In the play Antigone written by Sophocles, the king of Thebes, Creon, embodies the three traits of a tragic hero which ultimately lead to his own demise. As a ruler of the city, Creon is a benevolent and good character. Even as king he does not possess any special power or gift and is similar to any other man found on the streets of Thebes. As the plot progresses Creon remains consistent and headstrong about his views and beliefs. Despite being viewed as an antagonist by some, Creon is essentially a good and virtuous character. As a new leader, Creon is a righteous man trying to do good by others. With a new power and duty in his hands he wants to do what is best for the city of Thebes. When accepting his new role, Creon expresses that he …show more content…
From the beginning to the end he consistently thinks that people are motivated by money. At first he accuses the sentry then later turns on Teiresias and tells him that “bribes are baser than any baseness” (74). Although neither the sentry or the prophet were paid, Creon still believes that each were bribed with money in both cases. He also has an undeviating stubbornness when it comes to his decision on the fate of Antigone. Even after being chastised on his ruling by his son and Teiresias, Creon is unable to “yield for [his] own good” (73). His mind remains unchangeable and he stays stubborn until the last moment on his decision. Creon’s consistency along with his other traits bring him down a path of his undoing. Unfortunately for Creon, his possession of the traits of a tragic hero are what cause his own downfall. In spite of the fact that he is a good guy, he cannot escape his fate. Because he is lifelike and human, he has nothing to fight against the power of destiny. Headstrong throughout, he is consistent in his decisions even though he may be in the wrong which renders him vulnerable to the forces of the gods. In the play Antigone by Sophocles, Creon’s tragic hero traits lead to his