What is intriguing about these commonalities is that these playwrights, Sophocles and Euripides, use them. Homicide is an act when a human permanently harms another leading in death and these plays like to use it quite a bit. In Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles, the main character Oedipus (king of Thebes) realizesRead 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 MoreAnalysis Of Antigone By Sophocles1074 Words   |  5 PagesSmith 1 Gabriel Smith Professor Christopher Foster English 1302 01 March 2016 Essay 2: Antigone A hero is a person who shows courage or noble qualities in the face of danger. There are many different types of heroes in literature and media such as superheroes saving the world, or an everyday fireman saving a kitten from a tree. Deriving from Greek literature, tragic heroes are common among early literature. Tragic heroes are defined by Aristotle by the following requirements, they must come fromRead MoreAntigones Character1565 Words   |  7 Pagesfamily drama, death, politics, and religion, Sophocles’ Antigone is a complex tragedy to say the least. The basic plot of the tragedy is the conflict between Antigone’s family principles and religious tradition and Creon’s embodiment of state and its authority (Scodel). It is on of three tragedies written by Sophocles that chronicle the life of Oedipus. It was written before Oedipus the King, but is a culmination of the events that occurred after Oedipus’ death (Norton 610). Antigone’s brothers, Ete oclesRead MoreSocial, Psychological, And Historical Theories Of SophoclesAntigone1174 Words   |  5 Pagescircumstances. The play Antigone is the last of a tragic trilogy of Sophocles works, the original order was Oedipus Rex, then Oedipus at Colonus and then Antione. Antigone and Ismene are about the last of Oedipus children who wishes to bury her brother Polyneices, but because he was dammed a traitor by Creon, he states that the harshest punishment would be to let the animals and birds eat at their corpse. Antigone and her sister are caught by the Chorus and temporarily imprisoned due to Antigone having no remorse