Essay On Tragic Characters From Antigone Essay, Research Paper

After examining the play, Antigone, for tragic characters, it is seen that there could

be many different possibilities. One character is clearly shown to be the tragic character

though, and that is Antigone. She plays this role so great because she has all of the correct

characteristics of a tragic character including her tragic flaw and her downfall. A tragic

character is defined as a person who suffers a downfall in the course of the play, this

character also has a tragic flaw which is the event that brings about the downfall of the

character. Although it could be seen that Antigone is the tragic character, there are many

other possibilities.

The plot structure can give many hints or clues of which can reveal the tragic

character of the play. The play, Antigone offers many clues that the tragic character is in

fact, Antigone. Antigone has a tragic flaw which is her arrogance, or the fact that she

chooses to bury her brother, Polynices, even though the law prohibits it due to the fact

that he is a traitor. Her downfall is her death which comes after she buries Polynices, she is

caught and brought to Creon, whose is king and son Haimon is to marry her. He sentences

her to be banished and locked away in a cave in which she hangs herself and later Haimon

also kills himself.

The tragedy of this play is that the main character, Antigone, dies all because she

wanted to bury her brother but is banished and kills herself. The aspect of Antigone affects

the play in an important way because she wins favor of the reader/spectator because all

she wants to do is rightfully bury her brother. This leads to the end of the play in which

she commits suicide as well as Haimon who commits suicide and everyone suffers the

tragedy of their deaths.

The concept of fate affects the tragic character s actions in a very important way .

Antigone s fate is that she makes a choice. This choice she makes leads to her suicide as

well as Haimon s all because she wanted to bury Polynices but Creon s laws prevent this

but she does it anyway. Antigone suffers her fate as well as the other characters including

Haimon who also dies.

A tragic character is essential to a play for many reasons. The tragic character

suffers a tragic flaw in which a character suffers a downfall. The concept of the tragic

character is relevant in all plays and is sometimes difficult to pick out such as this play,

Antigone.