Protagonist And Antagonist In Antigone By Sophocles

Protagonist and Antagonist Antigone is a Greek tragedy by Sophocles. ONE OF THE three surviving tragedians of classical Athens, along with Aeschylus and Euripides, and one of the great dramatists of world literature, Sophocles spanned in his long life (497-406 B.C.) the cultural flowering of Athens in the fifth century(Segal 1). Antigone is named after the daughter of King Oedipus of Thebes, a young woman who stood against the king’s decision and believed in the gods’ law. There are many arguments regarding who is the real protagonist and antagonist in this play. The protagonist is generally regarded as the good guy and antagonist is the bad guy. Antigone is a protagonist as she is the title character in the†¦show more content†¦She insists that for her, there is nothing as great as death with glory. This refusal to follow the law of the land is what brings about her death. It is to this passage (Lns 450-460) that those critics especially poin t who see in Antigone the self-appointed upholder of divine as against human law. Antigone plays her part as peitho, yet remains true to her basic characterization (Adam 8). In this way Antigone is the classic tragic hero as seen in literature, a clear main character. Creon is an antagonist of the play because he refuses to allow Antigone to bury her brother Polyneices, . The antagonist often shares some of the most notable traits as the protagonist, although for different reasons. Creon doesn’t listen to anyone. He is stubborn and his pride is so great, he can’t bring himself to acknowledge that he could ever be wrong. Creon knows that the only reasonable way to promote peace in Thebes is to be strict in his punishment of those who attacked Thebes. This includes Polyneices, since he was the one who led the attack against Thebes. The range of motives he can understand is limited, including â€Å"lust for power and greed for money†(Winnington 4). He believes he is on the only possible path and his goal is noble. He is the hero of his own story and wants something that he has thought about, considered and has decided to go after. Creon rejects the rules laid downShow MoreRelated Sophocles Antigone - Antigone and Creon, the Powerful Protagonists1244 Words   |  5 PagesThe Two Protagonists of Antigone In the classic model of dramatic structure, two characters move the action of the play from introduction to climax to resolution with their conflict. One of these characters is the protagonist; the other is the antagonist. The protagonist is generally regarded as the good guy, and the antagonist is the bad guy. In Sophocles play Antigone, the lines between protagonist and antagonist are blurred. In the Greek tradition, the title character is the protagonistRead MoreKreon, Tragic Hero in Antigone Essay546 Words   |  3 PagesIn the play, Antigone, by Sophocles, there is a character, King Kreon, who is portrayed as the tragic hero, or protagonist. A tragic hero is the main character with tragic flaw, or a defect that leads to their downfall and the character is usually of high status. King Kreon would be considered the protagonist because he is opposed by an antagonist and is the main character in the play, he has the tragic flaws of stubbornness and too much self-pride, and these f laws are struck with bad luck. KingRead 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. 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But theRead MoreMajor Works Data Sheet : Fiction2158 Words   |  9 Pagesinformation about the author: Sophocles was born around 496 B.C. In Athens, Greece. Due to the fact that his father was a wealthy merchant, Sophocles had an excellent education. He was elected twice to become a high ranking military officer. He then died around 406 B.C. Sophocles is considered one of the greatest Greek play writers. He was the fist to add a third main character and the first to get rid of trilogic form. As a result, Sophocles had to shorten all of the â€Å"actionRead MoreThe Sophocles Play Antigone:1581 Words   |  7 PagesThe Sophocles Play Antigone: All the way through this play Antigone is solely being devoted to her family. Antigone is eager to go above and beyond her limits for her family. Antigone is a vital character in this play. Antigone is a very brave, passionate, and willing character that is not enthusiastic about her brother being defiled even if it means her own life. 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In â€Å"Sophocles’ Praise of Man and the Conflicts of the Antigone,† Charles Paul Segal takes the stand that there are two protagonists in the drama (which conflicts with this reader’s interpretation): This is not to say that there are not conceptual issues