Sophocles' "Antigone"

Paper Summary:

This paper relates that, while in some ways Antigone does not fit the Aristotelian definition of the tragic hero, in other ways she does. The author points out that, for this reason, some critics believe that Creon is the tragic hero in this play, though the issue remains unresolved and the discussion continues. The paper states that Aristotle's dramatic theory states that a tragic hero must be an important person with a character flaw, which causes him to make a great mistake leading to tremendous suffering and a fall from his high status.

From the Paper:

"Antigone is the central figure in Sophocles' play of that name, making her the tragic heroine of the piece. In some ways, though, Antigone does not fit the Aristotelian definition of the tragic her, while in other ways she does. Raymond Williams indicates that there is something definite that can be considered tragic, differentiating it from other experiences: "Certain events and responses are tragic, and others are not" (Williams 14). In shaping his dramatic theory, Aristotle surveyed the drama of his time and developed certain concepts regarding the nature of the tragic hero. The tragic hero must be an important person with a character flaw that causes him to make a great mistake leading to tremendous suffering and a fall from his high status."

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