Creon In Beowulf

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Darth Vader is one of the most known tragic heroes of the 20th and 21st century. He creates a modern picture that still represents the concrete requirements for a tragic hero. He was not born into nobility, but he did step up in ranks where he was in a position to fall, he had virtuous qualities where the audience could take part in a catharsis, and his hamartia was fear. Aristotle defines catharsis as, “the purging of the emotions of pity and fear that are aroused in the viewer of a tragedy” (Zuern). Most people will view him as a villain, but he was indeed a tragic hero. There are many examples of tragic heroes before Darth Vader, such as: Creon, Romeo and Juliet, Beowulf, Antigone, etc. In the tragic poem Beowulf, Beowulf is considered a…show more content…
Creon was born into a noble family, and became king after Oedipus was exiled from Thebes. He declared to his people, “I am next in kin to the dead, I now possess the throne and all its powers,” (Sophocles, Antigone lines 192-193). Creon has now announced his power in Thebes and this message was necessary in order to notify the people in the kingdom that he is the king, and his orders must be obeyed. It is apparent that the people respect him as a leader at first because they have no opposition to his demand regarding Polynices. They sternly follow his orders, and the leader says to Creon, “The power is yours, I suppose, to enforce it with the laws, both for the dead and all of us, the living,” (Sophocles, Antigone 238-240). This quote depicts the obedience of Creon’s people, but also the fear that Creon emanates. Although Creon is a fearless leader, he does have decent qualities about himself. When Oedipus was exiled, he took in his daughters, Antigone and Ismene, and raised them. After Creon agreed to take them in, Oedipus proclaimed to him, “Bless you, Creon! May god watch over you for this kindness, […]” (Sophocles, Oedipus lines 1620-1621). Creon did not have t accept Oedipus’ request, but he knew it was the right thing to do. For this alone is where the miniscule catharsis from the audience comes into…show more content…
With Aristotle’s definition, Creon’s hamartia leads to his inevitable downfall. Creon is excessively prideful, arrogant, and stubborn. When he mad his decision about Antigone, he could not be persuaded to change his mind. Creon feels that if he were to change his mind easily, he would be perceived as a weak king with no complete authority over the law in Thebes. Once he makes a decision about someone, there is no altering it. For example, Creon says to Antigone, “Once an enemy, never a friend, not even after death,” (Sophocles, Antigone 588-589). This illustrates how stubborn Creon is. The fact that he cannot forgive the dead is the main reason for his own downfall and
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