Tragic Hero Traits
English I
 Directions: Write the traits of a tragic hero in the first column as the material on tragic heroes is presented. Evaluate the text of ​Antigone​ for evidence of these
traits in Creon and Antigone. Complete the chart with explanations as well as text citations to support the presence of specific traits of the tragic hero in each of
the characters. This chart and the play will serve as the basis for a Socratic seminar on the topic. It must be completed in order for you to participate.
Traits of the Tragic Hero
1.
Must be nobly born
2.
Has hamartia, tragic flaw
3.
Experiences reversal of
fortune, peripeteia as a
result of hamartia
4.
The hamartia of hubris leads
to the hero’s downfall
5.
Antigone
“Is the Princess, Antigone.” (Choragros 300) This piece of
evidence supports the trait because it is giving Antigone the
title of princess, which would only mean that she was nobly
born to earn that title.
“I shall be hating you soon, and the dead will too, for words are
hateful. Leave me my foolish plan:” (Antigone 80-82) This piece
of evidence supports the trait because it is showing that
Antigone’s tragic flaw is her loyalty to her family and the law by
going against them to do what she thinks is right.
“But I will bury him: and if I must die, I say that this crime is
holy; I shall lie down with him in death” (Antigone 55-57) This
piece of evidence supports the trait because it shows that since
Antigone is going to bury Polyneices, she knows that her
reversal of fortune would be her getting the death penalty by
not listening to Ismene and others, so she would have a
reversal of fortune by getting the death penalty for her actions.
“He is my brother. And he is your brother, too. But thinks of the
danger! Think of what Creon will do! Creon is not strong
enough to stand in my way.” (Antigone and Ismene 33-35) This
piece of evidence supports the trait because it shows that
Antigone’s pride about her actions and the burial of Polyneices
over Creon shows why she was more devoted to follow with
her actions. Her pride over Creon is that she is not afraid of
what he will do because she thinks that she doing right because
her pride is high, which would lead her to have her downfall.
“Go away, Ismene: I shall be hating you soon, and the dead will
too, for your words are hateful.” (Ismene 80-82) “ But can I do
Name Sara Castello______________________________
Creon
“ The princes Eteocles and Polyneices, have killed each other
in battle, and I, as next in blood, have succeeded to full power
of the throne.” (Creon 145 146) This piece of evidence
supports the trait because it is stating that Creon in next in
blood, which means that he is royal blood and was nobly born
to become the next king of Thebes.
“The generations of kings has always loved brass. You forget
yourself! You are speaking to your King.” (Creon 828-829) This
piece of evidence supports the trait because it shows that
Creon is not listening to Teiresias’s prediction and is stating
that since his pride is high because he is stating that Teiresia is
speaking to the King and not listening to the prediction.
“Lead me away. I have been rash and foolish. I have killed my
son and my wife.” ( Creon 1034-1035) This piece of evidence
supports the trait because it shows that since Creon would
only listen to himself and not to his family, the reversal of
fortune is that his family has committed suicide because Creon
would not listen to to his family.
“You consider it right for a man of many years and experience
to go to school to a boy?” ( Creon 588) This piece of evidence
supports the trait because it shows that Creon believes that he
above the rest and that shows his pride for himself and his
title as king, which he thinks mean that he won’t listen to
anyone else. This would lead to his downfall by Creon not
listening to anyone else, so they would all commit suicide, so
creon would be left alone because he would not listen to
others.
“It is right that it should be. I alone am guilty. I know it, and I
say it.” (Creon 1021-1022) This piece of evidence supports the
Experiences in
self-awareness or
self-knowledge as result
experiences
6.
The audience responds to
the tragic hero with either
pity or fear as result of the
hero’s experience
nothing? Yes. Save yourself. I shall no envy you. There are trait because it is showing that Creon knows that he made the
those who will praise you; I shall have honor, too.” (Antgone wrong choices with the punishment and the law because he is
444-446) These pieces of evidence supports the trait because it stating that he is guilty. This then shows that he is now
shows how Antigone has learned from her mistakes by being self-aware about his actions that lead to this and has learned
loyal to her family by stating that she wants Ismene to live and from his mistake that family is more important than law.
that she will not envy her. This means that Antigone has
learned to not just care about what she thinks is right, like the
burial of Polyneices, but to be more Loyal to her family so she
does not lose another sibling like she has to Eteocles and
Polyneices.
“No more, Ismene. You are alive, but I belong to Death.” “Oh pity! All true, all true, and more than I can bear! O my
(Antigone 448-449) This piece of evidence supports the trait wife, my son!” ( Creon 1009-1011) This piece of evidence
because it will cause the audience to feel pity on the death of supports the trait because it will make the audience relate to
Antigone because she was doing what her mind told her to do Creon because many people have lost loved ones, so this will
and bury and show respects for Polyneices when no one else cause the audience to feel pity for Creon.
would. This means that the audience would of felt the pity
because they most likely would've thought that Antigone was
doing the right thing and being loyal to her brother, so they will
pity her death as punishment for breaking the law.